If you've ever visited my blog, you know that I've been attempting to be a healthy and fit women for a couple of years now. Enter:
Weight Watchers Simple Start.
I have was successful with clean eating and regular exercise for a while. But, life got in the way. I had lost about 23 pounds and built a good bit of muscle and then I went to Disney World! (oopsies)
I started to get back on track and then the Holidays showed up. (oopsies again)
Once again, got back into some good habits and Mom got sicker and then passed away.
In the midst of her hospice care and death, I lost a chunk of weight quickly because I couldn't eat. So, when I did start to get any appetite back, everyone encouraged me to eat anything I wanted just so I would eat. All I wanted was comfort food - bread, mac'n'cheese, and cake! So, I got back into some bad habits that are super-difficult to break.
I've been on 3 trips since then - a cruise (all you can eat. and I did), San Francisco - great food, and the beach where my besties and I all cooked our most indulgent dishes!
So, needless to say, time to create some better habits.
So does my Daddy. He is a
double amputee and is now alone in his home in a wheel chair. Transferring to and from his chair on a daily basis is scary when there's nobody around to help if he falls. It would be much easier if he lost some weight. Time for us to do this together!
And that's where WW comes in.
I have tried to count points in the past. I've had some success, but found it to easy to "cheat" by using all my points for junk food. Not a whole lot of nutrition, even if there was some weight loss.
So, now I'm trying the Simple Start method to learn ways to create meals and snacks with healthier choices.
Here's how it works:
- There is a list of "power foods" from which I choose the parts of my meals - fruits, veggies, proteins, and grains.
- I get 7 points per day for indulgences - cream in my coffee, peanut butter with a snack, a pice of chocolate when I'm having one of those days, etc.
- I will follow this plan for 2 weeks and then switch to either Points Plus or Simply Fit - basically the same program.
- During this two week period I am learning how to eat and how to control my portions. When am I really hungry?
How's it going so far?
- I've already lost over 3 pounds in a little under a week!
- I realized that I actually enjoy some foods that I thought were just "diet food."
- These choices are easy to make and filling
- I'm incorporating exercise again - time to get that heart pumping again!
Concerns I have:
- Fat-free dairy, mayo, and dressings. After learning so much about eating clean, I do not like having to choose fat-free items. What else is in them that I shouldn't be eating?
- There are no rules to portion control. I realize that may be by design for now, but I'm not sure.
- Can I maintain this type of eating on vacation? at a restaurant? on a Mission Trip?
- My grocery bill was really high this week!
What I've eaten:
- The plan provides several meal options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even snacks.
- I started off by trying to follow those meals exactly.
- I found a way to incorporate different foods from the list into these recipes to tailor them to my own taste.
Breakfast:
- Fiber One Ceral, fruit, fat free milk, coffee with cream (1 point)
- cottage cheese, pineapple, cinnamon
- light English muffin, cottage cheese, cinnamon, berries - toasted - so yummy!
Lunch:
- leftovers from dinner
- salad with tons of veggies and light ranch (1 point)
- turkey sandwich on low calorie whole grain bread, fruit, and veggies
Dinner:
- tilapia, couscous, sautéed green beans
- taco rice(my own recipe - see below)
- chicken, couscous, veggies
Snacks:
- sugar-free Jello, cottage cheese, pineapple (it was actually really good!)
- fresh veggies and dip made with lemon dill seasoning, low-cal mayo, and fat free sour cream
- fruit! fruit! fruit!
Taco Rice Recipe:
Ingredients:
99% lean ground turkey
cooked brown rice
fat free salsa
fat free plain yogurt
olive oil
low sodium taco seasoning
grape tomatoes
reduced fat grated cheese
mixed greens
Brown lean ground turkey in 2 tsp of olive oil. Add taco seasoning to taste with a little water (as directed on seasoning package). Simmer until water begins to evaporate. Stir in about 1/2 cup of salsa, 1/2 cup of yogurt. Remove from heat and sprinkle cheese over the top. Let sit until cheese begins to melt. Stir in cooked brown rice. Serve with mixed greens and tomatoes. Add any other veggies you desire!
