The Princess' Blingy Giveaway: WIN a Bracelet To Help You Stay On Track

Okay, so it's hump day--aka Wednesday--and lots of us are having trouble staying within a reasonable calorie/points range. Binge-eating has been slithering around or tempting or outright assailing and overcoming several of us--me, CC (so glad to see you back on the wagon, babe), Lyn, Diana. Maybe YOU there, too.

Anyway, I got myself yet another tool this week from Signature Charms Handmade Creations. I've been so bummed by my setbacks, that I got several of these points/calorie tracking bracelets in assorted colors, so I could match them to whatever I wore. I got em in black, brown, denim blue, turquoise blue, gray, multi-color, and red/black. That array covers most of my wardrobe--which, like the majority of us fat folks, is based on black. (Navy and dark brown slacks, too, and assorted colored tops. But black rules.) Pic at right is my wrist/arm with some of the ones I got. Not all that in focus, sorry. But I wanted you to see the colors and assorted charms (crosses, two kinds, a daisy, and a "faith" message).

I decided to share my newly acquired largesse.


I have an extra bracelet made of denim-blue beads and silvery accents with a charm that says, "Believe." Hey, we gotta have faith to work on losing weight, right? We gotta believe we can do it, right?

This should go great if you're into blue jeans, sure, but the color is semi-neutral and would look great with other blues, browns, burgundies, khakis, tans, purples, roses, grays, reds, etc. Here's a pic to the right of the style of bracelet. (This is not the right color. I couldn't copy the image that Jessica of Signature Charms uploaded to eBay.com. This picture has a brighter, lighter blue than the denim blue, which is more muted in tone and darker. See the denim blue image HERE.)

This fits up to an 8" size wrist. Probably best for 6.5 to 8 inches. I have a 7.5 inch wrist and it fits me perfectly.

Again, don't go by the color in this pic. Visit the image at ebay for a more realistic depiction of the color of the bracelet I'm giving away. Thanks. :)

This bracelet used as a 1 WW point per bead or 50 calories per bead tool can track from 28 points/or/1400 calories, to 35 points/or/1750 calories, and even how I plan to use it as 36 points/or/1800 calories. I assume you can get creative according to your needs, ie, instead of assigning 50 calories per bead, you can assign less or more. You can always get a calculator and do the division. :)

I find that one point/50 calories per bead works best.

However, you can count or discount the metal spacers as per your own individual need. (Leave them out and get 28 points. Count them and get to 35 or 36 points. If you count the starter bead--the biggest one that's the starting point/ending point--you can get to 37 points, even, which is about 1850 cals.)

Now, here's how this bracelet works--for those of you unfamiliar with the points/calorie tracking via beads:


~Choose ahead of time how you're going to do the count. Let's say with this one, we're gonna use 1750 calories per day, or 35 WW points.
~Place the removable charm at the starting point to give you 35 points. On this bracelet I'm giving away, that would be finding the starter bead (it's the bigger one with a metal spacer on each side.) Attach the charm to the outside of one of the metal spacers after the starter bead. This starts your day.
~Slide on the bracelet. (It's elastic for ease.)
~When you have a meal, calculate how many points or calorie increments of 50 you've consumed. If you eat 11 points or 550 calories, then you count eleven beads. Each spacer can pinpoint a "five" spot (so you can count in increments of five easily). So, if you eat 11 points (or 550 calories), from that starting position, you can hit two of the subsequent metal spacers (going in the opposite direction to the starter bead, not going BACK over the starter), which is 10 points/500 calories, and then one more bead. So, your charm will lie after the eleventh bead.
~Repeat the counting and replacement of charm after each meal or snack.
~When you get to the last metal spacer (the one right next to the starter bead on the OTHER side from where you started, you're done for the day. You've eaten 35 points.

If you only want to count 28 points or 1400 calories, then you skip the spacers and count in increments of 4, only for the smaller denim blue beads. No silver ones.

As I said, this can be modified to suit your own caloric needs. If you need more beads (ie, you eat 2000 calories or 40 points per day), then simply move the charm BACK five spaces when you reach 35 (which will give you 5 more points/250 more calories) and then finish your counting normally.

There you go. I'm gonna give this a try and see if it helps keep me conscious of my consumption a bit more easily than journaling (which is a pain). At least it's cuter than a WW journal.

If you'd like a shot at winning this denim points/calorie tracking bracelet, here are the rules: 1. Reside in the USA, as I will only mail domestically. (Sorry, gotta economize on postage). 2. Leave a comment with your name or nickname and tell me if you count points or count calories and also how many you aim to eat per day maximum. 3. Leave your email (disguised so you don't get spammed, sort of like ImADieter atsy yahoo dotsy com), so that I can contact you if you win.

If you prefer not to leave your email here publicly, then you'll have to check back here to see if you won and then contact me within 2 days of my announcement of your win, or I will select another person to win.

Note that you will eventually have to give me your snail mail address, so that I can send this to you.

And if you don't win, or if you prefer another color, be sure to check out the selection at Signature Charms Handmade Creations. She'll also happily custom create a charm bracelet for you to your specifications--if you need more or fewer beads or a specific charm. She is having a sale now--bracelets normally 9.50 are reduced to 7.99. Tell Jessica the Princess Dieter sent ya.

Note: Winner will be announced on my birthday--Feb 20. I won't be the only one getting a goody that way. :)
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