Weight Watchers (Part 1)

[therese]

I love soups. I'm going to try a broccoli 'cream' soup next. therese, what other veg do you make into 'cream' soups?

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Cauliflower gives a reliably creamy texture, and as it's white (and no points) you can add other things to give it whatever primary color you were going for: tomato (red), carrot (orange), basil/tarragon/dill (green). Cauliflower gives nice body to cucumber soup.

Carrots, parsnips, and jerusalem artichokes also work well as a base.

I don't have an immersion blender, so just use my regular stand blender. Not quite as convenient, but not really a thrash either.

I usually use Total non-fat yogurt instead of non-fat sour cream, as the non-fat sour cream tastes vaguely sweet to me (and my family also dislikes it).

[Jujubee]

Yes, there's a limit to just how far a person can take this sort of thing.

And I think I may have reached that limit today, when I decided to try something that somebody on a Weight Watcher's forum had recommended. Not an official recipe, just one of those drive by suggestions by a poster, billed as fantastically good.

So I tried it. The ingredients are yogurt and (okay, I hesitate to admit that I even had this in the house, and I'm thinking that perhaps my mother bought it while visiting earlier this spring) sugar free orange jello. The WW poster specified using sugar free fat free jello, and yes, I would certainly hope so, as full fat jello is...well, never mind.

Anyway, one sprinkles the sugar free orange jello powder directly onto the yogurt (where it turns a really lovely bright orange). You stir it in, wait a few moments, and dig in.

Maybe I waited too long before digging in (I made in the morning for lunch), as the resulting item was perfectly foul. Fortunately I ate alone in my office today, so managed to avoid curious stares from passers by.

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LOL. I had a similar experience with a yogurt/jello product concoction. Back when I was going to meetings, my leader repeated raved about this concoction, saying that everyone who has ever tried it loves it and it is great for breakfat and really low in points, etc. The first time she told us about it I didn't even consider trying it, but after the 5th or so meeting where she raved about it again, I got caught up in the "it must be good if people are so enthusiastic." It was plain ff yogurt, a package of sugar free pistachio flavored jello pudding mix, and a can of crushed pineapple in juice. While it wasn't the most vile thing ever, it was one of the episodes that convinced me that I couldn't exactly relate to a lot of folks at those meetings.

[therese]

Hey, remember that drive-by recommendation that I'd picked up on WW for combining plain yogurt with sugar-free jello? Well, I know you're going to have trouble believing this, but there's actually something worse out there: Dannon Carb Control yogurt. I noticed this type while using the WW points tracker data base: when I went looking for various sorts of flavored yogurts (which I had a lot of in the fridge and want to use up before trying Core when I get back from Greece) I found that the Carb Control version was only 1 point! So I picked some up at my local Publix this weekend.

So, yes, it's actually worse than the sugar-free jello/plain yogurt mix that you make at home. The texture reminds me of paste. So does the flavor, come to think of it.

The serving size is smaller than usual (accounting for much of the "carb control" aspect of it, apparently), but in this instance that's a good thing, a very good thing.

[edit to point out that Jujubee and I were posting simultaneously]

Edited September 20, 2004 by therese (log)

[chardgirl]

Back when I was going to meetings, my leader repeated raved about this concoction, saying that everyone who has ever tried it loves it and it is great for breakfat and really low in points, etc. The first time she told us about it I didn't even consider trying it, but after the 5th or so meeting where she raved about it again, I got caught up in the "it must be good if people are so enthusiastic."

I do continue to go to meetings, and enjoy some things about them, but I ignore much of the food recommendations. Most of America is clueless about what good food tastes like anymore, I'm convinced of that. Gardeners understand, and egulleters, of course. That's why I LOVE this thread. I just get depressed when I read the forums on Weight Watchers....

Tonight we're going to have guests again. Only 2! I'm going to make mustard chard (0 points: cook up the garlic in spray oil, add the rinsed chopped chard, then when just about cooked (3-4 minutes? on med. high heat) add 2 T dijon mustard. Really really good. You can also add cream cheese, but I won't tonight....

Roasted bell peppers (all colors but green), tomato salad, and an eggplant thing with preserved lemons and modified amount of olive oil. And sausages and ice cream, but I'll just have to be strong on those two fronts. Nothing Tastes as Good as it Feels to be Thin. (At least not all the time. It depends on who's cooking!)

[Abra]

That chowder sounds yummy - I'll be trying it soon. I've been making creamed veggie soups by pressure cooking vegetables in chicken broth, either in combo or alone, as with broccoli, pureeing with the immersion blender, adding a good splash on nonfat evaporated milk, and a handful of nutritional yeast. I used to scoff at the idea of yeast, but I had a vegan client last year, and cooking for her I learned that nutritional yeast makes foods taste like they have cheese in them, and is generally a much nicer addition than I would have ever thought possible.

That yogurt/jello business just reinforces my determination never to go to a meeting!

[chardgirl]

but I had a vegan client last year, and cooking for her

Abra: I have fantasies of you being MY personal chef, and now I remember you mentioned somewhere you were. I love reading all your ideas of how you cook up core foods!

about meetings: right now they help me because I like my leader, I like being a loudmouth about fresh food (I try not to complain about others suggestions, just make my own that include farmers markets, in season veggies and fruits, etc.), and I like the over 70 crowd that attend the meeting I go to: a couple of weeks ago they broke into a song from WW2 (that world war, not weight watchers!). "We did it before and we can do it again" or something like that... I think I will tire of the meetings and start the e-version in a few months though, I like hearing about it from y'all.

-cg

[therese]

...and a handful of nutritional yeast.  I used to scoff at the idea of yeast, but I had a vegan client last year, and cooking for her I learned that nutritional yeast makes foods taste like they have cheese in them, and is generally a much nicer addition than I would have ever thought possible.

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Abra, tell me more about the nutritional yeast, as I've never used it. Where would I find it in the store (refrigerated?), how much to use, any particular brands to look for, etc.

[munchymom]

Abra, tell me more about the nutritional yeast, as I've never used it. Where would I find it in the store (refrigerated?), how much to use, any particular brands to look for, etc.

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I've only ever found nutritional yeast in the natural food store, sold out of a bulk bin. It gives a really nice depth of flavor to vegetarian soups and sauces - I'd probably put a quarter cup into a typical 4-serving batch of soup, but you can experiment with it. Too much makes the food taste a little bitter. And then there's that wonderful hippie snack - popcorn topped with soy sauce and nutritional yeast. It really is good! I like it on steamed vegetables too.

[therese]

Okay, so clearly I need to lay my hands on some nutritional yeast. Lots of health food/organic options in my neighborhood, so sourcing shouldn't be an issue.

It's so much fun trying stuff out on my family. Just lately they've gotten even more wary of just what Mom might be trying to pull. Sure, it looks like mashed potatoes, but what is it really?

But they're game little eGulleteers, and so far neither of them's gone so far as to rush to the sink and try and scrape residual stuff off his/her tongue. Of course, I've not gotten them to try the Carb Control yogurt yet...

[Jensen]

I'm trying a riff on Dana's corn chowder for dinner tonight. I just went through the fridge to find out what sort of riff it will be...It turns out that we'll be having grilled jicama and corn chowder!

I was all set to use frozen corn but then the Spouse mentioned he wanted some fruit from Raley's. Of course, I picked up some corn on the cob. Then, on the off chance they might have it, I cruised the organic bulk food section looking for nutritional yeast. Guess what? They had it!

I think this soup will be all Core but, as I'm not doing Core, I will calculate points when I get the "recipe" finalised.

Welcome to Kimmyb and tennesseespice!

[Abra]

Too funny if we all jump on the nutritional yeast bandwagon, but it really is a cool, if weird, substance. I agree with munchymom - about 1/4 cup in 6-8 cups of soup sounds right. Add a couple of T, taste, and add more until you can taste it pleasantly.

It's been cooler here, and I roasted up a giant pan of diced rutabagas, turnips, parsnips, sweet potatoes, and kabocha squash, with some olive oil and a lot of fresh rosemary. I've been eating it about twice a day for three days now and still haven't gotten tired of it. It's a great combination of flavors.

I'm officially down 12 pounds after 4 weeks on core, although as I mentioned above, my weight at the start of core was some sort of aberration. No doubt I'm losing on core, though, and I'm not counting at all. I did count the first week, discovered that I was eating basically about the same points I would on flex, maybe 3-4 more points a day, and so I gave up counting. As much as I liked journaling, I like not journaling even more!

[Jensen]

Too funny if we all jump on the nutritional yeast bandwagon, but it really is a cool, if weird, substance.  I agree with munchymom - about 1/4 cup in 6-8 cups of soup sounds right.  Add a couple of T, taste, and add more until you can taste it pleasantly.

What exactly is it?

I added 2 T to the chowder and I could taste it, although only slightly. It did make it taste richer, as if it had a wee bit of cheese in it.

Hey, lookit here! Bob's Red Mill makes some too.

[Abra]

Here's a blurb I grabbed from the web about yeast. It's fron a natural foods company, so I can't vouch for its accuracy, but it sounds reasonable.

Yeast is considered by many to be the most valuable supplement available. It is a complete protein and contains more protein than meat. Yeast is an excellent source of B-vitamins including B12 and it contains the glucose tolerance factor that helps in the regulation of blood sugar. It is a single-celled fungi present in the air around us and on fruits and grains - it converts various types of sugar to alcohol. The earliest recorded use was in 1550 BC in Egypt. But it is only during the last few decades that the outstanding health benefits of nutritional yeast have been researched.

Raised On Molasses

Nutritional yeast is grown on mineral enriched molasses and used as a food supplement. At the end of the growth period, the culture is pasteurized to kill the yeast. You never want to use a live yeast (i.e. baking yeast) as a food supplement because the live yeast continues to grow in the intestine and actually uses up the vitamin B in the body instead of replenishing the supply. (Brewer's yeast is nutritionally the same but as a by-product of the beer-brewing industry it has a characteristic bitter hops flavor.)

It's Good For Ya'

Nutritional yeast contains 18 amino acids (forming the complete protein) and 15 minerals. Being rich in the B-complex vitamins, it is vital in many ways and particularly good for stress reduction. The B-complex vitamins help make nutritional yeast such a valuable supplement, especially to the vegetarian. It is one of the rare vegetarian sources of B12.

One element of yeast is the trace mineral chromium, also known as the Glucose Tolerance Factor (GTF). This is necessary to regulate blood sugar and is important for diabetics and people with a tendency toward low blood sugar.

[therese]

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the actual yeast in question, the same yeast used for bread and beer. Other sorts of yeast could be grown and used as nutritional yeast, but they're not widely available from what I can tell.

My husband used Saccharomyces cerevisiae in his research. And you know who sponsors receptions at scientific meetings in his area of study? Beer makers, that's who.

[therese]

No bread on Core, not even whole wheat. So you have to count it as part of your 35 points. Which is also where your wine goes, so unless you don't drink you're going to want to save points for alcohol.

So you may well be switching to a turkey and quinoa salad for lunch. Oh, and there's some issue about deli meats as well, but somebody else will have to clarify this point, as I rarely use deli meats and don't attend meetings.

Lunch for me today (I'm doing Flex because I still count points, but adhere to core rules):

Pan-browned zucchini with fresh tomatoes

Fat-free cottage cheese

Almond-flavored yogurt with cherries (added frozen in the AM)

Snacks today are plums and carrot sticks (boring, but I used up all my inspiration this AM making pot roast in the slow cooker for my family to have tonight because I'm going out to dinner with a friend---it's all core, so I can have leftovers tomorrow).

So far I'm finding that to lose weight I'm having to go below my points target at least several days a week. Which means that many of my days are largely lacto-ovo vegetarian so that I can get sufficient dairy into the day. So I could end up being a bit short on the iron side of things, except that I'm never anemic (the opposite, in fact) and I take an iron-containing vitamin, so not really a concern.

I've not found sticking to the diet very difficult, and I do feel quite well.

[TheFoodTutor]

Ursula, that salad sounds delicious. Watermelon and feta cheese is one of my favorite combinations, and you don't need a lot of the cheese to get an enjoyable flavor component. Congratulations on losing 26 pounds!

I'm not dieting, but I do read this thread and other threads about various diets, partly because it's interesting, and partly because some of my clients ask for classes that are catered to a specific mode of eating. You've all come up with some really good ideas. Thanks.

<edited for typo>

Edited September 22, 2004 by TheFoodTutor (log)

[therese]

therese i hope you are kidding with that suggestion! i'll pass on the bread then. one thing i don't get and maybe i will ask at the meeting next week. if whole wheat pasta is allowed once a day, then why can't i have a pita once a day? if they are both whole wheat...

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Heh heh. Yeah, I'm kidding about milling your own flour, but only sort of. Part of the Core approach deals with "convenience", and basically the more convenient something is the more likely it is to be over-consumed. So even if the fat-free yogurt that I flavor at home were nutritionally identical to the pre-made stuff from the store (though it's not, the store stuff has all sorts of miscellaneous extra stuff), they'd still be different insofar as WW is concerned.

Since I actually prefer the yogurt that I flavor myself this approach is just fine with me.

You can still have the pita bread, and you could decide whether you wanted to count it as core or not, I suppose. WW points out that some core foods should not be considered core foods for some people: somebody who really loves avocados, and would really like sitting down and eating three, for instance, should take avocados off her core list. And when they made chicken livers core they clearly didn't have me in mind. So you could think of that as precedent for moving a food the other direction, on to your core food list.

The pita bread and the pasta are likely not nutritionally identical unless you're getting pita bread from a local maker---commercial bakeries generally have various preservative, etc. that I doubt make a bit of difference, but that WW may use as a rationale for discouraging their consumption.

[Ursula13]

Therese,

Our leader doesn't push core. She discussed it in our first meeting, said she didn't like it and since only one member of our group is doing core (everyone else including myself is still "flexing") she doesn't discuss it any more, except to tell us what's not on core, example all of the WW Smart Ones. She also has a great love for FF SF premade pudding. Blech!

Last night I roasted some red and yellow peppers on the grill and then pulverized them in my food processor with some garlic. Great dip.

[Jujubee]

therese i hope you are kidding with that suggestion! i'll pass on the bread then. one thing i don't get and maybe i will ask at the meeting next week. if whole wheat pasta is allowed once a day, then why can't i have a pita once a day? if they are both whole wheat...

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When core first came out, there were some news articles that addressed this, but unfortunately I can't find them right now.

Basically, it's not just about nutritional info. In that case something like whole wheat pasta and whole wheat pita would probably be categorized the same. It's also about convenience (discouraging eating that is "too easy") and tendency to overeat. When they did their trial runs (with select meeting across the country, I believe), they initially included things like fat-free, sugar-free flavored yogurt and whole grain bread, but they found that people overate these in a way they didn't do with fat-free plain yogurt that you have to flavor yourself, or whole wheat pasta. Same with cereal: their initial trials allowed all cereals that met a certain nutritional profile (I'm assuming high-fiber, low-fat, low-sugar), but they found that people ate more Cheerios, for example, than other high-fiber, low-fat, low-sugar cereals that are still on the list.

Hope that clears it up some for you.

[therese]

Our leader doesn't push core.  She discussed it in our first meeting, said she didn't like it and since only one member of our group is doing core (everyone else including myself is still "flexing") she doesn't discuss it any more, except to tell us what's not on core, example all of the WW Smart Ones.  She also has a great love for FF SF premade pudding.  Blech!

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Wow. Unless your workplace WW is provided entirely gratis (we've got WW here at work, but I'd still have to pay, though it may be somewhat subsidized) I'd probably stop going. And if I were paying I'd ask for my money back. You could either switch to another group (but of course that wouldn't be as convenient), or switch to on-line only.

Yet another option, and one that I might just do if I were in the same situation, is to just get right up in this leader's face and insist that she stop promoting the consumption of crap. You could even call WW and see what the story is, whether or not a leader is supposed to be able to support either plan.

Lunch today:

Pot roast with onions and mushrooms (core-friendly, but I'm still counting, so 2.5 points for 2 oz of beef)

Pan-browned zucchini with fresh tomatoes (yeah, I had it yesterday, but I made enough for two days and it was quite nice)

Vanilla-orange yogurt with blueberries (1/2 cup of each, for 1.5 points)

[Jensen]

Someone on the WW boards wrote a fabulous description of the rationale behind Core and Not Core.

http://tinyurl.com/4o5kn

As for leaders, WOW! I feel really fortunate. My leader actually doesn't talk a lot about food per se; most of our discussions are surrounding food issues and food strategies.

[therese]

Nice link, Jensen. A very nice explanation of caloric density, intuitive for most people, particularly if they cook, but apparently not for all.

I hadn't seen the oatmeal pancake recipe, but who in their right mind would have thought that you could eat those and lose weight? I think there may be some component of the "magical weight loss" idea that Atkins promotes: eat huge amounts of very high calorie food and still lose weight. Which reportedly works on Atkins, though not for me.

[Jujubee]

So more on the low-point snack front (I hope these aren't too mundane for you guys; I'm posting them because I often have "I can't believe I didn't think of that, it's so simple!" moments):

I was very happy to discover, with the online food database, that asian pears are 0 points. I never bothered to look them up since regular pears and apples are 1 pt each I just assumed asian pears were the same. This doesn't matter for the core people, I suppose, but for those on flex I actually found myself avoiding fruit and instead just eating vegetables because I didn't want to spend points, no matter how few, on something so healthy. I know, I know, screwy logic.

Frozen bananas - honestly, if you haven't given these a try, you should. When I went on weight watchers I stopped making banana bread as often with all those overripe bananas in my freezer. They were starting to take over, so I had to do something. Anyway, they're sweet, they're creamy, and they take a while to eat since they're frozen. Sometimes I actually prefer them to ice cream (the more I do weight watchers, the more I lose my sweet tooth). Not 0 pts, of course, but less than ice cream.

The other tactic that I employ is that I eat micro-servings of something. So, for example, with pretzels I calculated that I could eat 2 pretzels dipped in a minute about of ginger-wasabi dip and have it slide in at 0 pts. This is most useful when I get home and need to eat something just to take the edge off while I'm cooking dinner. This has really taught me that sometimes a taste will do it. Who could have thought that such a small portion could do it?

[Tess]

The thing with Asian pears being no points surprised me. I can tell they have less sugar in them than some other pears, but I would have put them around the same amount of calories as apples.

As far as how many calories you eat on WW, I've discovered that-- talking Flex now-- if you are eating 20 points that can easily come in anywhere from 900 to almost 1500 calories a day because the correlation of points to calories is not direct. You can have more to eat if you exercize, and you get 35 spare points to use during the week. Sometimes 20 points seems like almost enough to me; other times I feel like I am starving.

[kimmyb72]

on core the list for dairy includes all fat free things. my question is why not low fat versions? i have looked for fat free and sometimes can't find. i guess if i substitute say a piece of low fat for fat free cheese i will just have to watch the scale. there is really very little difference in the fat grams, 3 grams for low fat vs 0 for fat free. that's not a whole heck of a lot, but i guess in the long run it might add up.