10 pts. to whomever can guess the movie.
I'm happy and proud to report that I've gotten some great feedback on my last 2 posts. It's nice to know that I may be helping and inspiring friends and family alike to take a look at their lives and find what they want to change. I've had a few ask for advice and tips, so until I can actually sit down and have a chat with those people one-on-one, I thought I'd at least make a list of my personal go-to's on my journey, that is the food I love to eat that helps me shed the pounds.
Just a note that I'm following the old Weight Watchers plan, the one that only took calories, fat, and fiber into account. I tried the new plan when it rolled out in November, and while I saw some results the first few weeks, it was next to impossible to figure out points without all the nutritional info of everything I was consuming handy. With the old system, I've gotten pretty good at guesstimating. I'm eating 20 old points a day, and I started with 25 back in 2009.
Without further ado.
Arnold's Sandwich Thins. These babies get me through the day. I love bread, like seriously love bread. I can have one, sometimes even 2 of these in a day, and I don't feel guilty. At 100 calories with 5 grams of fiber, they're only 1 old WW point.
Another 1 pointer carb. Martin's small sliced potato rolls. These are the ones that come in a 12 pack (the larger ones that come in an 8-pack are 2 pts each). These are great for burgers of any kind, be it turkey, salmon, you name it. My kid also loves both the Arnold's Thins and the Martin's potato rolls. She eats half my stash!
Hummus. I bow down to you. I have always been a lover of the chick pea, but I only discovered hummus a couple of years ago. I've been eating it like a fiend ever since. 2 tbsps is 1 pt. The Trader Joe's Kalamata olive hummus is my fave right now. With some baby carrots (0 pts), it's the perfect afternoon snack.
Fruit. I eat a lot of it. 3-4 piece a day usually. Each piece/serving of fruit (besides bananas) is 1 point. So on any given day, I'll have an apple, some grapes, two large slices of cantaloupe, and a 1/2 cup of strawberries if I need a little extra. That's 3-4 points. They help curb my sweet tooth. And the cantaloupe, which I can luckily get around her all the time, is very filling and low on calories. Apples and pears are also great choices because of all the fiber they pack. The one fruit that makes me swoon though, is cherries. Once they're in high season, I eat them every day until they're gone.
Oatmeal. I usually have it for breakfast around 9am, but I can also have it as an afternoon snack when brekkie is something different (which I'll talk about next). This particular oatmeal from Trader Joe's (so I'm a little obsessed with TJ; I admit it!), is 2 pts. For a while, I had to settle for 3 pt oatmeals (like Quaker's High Fiber Cinnamon Oatmeal) because the only other 2 pt oatmeal I liked (Kashi's Heart to Heart Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal) has been discontinued! I was pissed when that happened. So color me happy when I found the TJ's oatmeal last month. It's SO good.
(Ignore the yokes - apparently no one cooks their eggs like I do). Egg Whites. One egg white has a measly. 15-17 calories (depends on who you ask). If you eat just one, it doesn't even count as a point. So that's what I do. An egg white "pan fried" using a nonstick skillet and a spritz of cooking spray on an Arnold's Thin is my second breakfast choice. And in the end, it's really just 1 pt. A little salt and pepper, and you're good to go. It's delish.
Iced coffee, 1% milk, and a caramel shot. It's 2 pts, and it's so worth it. Last week, Harry surprised me with caramel flavoring from Target. I had been getting my fix at Dunkin' Donuts. Now I can make it at home! A serving is 80 calories, so I cut it in half (and I still get great flavor and sweetness from it). Add the 1% milk and the vast amount of coffee I drink per drink, and it's up to 2 pts.
Yoplait light yogurts. They are so delicious, the make me weep with joy. My personal faves: cherry cobbler, lemon creme pie, key lime pie, apple turnover, triple berry torte, and strawberry shortcake. 2 pts of sweet decadence.
This particular Pop Secret is just 1 pt per 5 cups. Insane. This popcorn helped me tremendously through my initial weight loss. I don't eat it that much any more, but every once in a while I'll pop a bag when I'm ravenous. It's very filling. I sometimes used to eat an entire bag as my lunch. And it ended up being like 2.5 pts or something.
Farro is a new find. It's another form of wheat you cook like rice or pasta. And it's incredibly delicious. It has a chewy texture and a nutty flavor. I made a cold salad with it and some Trader Joe's bruschetta mix, and it was incredible. Even Harry is in love with it. A serving is just 3 pts. I bought mine on amazon.com.
When I crave a bevvie, Amstel light is a great choice. It's just 2 pts a beer. A second choice for me is a jigger of vodka in a large glass of diet A&W root beer. Again, 2 pts.
And lastly, to chase away the chocolate cravings, ice cream. This fat free ice cream by Breyers is 1 pts per serving. Mind you a serving is 1/2 a cup. I serve it in a ramekin, so while it's a small amount, it fills the damn thing up making it look like more. Hood fat free frozen yogurt is also an excellent 2 pt choice.
In addition to these, things like sliced turkey or ham, canned tuna (60 cals and under), canned salmon (60 cals and under) are all 1 pt per serving. Add veggies on an Arnolds Thin, and you're looking at a 2pt sandwich. You can also make delicious burgers out of canned tuna or salmon. 1 serving plus just a little breadcrumbs, egg white, spicy mustard, old bay seasoning, and salt and pepper makes a 2 pt burger. On a Martin's roll, that's 3 points. It's a delicious dinner paired with a salad and a little rice.
A sample menu of my day:
Hella big coffee 2pts
oatmeal 2 pts
turkey, veggies on Arnold's thin 2 pts
yogurt 2 pts
cantaloupe and grapes 2 pts
carrots and hummus 1 pt
apple 1 pt
farro w/ bruschetta mix 4 pts
salmon burger 3 pts
ice cream 1 pt
20 pts total
My exercise (mainly walking) will give me a few extra points throughout the day for extras, but I usually don't eat them. I also have a point allowance for the week, but I don't usually use that either. It's just the way I am.
There's a points calculator anyone can use for free here:
http://www.calculatorcat.com/free_calculators/weight_watchers_calculator.phtmlI was given 29 pts with a 49 pt weekly allowance on the newer plan, so if you wanna try that one with that calculator, you can guesstimate your points using mine as a reference. When I started, I was at 202 and I'm 5 feet tall. They started me at 25 pts a week on the old plan. You usually take 1 point away once you hit a new deca (as in 190s, 180s, etc).
Also, I found a great blog filled with recipes that give nutritional info, old points, and new points:
http://www.skinnytaste.com/Check it out!
That's all folks. Any questions, don't hesitate to ask! I'm here to help.
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