Weight Watcher/Weight Loss Thread February 2013

[Valerie226]

Denise, I was just surprised, had no idea brown rice would be that many points!! I'm used to pretty generous servings of carbs because that's what I "run" on. I don't like meat, didn't eat any for decades, and only recently started adding a little chicken and fish back in, thinking it might help me lose weight.

I was annoyed there wasn't a point value for cans of beans. I made the dinner and didn't track until this morning, and it never occurred to me that cans would not have a set value. glad 9 points isn't too much for dinner. I'm counting the points in my skinny margarita so that seems to push me a little over 26.

[Cafe Latte]

Hi everyone. I've been busy trying to organize things for this trip. I ordered some stuff online and while I've had some hits, I've also had some misses. The stores are getting some more things in too, so it's helping some. I even found some things (Capri's) in Kohl's and I'm really not a fan of that store for the most part. All in all, I should be ready by the time we leave.

I weighed this morning and managed to lose .5 lbs. Enough is enough. Trying on clothes, I'm finding that some size 4 pants are a bit loose and I don't want to be in size 2's. Now I know sizes are inconsistent, but I am basing this on known brands that are generally true to size. I realized that I need to eat all my WP's this week in order to maintain. I only ate 24 of them this week. It seems like a lot though, but I can do it by upping protein, eating more nuts, etc. I'm not looking to eat more chips, that's for sure.

Denise, hope your Dr. visit goes well today and you get your surgery scheduled soon.

Val, glad to see you are getting the hang of ww and I hope you see the results you want. With the brown rice, it still is starch, regardless of being healthier. WW was really an eye opener for me when I saw what pts certain foods were.

EmptyNestMom - enjoy your trip to Vegas!!!

[LakeMartinGal]

Yesterday was a fantastically busy day, so I didn't get on my computer at all!! Weighed in, and lost 1.2 lbs!! Yay me! I lost the .8 I gained last week, and another .4, so I'm averaging about 1 lb per week, which is excellent!!

I'm a big proponent of not eating exactly the same number of points each day, but having a big day or two and a couple of smaller ones. So far, I've never used all my weekly points, or any of the activity points. I think your body gets used to eating one way, and you have to shock it a little!

Cafe Latte -- a size 2?? I haven't worn that since the toddler days! Seriously, I am proud to know you!! I hope you enjoy your new clothes, and have fun on your cruise!

Valerie, perhaps you can figure the number of points in a can, if they have ounces listed in the list with the down arrow next to it... I've never checked beans, so I don't know.

I was over on the WW boards, and found that many users of the recipe builder don't list the 0-point foods in their recipes, so the points values are less. I don't know if that's cheating or not, but if a food is 0-points when you eat it separately, how can it have points in a recipe??? I think I need to adjust some of my recipes to reflect that.

See you all tomorrow!

[Valerie226]

I was using recipe builder.... it seems like a standard can of beans( 14.5 oz) would be a natural size to include for a cooking ingredient, rather than a cup or half a cup. I use a lot of beans,and I don't remember a recipe calling for part of a can. whatever. If there's a suggestion area on the WW site , I'll suggest they add that.

when i've used recipe builder I left out things to reduce typing or searching, like free vegies, spices etc. I don't see why that's cheating... LMG, congrats on the 1.2!

a size 2??? I was BORN bigger than that! my butt /legs would not get that small if I weighed 100 lbs. Time for you to add a few more calories. How lovely to go on a tropical vacation with all new clothes, in an all new size!.

sizes used to be more standardized ... they seem all over the map now. some companies I regularly buy from can I adjust by ordering bigger from one place and smaller from another. fit is so personal. I don't like things to fit snugly and a lot of people must find that OK. If I have to size up so things aren't "tight" I'm Ok with that, but until you order from a company, you can't always tell how they size things. I don't like tight clothes or sloppy either, but enough room to feel comfy.

Denise, I bought a package of the baked scoops. never noticed them before but there they were. not trying them today. Let us know when your knee will get tuned up. !.

Okay, drum roll and applause please ...... I broke my plateau and lost 2 lbs. Thank you all for your help! I haven't weighed in several weeks and used the last number I had as my entry weight. I was pretty sure I'd lost but waited because I didn't want to be disappointed with a bad number. regardless, I have not been at this weight in 15-20 years. I'm taking this more seriously because I'm recording things. I would love to be down 8 more for my 65th birthday in 6 weeks... possible? I think so. Ok if I'm not too, but we'll see how it works out.

[Cafe Latte]

Congrats Val and LakeMartinGirl. Great losses for you both!

I didn't buy or try on any size 2's. I refused to. I don't like tight clothes, but don't want the saggy butt look either. The 4's that are a bit loose will be okay with washing and a couple of lbs added on. Even a pair of my sz 4 jeans I bought a few months back are a bit loose, so I have to get them to fit better. It's weird how an extra 1/2 lb or so makes you realize that you don't need to lose any more. I've already eaten all my DP and 7 WP today to make sure I don't have another loss next week. DH is out of town and DS has a basketball team dinner, so it's just me tonight and no special Valentine' celebration (which I don't make a big deal over anyway).

Denise, hope your appt went well.

[Valerie226]

another good day yesterday ended up with 26 points. fish for dinner. I used the fish oreganato recipe that I got off the CL website ages ago. think it calculated out to 5 points, so I see why fish gets used for dinner often. I ate an apple with peanut butter in the afternoon because I was so hungry, but made it hard to eat dinner. I used 1 TB of PB, and did count it. I should have eaten it earlier.

I did 2 hours of formal exercise. one hour of yoga, and one hour of upper body weights. today will be an hour of cardio something. I'm getting a lot of activity points. though I don't find exactly what I want on the list. I did an upper body weight workout that took about 45 min. heavy weights. followed by an ab workout, 10-15 min. I'm not sure pure weight workouts should get the same point value as a cardio plus weights but I think this is close enough. I do at least an hour a day of something. I do Cathe workouts and they are tough.

What is it about tight, form fitting clothes? Is it similar to feeling like you've gained weight and your regular size doesn't fit anymore? It is for me. I always feel more comfortable in things that "fit" but have some space. stretchy fabrics that mold to my shape always make me feel like a rhino. I've had issues with pants for years because my middle section is relatively small, but my legs are bulky and muscular and need a bigger size. this has been a big problem ever since low rise came in style. I need belts on everything to keep them up.

[dcollier]

Good morning everyone! It sounds like there have been a bunch of Losers posting lately! Sorry, couldn't help myself. Valerie, WOO HOO!!! Finally, huh?! Good for you. And good for you, Kay! You're doing great too! Cafe Latte, I can't imagine wearing a size 4, much less a size 2! Wow! I also can't imagine struggling NOT to lose. I'm sure you're going to look fantastic for your cruise! And since you're down so, you can probably relax a little too when it comes to something that's really tempting. I didn't get back from Hot Springs last night in time for my WW meeting, but it looked like I stayed the same, which was a bit disappointing since I had a good week.

But . . . I did not get good news. My doctor told me I needed a total knee replacement, and I felt as if I'd had the air knocked out of me. Seriously. I have had bad knees since I was in a car accident when I was a teenager. I've had three "scope" surgeries, and I've been aware most of my adult life that my knees are not good. But I've cow-girled up and learned to live with it. However, my fall two months ago sent me over the edge and broke down what little, almost non-existent cartilege I had left. I was totally, 100% unprepared for that scenario though. I wouldn't schedule it yesterday either. I simply cannot get my head around total knee replacement yet. But I also acknowledge that I've been in serious pain for almost 2 months, and I really miss my life. So right now, I'm just going to get through this day, this weekend, whatever, and talk with my DH and eventually make a decision. I'm just not sure I'm there yet.

Denise

[Valerie226]

oh Denise... what crummy news!! do you absolutely trust this doc's opinion? If I remember right, he's done your DH's knees and you have confidence in him. Is it one knee or will both need doing? since DH has been through this he should be a huge help and you have first hand experience with seeing how it works and the potential recovery process.

My SIL ( about 55) just had a total knee replacement. it was pretty rough for the first month but she's doing OK now. She is a very uncooperative patient so I hate using her as any kind of example. she refused all physical therapy, something I can't imagine doing.
It's pretty standard stuff these days it will take getting used to the idea. don't put it off too long. the longer you're inactive because of knee discomfort, the harder it will be to get going after the surgery. In the meantime, is there any exercise you can do to keep fit, keep the muscle mass from dwindling away? can you ride a stationary bike? they aren't expensive but depends on your knees. My DH has potential knee problems due to poor alignment, so he doesn't run anymore, but cycles a lot. great exercise .. we road bike, mt bike, and have a spin bike for home. no impact but I'd ask your doc before jumping into anything new. If both you and your DH could use it, it would be a worthwhile purchase.

[Cafe Latte]

Denise, I'm sorry you got this unexpected news. However, what are your options? If you don't have the replacement, you probably won't get better, or not back to your normal. One of DS's teammates mom had it done (both knees in the last 6 months) and she said she feel so much better. Take the weekend as you planned, see if you need a second opinion, and then decide. I agree with Val, the longer you put it off, the harder it will probably be to recover. Also, is more damage being done by putting it off? I know it's easier said than done, since it's not my knee, but I would go ahead and do it. From what you described about past injuries, there really isn't another option. So sorry.

[LakeMartinGal]

Thank you for the congrats!

Cafe Latte (what is your name???) I one day hope to be in a position to need to gain a pound or two... and to be able to keep it to just a pound or two!!! I like my slacks to fit snugly around the tummy area, as it helps my back -- not too tight, just snug. Too loose clothes make me feel sloppy. Each to their own, I guess!

Denise, I'm sorry you got bad news about your knee... I will have to do that some day, too. Since I live in kind of a retirement area, everyone, it seems is getting cataract surgery or knee/hip replacements! Most have no problem with them, if they do the physical therapy. Some who live alone, do their therapy in a live-in environment for a week or two. The others have someone to drive them to therapy, and do it at home. DMIL had both of hers done at once, and had no pain! The doctor inserted a Marcain drip during surgery, and kept it there for several days. It really helped! I guess it's something like Novocain, only for joints! Maybe your doctor would do that.

Valerie -- that is why fish is so popular for meals!! But you have to be careful of the kind of fish -- some are fattier than others, and can "cost" as many points as a pork chop!!! I had catfish, grilled, and it was 5 points -- didn't leave a whole lot of room for side dishes! Now that tomatoes are coming back into the market, I will use them as my go-to salad, because they don't require dressing!!

Glad you all survived Valentine's day! Let's all have good weigh-ins this week!!!

[Valerie226]

LMG, DH is picky about what kind of fish he'll eat. no bones, no smell, white. so I rely on tilapia. I rely on whatever Costco has! sometimes they have catfish so I'll try that too. halibut is good, but pricey. He won't eat salmon which I like but therefore seldom have. no tuna either.

Last night made a chicken stir fry that came out at 1 point..... but I don't believe it. I entered the numbers from the recipe ( Eating Well) and that's what it said.??? served over soba noodles, 3 points. I ended up at 23 points for the day but think the main dish calculated out at less than it was. I would have guessed 10 points. It's very tasty and easy. fresh ginger and oyster sauce, tastes rich but has no oysters and no fat. a tablespoon of toasted sesame oil, chicken breast. the vegie was green beans, but asparagus or broccoli work too. I've made it before and always amp up the vegie portion rather than have a side vegie. so I increase the oyster sauce so it coats everything lightly. not low sodium, however.


did my hour + of exercise. a 45 minute bicep/tricep workout, an ab workout and 1 mile on the treadmill.

I've been annoyed with the pop up that shows up constantly when using IE( on the CL site) so downloaded google chrome and am testing it right now. I've had trouble with keyboard directional keys not working on this site too, and so far this seems better.

Caffe latte, I also downloaded the WW app to my android phone. not sure if I'll track there, but I'll test it out. mostly the desktop has a bigger screen and I'm fumble fingers on the phone keypad. but for free, even occasional use will be worthwhile.

[dcollier]

Hello everyone! Even though it's a Federal/State holiday, we're open. We "give up" four State holidays a year, and with what the State gives us for Christmas, along with what the college "bonuses" us with, plus weekends, we usually have 11 or 12 days off at Christmas without taking a single vacation day. This is one of the holidays we give up.

Thanks everyone for the sympathy and good wishes and positive thoughts. Valerie, I do trust (and love) this surgeon, and honestly my DH recovered in record time. In 4 weeks, he was back in his cabinet shop, and physical therapy released him 3 weeks early, and the surgeon released him 4 weeks early. He's a very strong man. I've been the last four days re-playing my conversation with the surgeon, and 2 things kept resonating repeatedly. First of all, he said I had to be prepared for this mentally, and to say I wasn't prepared is a monumental understatement. Secondaly, he said that this was a "last resort" surgery, a surgery you have only when you are absolutely 100% sure you can't go on without it. He said my knee (i.e., the MRI) told him I was there, but I don't feel that way. Two months ago, I was doing low-impact aerobics, weights strenth training, and walking at a pretty good pace. So I can honestly say that I am not prepared at this point in time. Also, I decided to change how I moved this weekend. I slowed down, really slowed down, probably moving half as fast as I normally do, plus I was mindful of every single step. And because I did this, I experience probably a 50% decrease in my pain, which I think is huge. And I was productive again -- not like I was before I fell, but definitely more than I've been in 2 two months. And my third consideration is my mother and the roller-coaster she's on trying to recover from breaking her hip. I would honestly seriously struggle if I was incapacitated when she, or my sister, needed me, or worse for that matter. So, I'm going to "table" this surgery for the short term. If I could wait 6 months, a year at the most, I'd be so much more prepared. I don't know if I'll be able to, but this weekend, plus today (how I'm moving again), has been a positive thing. As far as getting worse, just the pain will, it really won't matter since my whole knee will be replaced. So please send more positive thoughts my way, and hope that I can put this off for a while.

I also grocery shopped last night -- with my DH's help -- and stocked up on good, healthy food. Tonight I'm making a big salad (and cleaning greens/lettuce for the week), steam/sauteeing green beans, roasting baby red potatoes, and baking cod from Sam's (one of my DH's favorites). Nothing too strenuous, but if I take my time, I can get back in the kitchen. Believe it or not, cooking is a zen thing for me, and I feel so much better, physically and mentally, when I'm planning and cooking healthy delicious meals for us.

Valerie, I would think the chicken alone in your stir fry would be more than 1 point. But I also think that was a very low point dish, and it sounded delicious.

Pam, I cannot imagine having fresh tomatoes at this time of year! Even though I'm in the south, we don't get them until late June at the earliest. And it's cold outside now and raining again.

Have a great week everyone!

Denise

[Valerie226]

Denise ( and everyone else) I'll try to post that stir fry tomorrow. it's a simple recipe and very versatile. I've used it for years, just didn't know it was such a low point value. I suppose you could just eat the chicken and vegies of your choice, but I need some carbs in there, either soba noodles, or brown rice. very flexible as long as you can find oyster sauce and are OK with sodium. I woul;dn't use it every day, but occasional is OK for us.

Did your surgeon mention any cartilage building injections? this may NOT apply to you. DH got a series last year from his orthopod. but his knee problems are insignificant compared to yours. it might be helpful if you are unable to face TKR at this point. (I would have a big problem with that too). the injections were expensive and may not be useful for more advanced problems. I don't want to raise false hopes.
I take glucosamine/ chrondroitin daily. supposedly helps rebuild or sustain cartilage. It's inexpensive, DH & I both take it. I'm not a big fan of unproven supplements, but this one is not harmful and might be helpful.

Is there any sort of knee brace that might make you a little more comfortable? just wondering if there are some temporary things you can do to make it more comfortable while you get adjusted to the idea.

[dcollier]

Valerie, I talked to him about cortisone injections, rooster comb injections (probably what your DH had), and scope surgery, and he told me I was beyond all that. He said the injections had nothing to adhere to. It was pretty dismal. I have osteoarthritis, and my rheumatologist has me on glucosamine chondroitin, vitamin D (in addition to the vitamin D in my calcium supplements), and fish oil -- all for my joints -- plus I take Naproxin twice a day. And that's actually a mild pain reliever and anti-inflammatory. And I'm going to look at local stores to see about "wrapping" my knee and/or some type of brace. This is a short-term solution, but it's the right thing for me now. And yesterday was good too. I moved slowly and mindfully, and I actually cooking supper last night. And I would love to have your stir-fry recipe.

Denise

[Casey1230]

And I'm going to look at local stores to see about "wrapping" my knee and/or some type of brace. This is a short-term solution, but it's the right thing for me now. And yesterday was good too. I moved slowly and mindfully, and I actually cooking supper last night. And I would love to have your stir-fry recipe.

Denise

Be careful about wrapping your knee for too long or too tightly. That is how I developed my blood clot last year, wrapping my ankle!

[Valerie226]

Wok-Seared Chicken Tenders with Asparagus & Pistachios

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/wo...istachios.html
From EatingWell: April/May 2005, The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook (2006)
Here's an East-meets-West stir-fry that will soon become a family favorite. Serve it over rice with a simple salad of arugula and orange sections dressed in a light vinaigrette.

4 servings, about 1 1/4 cups each | Active Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients
•1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
•1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
•1 pound chicken tenders, (see Ingredient Note), cut into bite-size pieces
•4 scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
•2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
•1 tablespoon oyster-flavored sauce
•1 teaspoon chile-garlic sauce, (see Ingredient Note)
•1/4 cup shelled salted pistachios, coarsely chopped

Preparation
1.Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add asparagus; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add chicken; cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Stir in scallions, ginger, oyster sauce and chile-garlic sauce; cook, stirring, until the chicken is juicy and just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Stir in pistachios and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Per serving : 208 Calories; 8 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 3 g Mono; 67 mg Cholesterol; 7 g Carbohydrates; 30 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 175 mg Sodium; 326 mg Potassium

1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 vegetable , 4 very lean meat, 1 fat

Tips & Notes
• Ingredient Notes: Chicken tenders, virtually fat-free, are a strip of rib meat typically found attached to the underside of the chicken breast, but they can also be purchased separately. Four 1-ounce tenders will yield a 3-ounce cooked portion. Tenders are perfect for quick stir-fries, chicken satay or kid-friendly breaded "chicken fingers."
• Chile-garlic sauce is a blend of ground red chiles, garlic and vinegar and is commonly used to add heat and flavor to Asian soups, sauces and stir-fries. It can be found in the Asian-food section of large supermarkets. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 year.

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This is from Eating Well magazine. I use different vegies, more vegies, different nuts, no nuts. I've used green beans, peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, tofu instead of chicken. I sometimes cook vegies separately in the micro and toss them into the stir fried chicken. DH doesn't like pistachios so cashews or almonds are good. I use less chili garlic sauce. too hot for DH. I add it all more to my portion. I use more oyster sauce since I raise the volume of vegies. serve over brown rice or soba noodles. I haven't recalculated this but it seems unlikely to have only 1 point, plus points for the rice.

DH got shots of some derivative related to the rooster comb. He's doing fine but most of his issues relate to him being bow legged, and the knee tracking on an angle. eventually his knee will wear out but not for a while.

Hope you can come up with some ways to minimize the discomfort and keep moving. continued weight loss can't hurt either!

Have you tried other non steroidal antiinflammatories? Naproxen never worked for me... but especially with this group of drugs, everyone is different. I do better with plain old ibuprofen. but of course, that's more times a day. Casey is right, be careful about anything restrictive like a tight wrap. getting a DVT would not help things!

[dcollier]

Thanks for the recipe Valerie. It looks great and I printed it. And thanks, too, to you and Casey for bringing up the blood clot possibility. I think I'm going to check with my local doctor before buying anything. And I'm on my fifth good day -- good being relative. I'm slow and mindful, but I am certainly in less pain.

Our college is closing in 20 minutes. We've had snow and sleet, and now it's raining and the temp is dropping. We're actually under an ice storm waring. We've been hit with ice storms twice since moving here 15 years ago, and one of them knocked out our power for 8 days. We heat with wood, and as I've said before, my DH is a closet survivalist, so I honestly think we're more prepared than the President would be. And he's on his way to pick me up. He insisted on driving me because he's so afraid I'll fall. And it really is treacherous. Ice is no fun at all. The forecast is for freezing rain/ice through the night and up until 4:00 p.m. tomorrow, so I'm thinking we won't be at work tomorrow. And that's the only good thing about an ice storm!

Take care everyone!

Denise

[LakeMartinGal]

Wow! Be careful, Denise! (I know you will!)

Just wanted to check in to say I had a .8 loss this week -- almost 1 # a week loss, and I'm very happy with it!

The rest of this week will certainly be a challenge -- Friday night is Bunco (dinner and dessert), Saturday is our anniversary (special eating opportunity) and Sunday is dinner at a friend's house (wine and dessert) -- she is actually going to cook something for dinner, but she watches calories and portions, not points, so we are sometimes at cross-purposes. I'll just do my best! I have a plan for those days -- a 2-point WW treat and coffee for breakfast, my usual Kashi -yogurt-raspberry breakfast for lunch (or leftover pizza 4 pts), and fruit all day until dinner! That's what's helped me through the last couple of weeks!

Hope everyone is well!!!

[Valerie226]

I made the chicken stir fry( above) last night with asparagus and red peppers. I adore the chili garlic sauce and sprinkle some on my portion. the brand I get is Uncle chen, and it comes in a short bottle, bright green lid. it's pretty zippy. adds a lot of flavor, no calories. I had it over brown rice. so ended up a little high yesterday 36 points ... but I also am doing at least an hour of mostly high intensity exercise every day too. lunch was a lentil soup that was higher in calories then expected because it had some coconut milk in it. lite coconut milk.

My clothes are a lot looser..... a lot looser. I intend to aim for more than a pound a week because it's not that different from how I usually eat. I will watch carb intake more closely over the long run. also my alcohol intake. those two areas were keeping me from losing. I love wine but since stopping most of it and switching to one serious sugar free margarita, that has made a difference. off to yoga and back later.

[dcollier]

Congrats Kay! You really are doing great. And planning like you are for the "special" meals is incredibly wise. The good friends we have dinner with (we rotate) all know my DH and I are following Weight Watchers and for the most part, they cook accordingly. We had dinner with good friends Friday night at their home, and they grilled chicken outside (with a great spicy rub), baked small potatoes, and had a huge salad bar set up along with a low-fat dressing. We're lucky with our friends.

Valerie, I'm so happy that you're seeing a difference in your clothes. I think WW may be what you've needed. I'm hoping to try your stir-fry this weekend. I know I'll use asparagus for sure.

For the most part, the "ice storm" went north of us, but we've had lots of rain and sleet. Our decks were scary this morning and ice was hanging from the trees, the electrical lines, etc. Our SUV was solid ice and it took over 30 minutes to melt it. I was very surprised that schools were not closed, but the roads were pretty good. However, getting to the roads was not easy. The hardest thing we did was getting from our front porch to our SUV. We're hovering around the freezing mark right now, and we're under a severe thunderstorm warning. It's pouring down rain and sleeting (we've had hail too), and the thunder is unbelievable. Extremely odd weather.

Since it's just rain, and since I missed my meeting last week, I plan to go tonight. I think I've had a good week, but I never really know until I'm on that WW scale. I plan to spend the better part of the weekend cooking. And I'm really looking forward to it.

Denise

[Valerie226]

asparagus ... depends on the stalks. if the bottom is fat, it will cooks longer than the tops. I separate it, and start with the biggest stalk parts, and add the tops after the bottoms are starting to get tender. I also like my vegies fairly crisp. I love ginger and use more than the recipe says. often I micro the vegies and add to the stir fried chicken.

I tried one package of the Laughing cow cheese, light garlic herb wedges. Do not like the texture. are the others types pretty much the same? I bought a package of string cheese to test out also.

Denise, do you own any traction devices, like Yaktrax, or microspikes? don't risk a fall. DH and I keep a pair in our cars in winter. sometimes it's OK at home but the grocery store lot is a sheet of ice. they slip on over shoes / boots and help a lot . the important things is .... when you get inside the store, they are very slippery on smooth floors so take them off. put back on when it's time to cross the parking lot back to your car.. we don't get snow and ice too often here so when we do... not everyone is quick enough with salt or sand.

I haven't had any "meals out" or "dinner with friends" challenges yet. I haven't even looked at the "Activity points" . If I get 12 points for activity most days, does that exchange with food points? since I exercise regardless, I've been staying in the 26-30 point range and not woryring about whether I get to use actvity points or not. maybe it will come off a little faster, and that's OK since I'm not exercising paarticularly to lose weight, and will continue no matter what.

[LakeMartinGal]

Echoing Valerie's admonition (not that you need it) to be careful on the ice and snow!!!

Valerie -- so glad you're having success with WW! The activity points generally are used after the weekly points, though you can set them to be used first... I don't think it makes a difference, though. Especially with all the activity you do, you wouldn't use all the weekly points and all the activity points in a week, anyway. Keep going, you're doing great!!!

I always think of the Laughing Cow as more of a spread -- I have some, but DH usually gets to it before I do! I also have been using the low-fat cheese sticks (cheddar and mozzarella), not exactly string cheese, but only 1 point per stick. He eats those too, , but I have managed to get one or 2!

I can usually tell if I've lost -- either my neck feels longer, or I just feel lighter! Generally get that feeling at the .8 mark.

[Cafe Latte]

Sounds like everyone is doing well. I've been MIA as I have been in trip mode. I think I have everything I need for our flight next Sat. I am so looking forward to the sun, the sand, the palm trees, the ocean, the Mai Tai's, etc.

Denise - good to hear you are tolerating the pain. Last night I was chatting with DS's teammate's mom about her knees and she is so happy she had the replacement. Hers were 4 months apart and she said she really worked hard to recover as well as she did. She said she mentally prepared herself for it and the hard work, because unless one is willing to put the hard work into it, there is no point in doing it. I didn't ask why she needed them done (she's mid 50's I'd say) but she obviously was in a lot of pain before.

Val - glad to hear ww is working for you.

LMG - good loss this week - slow and steady is great. .8 x 52 weeks is 41.6 lbs.

I gained .5 lbs this week eating all my WP. I went out for lunch twice this week, so I know some of it can be extra sodium, but I am pleased to be up a bit. Basically, I know eating all those WP will help me maintain.

Have a great weekend everyone. We had some snow overnight, but not what they were predicting at first. Hope it's warm enough to melt over the weekend.

[Valerie226]

Weighed this morning, no change. that's OK, my pants are looser. this has been a pattern my entire life, will hold and then drop several pounds at once. I hope.

2 hours of exercise yesterday. I ate more yesterday but was still awfully hungry. every day is different...sometimes an apple seems to be adequate, other times it seems to make me hungrier. ended up at 30 points.

caffe latte I hope you have a lovely time on your vacation! it's windy, rainy and 40 degrees here, so maui sounds pretty nice to me.

Question...when you roast vegies... roasting a cauliflower today... how do you count the fat? I will toss an entire head with 1 TB of olive oil. I know from experience a good part of it ends up on the pan.... but not all. half? 2/3? what's reasonable.

Denise, I think cafe latte gave a good example of how to get your head around the issue. talk to people who've had the surgery. look up more about the procedure itself. read about it. immerse yourself in it. read about the recovery process and success stories. sort of like how you approached WW..... it's scary but the more you know, the less awful it will seem. most people have much much less pain than they did before the surgery fairly soon after replacement.
about 2 years ago we took BIL & SIL on a hike in a local park. Dh and I do it a couple times a year and would rate it maybe 2-3 on a scale of 1-10 because there are a couple very short steep sections. she couldn't do it. I pulled her up those sections and almost carried her back down. DH thought she was exaggerating but I didn't, and kept telling her no matter what, I would not let her fall. I got below her and braced her. she is way out of shape, no question, but her knee would not work anymore. she had it replaced this past fall. I felt bad we took them on that hike, but we had no c lue it would be difficult for her. she's only in her mid 50's but the cartilage is gone. she's doing OK but will need the other done.

[LakeMartinGal]

Question...when you roast vegies... roasting a cauliflower today... how do you count the fat? I will toss an entire head with 1 TB of olive oil. I know from experience a good part of it ends up on the pan.... but not all. half? 2/3? what's reasonable.

If you really want to know, measure what's left in the pan... otherwise, unless you eat the whole head at once, I wouldn't count it at all! If it's 4 servings, and only a teaspoon is missing from the amount, I don't think you need to count it.

[Cafe Latte]

Weighed this morning, no change. that's OK, my pants are looser. this has been a pattern my entire life, will hold and then drop several pounds at once. I hope.

That's a better indicator of loss than the number on the scale, IMHO. Good job!

Question...when you roast vegies... roasting a cauliflower today... how do you count the fat? I will toss an entire head with 1 TB of olive oil. I know from experience a good part of it ends up on the pan.... but not all. half? 2/3? what's reasonable.

I don't consider it too important since it's such a minor amount. Unless you use all your WP and are finding you are gaining by not counting such things, I don't think it matters. Sometimes we overestimate pts, so it makes up for times we may underestimate. Sometimes I add Misc as a line and assign it 1 or 2 pts just in case I overlooked something.

[Valerie226]

I'm not happy with the recipe builder. I tried to enter a tofu dish and the right quantities of ingredients are not in there. 3 oz of tofu? geez, if it's a 14.5 oz standard package of tofu .... that should be an "ingredient", just like the can of beans I complained about before. I took the short cut version and entered fat, protein,fiber, carbs, and got 7 points. close enough. apparently "recipe builder" is not designed for cooking more than a single serving. who cooks like that? a lot of my recipes have those numbers included, so I will likely do that from now on. too cumbersome entering the recipe.

I ate about half the cauliflower. by the time it's roasted it's not all that big anymore. I only ended up with 23 points, so if the cauliflower had a few, that should still be good. I like the 'misc" idea. that covers not disregarding things just because it's too hard to figure out.

[LakeMartinGal]

I found the menu online for the restaurant that we're going to, and decided to have:
Shrimp cocktail - 2 pts
grilled tilapia - 6 pts
1/2 slice of key lime pie - 7 pts
hopefully, steamed broccoli and asparagus or salad...

still have 2 regular points left over!! Yay me!

[Meganator]

Hello all! I'm reducing my cookbook collection, and I have WW "Take-Out Tonight!". It is not in perfect condition, as there is a section in the middle that has come loose from the spine. However, other than that, there are just a few notes written here and there, and no food stains that I can see! If you're not familiar with this cookbook, it has 8 chapters, including deli, Chinese, Greek, Mexican, Japanese, Italian, Thai, and Indian. There are some really good recipes, and, of course, it includes nutritional info and points values.

If someone here is interested in it, I'd be happy to mail it for the price of postage - $2.98 for media mail.

Megan

[Valerie226]

Meganator, I'm interested. I've heard good things about this book and I don't have any WW cookbooks. Let me know how we can proceed....
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I used low fat ( not non fat) ground turkey instead. I used the numbers at the end of the recipe to calculate. I forget , think it came out to 7 points. looking this morning I realize they must have counted a "sandwich roll" in the statistics, along with a spoonful of peanut sauce. I used 1 slice of ww bread with sauce. I expect if I go to recipe builder I'll get bogged down in details. Still, I don't want to get too "glib" with the numbers. I suspect there is slightly more fat in the turkey but also less carbs in 1 slice of bread vs a sandwich roll. Is this kind of 'editorial license" OK? I know the weight of the burgers is close since I use a 1.25 lb package of turkey but get 6 burgers rather than the four the recipe shows.

This is a really tasty recipe though I've never made it as written. I've served it to guests several times and it's been well received. I'll post it shortly if I can find it on CL.
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Chicken Burgers with Peanut Sauce


No recipe can offer too much flavor for Assistant Food Editor Ann Taylor Pittman. Her burger is made spicy with Thai chile paste and rounded out with a sweet, creamy Thai-style peanut sauce. Onion sprouts, which look similar to alfalfa sprouts, have a pungent bite. You can find them next to the alfalfa sprouts in many supermarkets.

Cooking Light JUNE 2003
Yield: Makes 4 servings
.




Ingredients
Sauce:
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon water
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
Burgers:
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
1 tablespoon chile paste with garlic
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, chopped
Cooking spray
4 (2-ounce) sandwich rolls with sesame seeds
1 cup onion sprouts or alfalfa sprouts


To prepare sauce, combine first 6 ingredients, stirring with a whisk until smooth.

Prepare grill.

To prepare burgers, place onions and next 5 ingredients (onions through chicken) in a food processor; process until coarsely ground. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.

Place patties on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until done. Place rolls, cut sides down, on grill rack; grill 1 minute or until toasted. Place 1 patty on bottom half of each roll; top each serving with 1/4 cup sprouts, about 1 tablespoon sauce, and top half of roll. Yield 4 servings.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving Calories: 341
Calories from fat: 28%
Fat: 10.6g
Saturated fat: 3.2g
Monounsaturated fat: 3.5g
Polyunsaturated fat: 3.3g
Protein: 28.5g
Carbohydrate: 32.8g
Fiber: 2.5g
Cholesterol: 49mg
Iron: 2.7mg
Sodium: 769mg
Calcium: 67mg