Weight Watchers (Part 1)

[momlovestocook]

GRRRRRR

Just went to get my roasted veggies from last nights supper to make my egg white omelet. My not so dear hubby took them for his lunch today instead of the salmon with peach salsa and yellow beans that were waiting in the fridge.(which I also showed him last night before I put it away). Totally different containers. Don't you hate it when someone eats the food you put away for yourself-all pointed out and ready to go! Once something is on the plate and counted-DO NOT TOUCH LOL. I have kids so it's hard not to share sometimes but it does irk me.

Oh well, I have mushrooms, peppers and onions cooking away right now so all is not lost. Maybe hubby will look twice next time since I don't think the veggies are going to fill him up as much as the salmon. Good news is that supper is made-guess what he's getting.

Sandra

[therese]

As I've only been on WW for three weeks, and one of those weeks involved a visit from my non-adventurous (food-wise, at least) sister-in-law, I hadn't had a chance to put the WW food database through it's paces.

Sure, they had info on bear meat (polar vs. black bear), but would they have info for Indian beyond some vague thing called "curry"? Well, yes. Sambar, paratha, dosa, raita, dal, biryani (different points for lamb and chicken)---all kinds of things that most people never ever eat, and have never heard of.

So, strong marks for WW.

[Abra]

I'm hoping you all don't think I'm setting a terrible example with my blog, since it's so un-strictly following WW right now. I have times like yesterday, when we celebrated my birthday, or today, where I've been keeping my points low all day, but I know that I'm having guests and won't be restricting what I eat tonight. I did plan a menu for tonight that's semi-points friendly, which is progress for me, since often I just bag it for the day.

I do think about points every day, and almost every meal, and I journal at least 80% of the time, maybe more. What I don't do is stay within my points range every single day in a consistent way, which is undoubtedly why I've been maintaining for so long and not losing.

[bilrus]

I found that I was able to stick to the plan and lose weight the most when I did allow my self to go off-plan occasionally. I would normally set one meal a week aside for going out / or cooking something really elaborate that I didn't count against my points. I only did this after I had lost my first 25 or 30 pounds though.

I know its not what the leaders would tell you to do, but it kept me in the game.

Typing this made me realize that as I get back on it, I shouldn't be allowing myself this luxury quite yet.

[therese]

I'm hoping you all don't think I'm setting a terrible example with my blog, since it's so un-strictly following WW right now.

Yeah, right.

This thread's on eGullet, remember? Where we talk about Krispy Kreme doughnuts and foie gras in the same post. Though admittedly the part about rendering lard was pretty far along on the not-very-WW scale.

I'm with bilrus here---I can decide when and where I go over my points, and some situations do call for it. I think WW does help us understand the impact of doing it in a very concrete and quantifiable way, and also gives us the tools to dig ourselves out if we've gotten really buried.

[Marlene]

I found that I was able to stick to the plan and lose weight the most when I did allow my self to go off-plan occasionally. I would normally set one meal a week aside for going out / or cooking something really elaborate that I didn't count against my points. I only did this after I had lost my first 25 or 30 pounds though.

I know its not what the leaders would tell you to do, but it kept me in the game.

Typing this made me realize that as I get back on it, I shouldn't be allowing myself this luxury quite yet.

The old WW plan (before points) allowed me to do this easily. I find I can still do it on the points plan, by "saving" some points for the weekend or a night out. Then I just don't worry about it. One night off plan will not make you a failure. It's a little bit about mindset too. If you do set aside a night, then you aren't of the mind set that you have to "deny" yourself anything.

[NulloModo]

I found that I was able to stick to the plan and lose weight the most when I did allow my self to go off-plan occasionally.  I would normally set one meal a week aside for going out / or cooking something really elaborate that I didn't count against my points.  I only did this after I had lost my first 25 or 30 pounds though.

I know its not what the leaders would tell you to do, but it kept me in the game.

Typing this made me realize that as I get back on it, I shouldn't be allowing myself this luxury quite yet.

The old WW plan (before points) allowed me to do this easily. I find I can still do it on the points plan, by "saving" some points for the weekend or a night out. Then I just don't worry about it. One night off plan will not make you a failure. It's a little bit about mindset too. If you do set aside a night, then you aren't of the mind set that you have to "deny" yourself anything.

With WW how often can you go off plan before it negatively effects you? Once a week? Once a month?

[helenjp]

Tunafish salad...hmmm...he would like that! Thanks for the idea - don't laugh, but as a New Zealander I think of hummus before I would ever think of tunafish! Yogurt sounds like a good idea too - I often cut mayonnaise half/half with plain yogurt.

I make whole wheat bread either as flat breads, or as a loaf which I freeze in half slices, which is a serving for me...but not for him!

I let my sourdough die, but sourdough whole wheat bread keeps moist even better than the regular type, for those of us who eat bread a half-slice at a time!

[therese]

Tunafish salad is particularly great on toast, helen. I don't know if Japanese kitchens include toasters, or what sort of oven set up you've got, but you can also toast bread over a flame or under the broiler.

[karma police]

Okay, I'll come out of lurking. I too do Weight Watchers when I feel the need to drop a few. I can't do the low carb thing, I don't like to be told I can't have something -- I'd much rather moderate how much I eat. Do any of you have interesting "points friendly" meal ideas? When I'm on WW, I find myself doing a "meat and two" -- mostly because it is so tedious to calculate points for anything more interesting. I'd love some ideas a little more "culinary" than offered on the WW site.

[therese]

Well, this isn't a points friendly meal, but it is a points friendly side dish that goes nicely with other things.

I'd heard of it before, particularly in the context of low carb diets like Atkins, but I figured I could adapt to WW. The real trick was whether I could get my husband and kids to eat it.

"It" is cauliflower, and pureed it stands in nicely for pureed potatoes. I steamed it until soft and then pureed it in the blender, adding skim milk, butter (not too much, and next time I'll probably let the others just add their own at the table), and parmigiano to taste. I presented it to the family as a surprise, telling that it wasn't potatoes, and asking them to guess what it was. Everybody liked it a lot (which surprised me), nobody could identify it, and they all want it again sometime soon.

I'm thinking of using it to top shepherd's pie next time.

[Tess]

karma police, I use a lot of fish and seafood; most of them are fairly low in points. We have an Asian market, Mitsuwa, that I visit for interesting fish, sushi and things like instant soups. Soup is my friend. I'll take a packet of Taste of Thai noodle soup, which is 3 points, and put in some shrimp. I also make a lot of stir-fries or mixed salads with vegetables. It will be more of a challenge when the summer is over and some of my favorite vegetables and fruits are no longer in season.

After reading Abra's blog, I picked up a few of the Amy's frozen pies, because the photo looked good. I haven't been doing as much as I could about scouting out prepared foods like that. I do like Boca burgers and Quorn products and have collected an assortment of more or less points-friendly condiments for them. I find that the Bocas have a better texture if you nuke them for one minute and finish cooking in a skillet. Sometimes I pour worcestireshire or reduced balsamic vinegar over it in the skillet to get a little crispy glaze. The last one I had, I topped with some homemade tzatziki and a tomato slice. (I made the tzatiziki with Total greek yogurt, 2%. Total is quite expensive but you get a much bigger taste bang for your points.)

Editing to add: I'm all about the condiments. They are expensive but if one is good and low in points I'll spend the money. I've also started using Maldon sea salt on my fresh vegetables.

I don't like things that scream out "diet food" but I have succumbed to the little 100-calorie packages of Chips Ahoy crisps a few times. They are strangely satisfying although I feel bad about the wasteful packaging.

Edited August 18, 2004 by Tess (log)

[Kevin72]

Right now is really a good time for a Weight-Watchers friendly regimen, with all the vegetables and seafood at their peak. It'll be much harder come fall and winter when I'm craving those robust cold-weather braises and roasts. As Tess just said, I'm amazed at the distance you can get on soup: I made veg. minestrone at the start of the week and essentially the only points are in the pesto you swirl in at the end!

[chardgirl]

Let's see, I think I just read this whole thread. I'm now doing WW and I've lost 11 pounds. I agree with everything all of you have said. I'm more egulleteer than WW person, more foodie than diet-y. I've in fact never been on a diet! But my doctor is on my case: fat cells carry estrogen, and in me that causes breast cancer. I plan to NEVER do chemo again as long as I live!!

Let's see, I do go to meetings, there's a couple of leaders I like. I like going with my friends too. I like having a large cup of Earl Grey tea with milk and a bran muffin after the meeting.

May I never eat non fat Cool Whip, ever. YUK.

What I do eat: lots of vegetables, right now in tomato season it's easy. Tomato/feta salads with herbs. I also make lots of little burritos with the high fiber tortillas which can be between 0-1 points each. Chopped sweet onion, a couple tablespoons homemade beans, leftover chicken, smoked salmon, etc. That's what I often have for breakfast or lunch.

I will post again, right now I'm working on my weekly newsletter, yes, i own a vegetable farm! I wish all these luscious veggies didn't taste so good with olive oil........ Tell us what your favorite lower point meals are, please.

-chardgirl

[Abra]

In one of my first posts at WW online I said "Whoever says nothing tastes as good as being thin feels doesn't eat at my house!" I got a lot of razzing for it, and I've slightly moderated my view in the two years since then. Sometimes being thinner feels best, and sometimes eating feels best. That's an improvement for me, and probably a more balanced approach to life. Being a total foodie, I doubt that I'll ever be a WW poster girl. What I'd like to be is a healthy and reasonably slim foodie.

One radical change I've made is that I no longer drink my points. If I'm going to drink anything that has points, it's going to be alcohol! No milk, juice, pop with calories (never liked those much anyway), no Silk, no latte, no chai, and so on. In a trade-off between eating and drinking, eating wins every time. However, I will admit that one of the best days of my WW life was when I learned that a whole bottle of wine has only 10 points. That's for me!

Does anyone have any new info about the new program?

[chardgirl]

Abra: I'm very glad to have found you. I'm with you 100%. No drinking points (I make my own unsweetened chai that I add a little 1% milk to etc.), and the slim is better than taste comment/cheer only works for me sometimes too.

I only stay within points about half the days in a week, and the other half I try not to go too overboard. I find it difficult to write stuff down, so I made myself a bracelet, and it's working GREAT. How I love to move the beads back after exercising.

I went to one meeting where our regular leader was out and her 'sub', a leader from another day, spent 20 of the 30 minutes talking about how great McDonald's was with their grown up happy meals with salads and water and pedometer. Her point was that moms could get a low point meal while getting their children the regular CRAP. I was tempted to write to WW corporate, but figured those folks are probably just as excited about the salads and pedometers, and the new Applebee's menu. Sigh. I continue my membership in Slow Food and just try to be healthy.

Re: the new program: our leader told us this week it will be an either/or choice, you can even change from week to week, with the regular older points/flex points plan or the new one. That's all I know!

I look forward to future posts on this thread. One of my favorite very very low point lunches so I can eat 'regularly' at night with my family:

shrimp cocktail: red sauce from Trader Joes spiked with more horseradish, defrosted shrimps, chopped tomatoes, onion, fennel or celery, and jicama if it's around. All mixed together. 2 points with the amounts I use!

-cg

[therese]

One radical change I've made is that I no longer drink my points.

When I first read this, Abra, I thought that you meant that you don't fritter away your points with useless stuff like wine. I was extremely disappointed.

If I'm going to drink anything that has points, it's going to be alcohol!

But then I read the next sentence and realized that we're on the same page. I hadn't actually gotten to the point that I'd bothered to calculate that an entire bottle is only 10 points, but probably would have some relaxing weekend sometime soon.

Like chardgirl I make no-sugar versions of things, my current fave being basil seed drink.

Favorite low point meals include thing made with eggplant (broiled Japanese eggplant for lunch today, in fact). Various textures and nice flavors for no points.

[munchymom]

However, I will admit that one of the best days of my WW life was when I learned that a whole bottle of wine has only 10 points.

I can only agree. Wine is a staple of my diet and any regimen that forced me to abstain would not be stuck to for long.

For favorite low-point foods - I am a vegetarian cook (I'm not a vegetarian, but my husband is and we keep a vegetarian household) so I was already familiar with lots of the meat substitutes from Boca, Morningstar, etc. Some I can't really tell the difference anymore - Morningstar crumbles instead of ground beef in spaghetti sauce, tacos, chili. And some I appreciate on their own merits - tofu, Quorn, veggie burgers. Substituting for meat is a great way to cut down on points. I made a red curry last night with light tofu and light coconut milk that was really tasty.

A couple of people have mentioned that they read the WW boards - if anyone here reads "Vegetarians Get Together", over there I am Stellablue.

[therese]

I agree, munchymom, the veg versions of "meat" do save some points. Depends on what it is, of course: I'd gotten something called "Smart Brats" (for my daughter, who is not vegetarian, but sometimes finds meat off-putting) and managed to eat half of one, largely because I'd brought it for my lunch and otherwise wouldn't have had enough protein in the meal. But the rest will likely be going in the trash unless I can convince an animal to eat them.

Everybody in the household (including both kids) likes tofu, so that's an easy one.

I've not yet spent any time on the vegetarian thread, but now that you mention it that's probably got better quality information given how nutrition savvy you need to be to make veg work full-time. But for some real fun check out the dining out thread (where I am Yamakake, and occasionally make a suggestion).

[Betts]

In most cases I'd opt for the wine over the dessert any day. If the restaurant actually has a pastry chef - I'll have it all.

Has anyone else noticed this ? .......If I really pay attention to the food groups - get that 2 serv of dairy, 5 small serv of fruit and veg, moderate protein etc, then I am not hungry or at least not in a reasonable to manage way. However, when I do the heavy CHO thing but still w/i the points, then it is really a struggle. I know all too well about the insulin and glycemic index/load but it has more correlation with the dairy. BTW - that is the single hardest thing for me to work in. I grew up on a dairy farm and there is no way I can drink milk - it has to be disguised.

[therese]

I don't tend to use many points for carbs (other than fruit), and I don't find myself getting hungry very often. I do find it difficult to get sufficient dairy in my diet, as I don't drink milk. I often use sweetened ricotta cheese as a means of getting dairy into the day.

[Jensen]

Well, I'm back from my trip back east and am hoping I didn't go too hog wild whilst there...

The Spouse made dinner tonight (which was wonderful for me, as I'm still getting used to the time difference); the entire meal was 9 points.

The day before I left for Connecticut, I went to the farmers' market in Davis with a friend, where I bought some wild king salmon. I vacuum-packed it and stuck it in the freezer that very night. Wayde built dinner around one of these fillets.

First, he made a marinade/sauce of 1 T. mayonnaise, 1 T. sriracha sauce, and 1 T. low-Na soy sauce. Here they are, ready to go on the grill:

To go with the salmon, he made a salad of Israeli couscous, dried cranberries, and leftover vegetables from last night's dinner:

The dressing was made of vinegar, sweet chili sauce, and a dribble of sesame oil.

The veggie side was twice-cooked long beans (first steamed and then stir-fried with some garlic):

I reckon the salmon was 5 points (each piece weighed in at just under 4 oz. when cooked), the salad was 3 points (serving size was about 2/3 cup), and the beans were worth 1 point (because of the stir-frying).

Garnished with some chilled cucumber slices to offset the heat of the salad and the salmon:

Yum!

[Cusina]

I'm at 22 points. My points level won't change at all throughout the program. I started at the top of the range and my goal weight will end at the bottom of the range.

After reading about the core plan and all of your posts (thanks), I've decided to stick with flex points. It's working well for me and the old "if it taint broke don't fix it" mantra applies here, I think. If I hit a long term plateau I'll think about switching over.

Here's my menu plan thus far for this week. I'm struggling a little bit with it as we spent the past week and a half out of town and I'm easing back into cooking. I've posted the links to recipes when possible.

Monday: Gingered Pork, Pineapple and Pepper Skewers with sauteed spinach, mushrooms and garbanzos

Tuesday: Husband gone, I'll have aroasted veggie wrap and make grilled cheese for the kids.

Wednesday: coconut shrimp and steamed broccoli, bruschetta.

Thursday: Salmon (you inspired me Jensen! Beautiful pictures.) with grilled eggplant and cous cous.

Friday: Sushi Take out

Saturday: Out with my brother for his Birthday dinner.

I'll also make some flavored light cream cheese (onion and roasted garlic I think), roasted veggie spread, and hummous for snacking. My best snack lately has been cream cheese on wasa crackers. I'll probably do a fruit sorbet for desert too. I got an ice cream maker for my birthday and it's been fun to experiment.

Last night we had a great dinner. Grilled swordfish steaks(spritzed with evoo and sprinkled with sea salt) topped with a black bean pineapple and chipotle salsa served with a big spinach salad.

One more question. I've read that the large carniviorous fish like salmon and swordfish can be very high in Mercury. How often can you eat them without running the risk of getting too much? I've got them in the menu three times this week (including some in the sushi). Is this too much? Maybe I should have chicken or boca burgers instead of the salmon and put that off until next week?

[Abra]

It's recommended not to eat tuna or swordfish more than once a week, if you're pregnant. I figure that's a good limit for me too, since I think I'm also a sentitive little organism. Salmon isn't a source of mercury, although farmed salmon can be contaminated with PCBs and other nasty stuff. Try to eat wild caught salmon - not that it's entirely free of junk, but it's generally a lot better. Fish isn't the clean food source it used to be before we started polluting the ocean into extinction.

I ate some Canadian bacon this morning because it's in the Core program, and I haven't had any in I don't know how many years. Gack, now there's a chemical-tasting food! I'm tossing the rest of it.

[momlovestocook]

I am trying core this week. I'm starting today. I have not been to my meeting yet but I am online(on Canadian site). I've gone through the food lists, etc. I have a few questions for my leader about certain products. In the US the fat free label is used a lot more than in Canada(different rules here). The Canadian site just basically relies on US content so it can get a little confusing when we do not have the same products here.

So far today, I've used 2 flex points for my sandwich at lunch.

There are a couple of things about the core program I like. One is I can make a soup or a stew and not "worry" about the points of each individual item. If it's all core items, I can just eat a regular serving without thinking about how many ounces of meat is that for x points. Okay, so I'm a little anal about counting my points.

Also, olive oil is a core item. I had my tomato salad at lunch with my 2 tsp of olive oil and love that I do not have to go into flex points for it.

I am lifetime but put on a couple of pounds due to lack of exercise lately. Once I get back down to my personal goal, I'll see how maintenance is supposed to work with this program. I have not really seen any info on that yet.

Sandra