Warm Foods, Cold Foods, Sweet Foods, Sour....

Which foods help and which hinder?

Those of you who track - do you ever go back and look at your tracker after you have been to the meeting to obtain "feedback from the scale"?  Do you analyze your food & beverage intake over the course of the week - do you look for foods that have helped your weight management and those that have hurt it?

I am not just referring to trigger foods - although they certainly do fall into this discussion.  Some foods simply make it harder for us to lose weight; whether it's because they're just too fatty, sweet or salty or whether they're foods that are comforting and therefore we have a harder time with controlling portions.  Some of them might be holiday foods and others are (what I term) accessory items.  By that I mean we add them to foods to enhance flavor or satisfaction - the original food may be very low in PPV and seem like a great choice - e.g. chopped egg, but when I turn it into egg salad by adding mayo ... now, that's a totally different story!  Are those items in your pantry, fridge, freezer, car, desk drawer or basement right now?

Take a long hard look at your shopping habits and ask yourself if you're sabotaging your own efforts by bringing items like those into your environment.  If you are, and they are present in your world now, are you able to toss them?  Further to that, I suggest you listen out in meetings for ideas of how to swap out foods that hinder for those that help.

For instance - we spoke a lot about cheese this week; probably because it is just such a food in my life, many ideas were shared for swapping out cheese that is high in PPV for less "expensive" cheeses / cheese substitutions everything from Laughing Cow or Weight Watchers Wedges", through low fat versions of hard cheese, such as shredded 50% fat Cabot cheddar.  Have you tried low fat spreadable goat cheese or fat-free feta?  A great idea is to use "real" Parmesan cheese when you are seeking great flavor, because we habitually use less of it.

So, this upcoming week, take a look at your eating and food preparation habits - see if you can RECOGNIZE those foods which are hindering you from obtaining the results at the scale you are seeking.  REMOVE them from your environment and REPLACE them with something you can and would love to feel comfortable eating on PointsPlus :)

As you clean out space in your kitchen this week, consider bringing in items that represent the weight-loss success you've seen over the last six weeks to donate to the Lose For Good® campaign.  We are happy to accept your donations for one more week.

Give yourself some help - here are some poems you can copy onto Post-It Notes to place on appropriate foods - it may make you smile and help you clean up your environment :)


"POST-IT POEMS" 

Author Unknown

1. TO BE PLACED IN FRIDGE OR CUPBOARD, FOR FAMILY MEMBERS TO READ:
Oh please do not eat
The food on this shelf!
I beg you! I need
this food for myself! 

2. TO BE PLACED ON A FOOD YOU NEED TO HAVE AT ALL TIMES, FOR FAMILY MEMBERS TO READ:
If you took the last one
Please put it back.
I desperately need
this food for my snack.

3. TO BE PLACED ON YOUR TRIGGER FOOD:
I am your trigger food
Stay away! Dash!
If I could do it
I’d jump in the trash.

4. TO BE PLACED ON YOUR KITCHEN DOOR AFTER MIDNIGHT:
You stayed on track
all day and you know it.
Go back to bed.
You’re crazy. Don’t blow it. 

5. TO PUT ON A FOOD YOU’D RATHER NOT EAT OFTEN:
Put me in the rear
put me in the back.
I don’t want the guilt
if you go off track.

6. TO PUT ON A FRUIT OR VEGETABLE IN YOUR FRIDGE:
Don’t put me in the bin!
No no! Please do not!
You’ll forget I’m here
And then I’m gonna rot!


What you see is what you eat, so keep tempting goodies out of sight, out of mind, and out of mouth!


Here are some popular "must-have's" from members.

• Canned, fat-free re-fried beans (for burritos, quesadillas and vegetable dips)
• Flavored mustards (such as tarragon, dill and honey mustards for sandwiches, potato and poultry toppings)
• Flavored salsas/canned seasoned tomato products (for potato toppings, vegetable dips, poultry and fish, Mexican-based dishes)
• Frozen veggie burgers (black bean, Southwestern- and Indian-flavored and soy burgers)
• Grapes (wash and freeze for a frozen treat)
• Gum
• High-fiber crunchy cereal (to snack on or mix into yogurt)
• High-quality dark chocolate
• Highly flavored vinegars (high-quality balsamic vinegar and herb-infused vinegars)
• Highly flavored cheeses (Parmigianino Reggiano, crumbled feta, blue cheese)
• Highly flavored oils (toasted sesame, walnut, extra-virgin olive oil)
• Light crackers/cookies (look for pre-portioned snack packs)
• Light or fat-free whipped topping (for dessert toppings or as a dip/topping for fresh fruit)
• Light or nonfat sour cream and plain yogurt (for making dips and sauces; plain, fat-free Greek yogurt is nice and thick — perfect as a chili/stew topping and thicker creamy sauces)
• Low-fat microwave popcorn
• Mini packs of low-fat cottage cheese
• Pistachios in shells/tamari roasted almonds
• Whole-wheat pitas/tortillas/wraps (use for sandwiches or slice, season and toast for homemade chips)
• Soy chips/baked chips/flavored rice cakes
• Spaghetti squash (bake and remove flesh with a fork as a pasta alternative)
• String cheese
• Sugar-free, fat-free pudding and gelatin
• Sugar-free, fat-free fudge pops, ices and ice cream bars
• Sweet potatoes (for homemade oven-baked fries)
• Whole-wheat pasta and whole-wheat couscous

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Weight Watchers is Hiring!

The next great Leader or Receptionist could be you!

Have you reached your weight loss goal-and maintaining it-with Weight Watchers?  Want to help others do the same?  Your success can help others!

• Meetings Leaders help others achieve what you’ve achieved by offering your expert knowledge of the Weight Watchers plan and support
• Receptionists help members feel motivated to succeed by welcoming members, conducting weigh-ins, collecting fees, managing product sales and sharing program knowledge and materials

By being a part of our team, you’ll receive great training, support in your own weight maintenance as well as discounts on products and access to free meetings. And depending on how many meetings you work each week, you may qualify for healthcare benefits and paid vacation time.

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Meetings – the skinny!

"Go to the meetings. You don't have to weigh in or say a word. I went for months without ever opening my mouth. I listened and learned and eventually took part in the group."  --Donna, Weight Watchers meetings member.

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This was posted on a member’s blog:

DECISIONS - one day at a time!

Thanks skygirl!

MONDAY
I wanted to stop at McDonald’s for an ice cream cone.  I didn't.
(It wasn’t within my Points budget that day!!)
TUESDAY
I wanted to skip breakfast because I was in a hurry.  I didn't.
(I threw a scrambled egg into a bowl, nuked it, put it on a WW bagel with a piece of fat free cheese, and ate it in the car on the way to work.)
WEDNESDAY
I wanted to have a big dessert like everyone else was having at dinner in the restaurant.  I didn't.
(I reached into my purse and took out a 2-point bar that I ate instead!)
THURSDAY
I wanted to sleep in and skip my morning walk.  I didn't.
Since I had already made a plan with my neighbor, I was obligated to go out and meet her! 
(I didn’t want to let her down!)
FRIDAY
I wanted to skip my Weight Watchers meeting and go shopping instead.  I didn't. 

(And my weight was down!)

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Come back to the blog on Wednesday for some great ideas I found online for re-purposing foods and snacks you can buy from the meeting room to make new and different foods and snacks.