Weight Watcher Menus

[Kathy]

I am really trying to get myself in control and following weight watchers. Has anyone found a menu plan using Cooking Light Recipes that has really worked for them? I guess this is yet another take-off of what did you have for dinner...only I am extending the day to include breakfast, lunch, snacks, etc. Essentially, I want to "cheat" off your log because I have no idea how to be creative beyond nutrigrain french toast! Thank you so much for any help you may have! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Jen]

I just started WW this week, and I've found my favourite breakfast so far is out of the week 1 book - fat-free yogurt, low-fat granola, and fruit in a kind of parfait (my favourite combo so far is vanilla yogurt and kiwi). The granola really helps to make you feel full. I'm only cooking for two, so often I make a full recipe (3 or 4 servings) of what I'm making for dinner so I have something to take for lunch. I found when I calculated the points for my favourite CL recipes, few of them are over 8 pts or so! It seems almost too good to be true! And a lot of these are dishes that include pasta or rice, so the only side really needed is a big salad (and maybe another veggie if you want - but 0 pts!). I'm just really careful to measure out the portions so that my lunches are the same size as my dinners and I know the exact # of pts. I've also found that many of the salads from recent issues - the couscous ones from June (?), the Mexican Bulgur Salad from August...make great lunches. My husband won't eat either couscous or bulgur, so I'll make a half recipe up in an evening and eat it for two lunches. They're really quick to make, too!

Hope this helps...I wish you all the best in your efforts!

Jen

[LynnSC]

I am also a WW member (since Oct.99). I usually eat light for breakfast, cereal or low calorie bread with spray butter toasted. I sometimes eat an egg sandwich with the diet bread which is only 3 points. I use "Pam" spray and cook it without fat then use no mayo on it. I always have a snack midmorning of yogurt or other low point snack of 2-3 points.For lunch I usually have a sandwich and salad or something like that. For dinner, I also use many of the CL recipes. I try to balance my breakfast and lunch with whatever I am planning for dinner. Most important, write every bite down!!!!! You will be amazed how it works! CL is a great source for recipes and it keeps the low fat eating interesting instead of getting stuck in a rut. Hope this is helpful! The WW website also has great tips.


[This message has been edited by LynnSC (edited 08-04-2000).]

[This message has been edited by LynnSC (edited 08-04-2000).]

[paige]

i am looking for a weight watchers recipe that my mother used for sloppy joes. do any of you have the ww receipe? thanks

[CATHIEA]

Kathy-
I've been at goal weight for 4 years this August! I eat around 30 points a day for maintenance. Cooking Light recipes fit in beautifully with the WW weight loss and maintenance plan. First, they have good nutritional balance. Most CL main-dish and dessert recipes contain less than 30% of calories from fat. I "point out" maindish meals, soups and stews as I go through the magazine (I am less likely to make deserts and appetizers, so I only do those when I make one of these dishes). For my own point range, I like dinners that are between 10 and 15 points, including milk (lower when I need to save points for an event). I have found that the portion sizes from CL recipes are usually plenty (or at least what I would consider a serving). I round out the CL dishes with various veggie salads or side no-point veggie dishes. For lunches, I love the CL soups. I've found so many that are around 4 points per cup - cup and a half serving. With a slice or two of high fiber bread, some fresh sliced veg and a piece of fruit on the side, I have very filling 6 point lunches. I work, so I make the soups on Sundays and we have "Souper Sunday" dinners, then I freeze the leftovers in 1 1/2 cup deli containers. Don't forget to label the name of the soup and the points!

If you continue to try new recipes, you will naturally begin to eat balanced meals from a wide variety of the food "palatte." Variety will keep you from overeating due to nutritional boredom.

In addition to CL, I highly recommend the WW magazine cookbooks. They have points figured out for you and are also very tasty.

CathieA

[BarbaraL]

Congratulations, CathieA! I'm a Weight Watchers veteran too. I love using CL to stay on the program (just calculate the points -- be careful, some are high in points -- and watch the serving sizes). I like to make recipes that yield leftovers and reheat well. I do much better when I bring my lunch to work; it's so easy to cheat when going to the cafeteria! The centerpiece of lunch is a big green salad with leftovers (or something fresh!)and a piece of fruit for dessert. Midafternoon, I'll have another piece of fruit or yogurt (Axelrod has a low-fat yogurt that's only 1 point). Good luck, Kathy!

[Kathy]

Thank you very much for all your suggestions! I truly appreciate them. May I ask how mcuh weight you lost on WW? I was down 30 and regained..now I have 75 to go. It will be a long road but I have plenty of time to get there!

[anna]

I have been a "lifer" attending weight watcher's for years it seems. I lost 53 pounds on it and have struggled to get off the last 10. Recently I have gained back about 12 of what I'd lost so I'm trying to get some inspiration from these posts. The advice is so helpful here. I absolutley love the weight watcher's points program. I try to have high fiber cereal (Kashi Good Friends is a favorite) with skim milk, or an english muffin with apple butter, or two nutri grain waffles with light syrup for breakfast (or a slice of a yummy CL coffeecake on weekends!). For lunch, like others have mentioned, I like to stay around 5-6 points with a turkey sandwich or soup. (progresso has good black bean and lentil if you're not organized enough to always make your own. I add spinach to the lentil.) There is a whole wheat bread that isn't a "lite" that is 1 point for 2 slices (roman meal or nutri grain it think) and also try to make my sandwiches a big production of lettuce, tomato, roasted pepper, banana peppers, toasting the bread, etc just to give it flair. Gwaltney makes a lower fat bacon that's one point for two slices of it that makes a great BLT in summer! I love to save the bulk of my points for a nice dinner and dessert and that's when I get to use so many CL recipes that I love. That makes it exciting for me and a quest to try new things. Good luck to you - I'm still in the race, and have been in a rut lately so this helps me too. CathieA, do you have any advice for someone who's been at it a long time but can't seem to stay on program well enough to get those last 15 pounds off? Any guidance would be so appreciated. It's such a mental thing for me... I'm a stress eater and I haven't been able to focus like I did when I started WW -- it's showing on the scale. Thanks.

[CATHIEA]

Anna-
Regaining focus is hard! I congratulate you for sticking to attending meetings when the weight's not coming off. Here are a couple of things I ask members to think about to help get re-focused: 1)Pick a short-term weight-related goal that is measurable and achievable, such as journaling for 5 of the next 7 days, planning menus for the next three days, engaging in 20 minutes of moderate activity 3 of the next seven days, etc.,. Think of that short-term goal as a work assignment. Give yourself the pleasure of experiencing success. Pick a new short-term goal. 2)Focus on the postive things that have happened since you started on your weight loss journey (lower blood pressure, smaller dress size, more confidence, whatever)instead of dwelling on what you still have to accomplish. 3)Team up with a friend or another member of your group in a challenge to lose that last/next few pounds. 4)Think of how good you will feel when you reach life status and NEVER, EVER HAVE TO PAY US AGAIN! 5)Think of the last few weeks as practicing maintenance. Now practice progress!
Good Luck
CathieA

[anna]

Thank you CathieA. I've written down your suggestions so that I can set some new goals for myself and recommit to the process. I love theat this program is no big shift in what I eat - that's why I think it's one of the few weight programs that people actually do make lifestlye changes on. The fact that I've kept going to meetings I think is the reason I haven't gained all my weight back so I'm thankful I'm trying to catch it now. Thanks again for your insight - it certainly helps to process these questions and heavy (pardon the pun) feelings. Oh- to have been born with a sky-high metabolism!!!