Weight Watchers 101

Weight Watchers and Dr. Oz .. Chance to Win 1 Million Dollars!

2011-09-25T09:38:00.000-07:00

http://sharecare.doctoroz.com/

Here's how it works:

You’ll join Dr. Oz and a powerful team of health professionals to tackle the seven key steps to weight loss and healthy living. The new, healthier you could even be eligible to win a million-dollar prize!

Kick off the program with our Ultimate Health Quiz, where you'll get an overview of your health. Next, conquer the seven steps:

Tell a Friend
Connect with Your Doctor
Official Weigh-in/Calculate Your BMI
Learn Your Family's Health History
Get More Sleep
Assess Your Stress
Start New Fitness Habits

Then show off what you learned with the Final Health IQ Quiz. The public will vote for the participant it finds the most transformed and inspirational. The winner will receive $1 million and appear on the Dr. Oz show.

How Much Do the Big Celebrities Weigh?

2011-09-21T03:04:00.000-07:00

Actresses

Blake Lively, 5'9", 123 lbs.
Calista Flockhart, 5'6", 97 lbs.
Cameron Diaz, 5'9", 120 lbs.
Cate Blanchett, 5'8", 120 lbs.
Catherine Zeta Jones, 5'8", 130 lbs.
Drew Barrymore, 5'4", 125 lbs.
Eva Longoria, 5'2", 104 lbs.
Gwyneth Paltrow, 5'9", 112 lbs.
Hillary Duff, 5'1", 105 lbs
Jennifer Aniston, 5'6", 110 lbs.
Jessica Alba, 5'7", 118 lbs.
Jessica Biel, 5'8", 110 lbs.
Julia Roberts, 5'10", 125 lbs.
Kate Beckinsdale, 5'8", 115 lbs.
Kate Hudson, 5'6", 115 lbs.
Katie Holmes, 5'9", 118 lbs.
Kirsten Dunst, 5'4", 100 lbs.
Lindsay Lohan, 5'5", 105 lbs.
Meghan Fox, 5'6", 114 lbs.
Miley Cyrus, 5'4", 104 lbs.
Nicole Kidman, 5'10", 120 lbs.
Nicole Richie, 5'1", 98 lbs
Pam Anderson, 5'7", 105 lbs.
Paris Hilton, 5'9", 110 lbs.
Penelope Cruz, 5'6", 109 lbs.
Reese Witherspoon, 5'6", 122 lbs.
Salma Hayek, 5'2", 115 lbs.
Sandra Bullock, 5'8", 110 lbs.
Scarlett Johansson, 5'4", 115 lbs.

Models

Adriana Lima, 5'10", 112 lbs.
Gisele Bundchen, 5'11", 115 lbs.
Heidi Klum, 5'9", 120 lbs.
Kate Moss, 5'7", 105 lbs.
Naomi Campbell, 5'10", 110 lbs.

Musicians

Beyonce Knowles, 5'5", 130 lbs.
Britney Spears, 5'5", 105 lbs.
Carrie Underwood, 5'3", 110 lbs.
Christina Aguilera, 5'2", 100 lbs.
Faith Hill, 5'8", 120 lbs.
Fergie, 5'2", 105 lbs.
Gwen Stefani, 5'6", 115 lbs.
Jennifer Lopez, 5'6", 125 lbs.
Jessica Simpson, 5'2", 120 lbs.
Madonna, 5'4", 100 lbs.
Mariah Carey, 5'9", 140 lbs.
Shakira, 5'2", 105 lbs.
Taylor Swift, 5'10", 120 lbs.

Weight Watchers The 2011 Lose For Good Community Challenge

2011-09-19T02:38:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Lose For Good Community Challenge

Description

A United Nations study this year showed that every person in North America wastes between 617 and 661 pounds of food every year. This week, the Challenge can help you do your part to reduce waste: Eat from your cupboard this week, rather than going to the store. (You can supplement with fresh fruits and veggies, of course!) Stuck for recipe ideas? Check out the Community Recipe Swap to give and get inspiration. Then tell us what healthy food you’ve discovered that you love on our Facebook page!

Challenge owner(s) WeightWatchers.com Editors Participants 7621 Type Open Check-in Weekly Starts 08/28/2011 Ends 10/15/2011

Build a Better Salad

2011-09-17T20:43:00.000-07:00

Just because your meal is green doesn't mean it's lean. Get to know these all-star ingredients and sneaky fat traps -- so you can turn a green monster into a super bowl.

By Rachel Sturtz; Source: Marisa Moore, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association

Ingredient Showdown

Toss In...

Almonds. Fiber, protein, and healthy fat keep you sated. Don't go too nuts, since they're calorie-dense; use just a tablespoon of slivered almonds.
Lean protein. The omega-3 fatty acids in grilled salmon help prevent heart disease and boost brain power. Go fish with 3 ounces, or a portion about the size of your palm.
A good egg. If you eat only the white, the yolk's on you. The yolk contains vitamin D, which may guard against cancer, diabetes, and more. It also has 4.5 grams of fat, so limit your salad to one hard-boiled egg.
Avocado. The monounsaturated fat in avocado helps slim your waist. Toss in a sixth of an avocado, which has about 55 calories and 5 (good-for-you) fat grams.
Go-to greens. The darker the leaves, the more vitamins and minerals. Try a spring mix (e.g., mesclun) for varied textures and flavors.
Soy beans. Research shows that soy may protect your ticker, lower your cancer risk, and build bone. Find precooked edamame in the supermarket's frozen-foods section.
DIY dressing. Nix fatty store-bought varieties. Mix 1/2 cup olive or walnut oil (both supply heart-healthy fats and flavor), 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, and chopped parsley or thyme (makes four servings).
Various veggies. Load up on nutrient-rich picks like peppers, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and tomatoes. They have just 20 calories per serving, so you can't eat too many.

Toss Out...

Loser leaves. Avoid the iceberg: These greens are as low in nutrients as they are in flavor.
Fat bombs. Bacon bits add 100 calories and 4 grams of artery-clogging saturated fat per ounce. Use turkey or Canadian bacon instead.
Sweet nothings. Candied walnuts and sugared almonds have up to 180 calories per ounce. You might as well throw a bunch of M&M's on your salad!
Foe carbs. Buttery croutons are a recipe for high cholesterol. For healthy crunch, crumble a few whole-grain crackers on your greens.
Pollo loco. Fried chicken can pack up to 15 extra fat grams per 3-ounce serving. Yikes!
Scary dairy. Sad but true: One measly ounce of cheese contains up to 120 calories and 9 grams of fat. Use lower-fat soft cheese, such as goat or feta, sparingly.
Dressing disasters. Blue cheese is the worst offender of the creamy dressings, with 145 calories and 15 grams of fat in a 2-tablespoon serving.

Wow! Kirstie Alley's Dramatic Weight Loss

2011-09-15T01:14:00.000-07:00

Kirstie Alley | Photo Credits: Michael Buckner/Getty ImagesTV Guide

Kirstie Alley, who has struggled with yo-yo weight gain and loss for years, is showing off a body 10 sizes smaller after a lot of hard work. The 60-year-old actress strutted the runway during New York Fashion Week -- 100 pounds slimmer! – at her designer friend Zang Toi’s show. Inspired by her physically demanding "Dancing With the Stars" stint, Alley has gone from a size 14 to a size 4. Before her appearance on the show, Alley said she visualized one day fitting in a size 4, and now she does.
Today, Alley's confidence is contagious, and she says she feels much more comfortable in her body. "I feel like I'm back in my element," Alley told Entertainment Tonight. "I honestly didn't even realize what I looked like."
Her hard-won metamorphosis is not tempting her to take things further. No plastic surgery for the former “Cheers" star. "I haven't had plastic surgery but here's the reason: People do plastic surgery to make you look younger," she said. "I don't think it makes you look younger. I think it can make you look weirder."
Once 228 pounds, Alley saw the scale go up and down a lot and got to the point when she stopped looking at it altogether. After a 15-month hiatus from weighing herself, she finally stepped on a scale. What she saw, she said, was shocking.
"I started screaming," she told People in 2009. "It said 228 lbs., which is my highest weight ever. I was so much more disgusting than I thought!"

At that point, Alley had already lost 75 pounds during her tenure as a spokesperson for Jenny Craig, then gained that weight (and more) back.

Good for You Comfort Foods

2011-09-15T00:43:00.000-07:00

Comfort – A condition or feeling of pleasurable ease, well-being, and contentment.

Food – A substance you consume to produce energy, stimulate growth, and provide nourishment.

Put these two words together and people dream of hot fudge sundaes, turn to pot pie for pick-me-ups and fall prey to many other kinds of unhealthy eating rituals. This is the power comfort foods hold. Unfortunately, it seems that most comfort foods console us with extra fat, calories and other ingredients that lack great nutritional value or are just hollow calories. But not all comfort foods are made that way. Here is an example.

Yogurt (with fresh fruit)
The frozen variety tastes pretty similar to its ice cream counterpart, only with less fat. By adding fruit, you’re only adding more minerals and vitamins. Cool and soothing, this comfort food is a perfect snack, yet tastes sweet enough to ease your pain.

Fruit smoothie
This is the perfect cure for anyone with a sweet tooth. Amazingly, even if you don’t normally like fruit, you will probably still enjoy this blend of fruit, juice and yogurt. It only takes a few minutes to whip up in your blender and is a cool and refreshing treat during a hot, summer day.

Chicken noodle soup
Is there nothing else you would rather have anything else when you’re sick? This blend of noodles, chicken chunks and veggies in a steaming hot bowl will take you back to your childhood. Remember to buy a brand with low sodium, or make your own at home.

Angel food cake
Sometimes, we all love a slice of cake. Warm and fluffy, every bite is better than the previous one. With angel food cake, you can enjoy a slice without feeling guilty about it later. Pretend it’s your birthday and have a slice, maybe even with some fat-free whipped cream.

Oatmeal
Forget caffeine-charged coffee; oatmeal is all you need for a hot breakfast that will leave you energized for hours to come. Packed with complex carbs, oatmeal is easy to make and much healthier than a sugary cereal you might otherwise eat. A steaming bowl of oatmeal will make mornings your favorite part of the day. Toss in some fresh fruit to get that sweetness you crave.

Vegetable juice
Sometimes you need that kick. Vegetable juices, such as V8 and others, have enough kick to play in soccer’s World Cup. A blend of many vegetables, including tomatoes, it’s great when you’re not very hungry or when you're on the go.

Crock pot creations (anything that’s healthy, anyway) One of the greatest food inventions of the 20th century, a crock pot can seemingly take any combination of ingredients and turn them into a great meal. Slowly cooked, whatever comes out is hot and tastes great. Throw in healthy meats and a bunch of veggies to make this comfort food good for you.

The Truth About Carbohydrates

2011-09-02T00:32:00.000-07:00

Not all Carbs are Created Equal

It’s true. A carbohydrate-rich diet can inflate appetite and girth. Low-carb diets do promote short-term weight loss, but are accompanied by some severe dangers. So what should you do? The truth is, you can have your carbs and eat them too—you just have to know how to choose them and how many points plus to spend.

The Truth about Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the body's ideal fuel for most functions. They supply the body with the energy needed for the muscles, brain and central nervous system. In fact, the human brain depends exclusively on carbohydrates for its energy.
Carbohydrates are found in fruits (zero points plus), vegetables (zero points plus), beans (most are zero points plus), dairy products, foods made from grain products, and sweeteners such as sugar, honey, molasses, and corn syrup.
The body converts digestible (non-fiber) carbohydrates into glucose, which our cells use as fuel. Some carbs (simple) break down quickly into glucose while others (complex) are slowly broken down and enter the bloodstream more gradually.
During digestion, all carbohydrates are broken down into glucose before they can enter the bloodstream where insulin helps the glucose enter the body’s cells. Some glucose is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles for future use, like fueling a workout. If there is extra glucose, the body will store it as fat.

All carbohydrates are not created equal.
There are basically three types of carbohydrates:

Simple carbohydrates are composed of 1 or 2 sugar units that are broken down and digested quickly.

Recent research has shown that certain simple carbohydrate foods can cause extreme surges in blood sugar levels, which also increases insulin release. This can elevate appetite and the risk of excess fat storage.
Complex carbohydrates (also referred to as starch) are made up of many sugar units and are found in both natural (brown rice) and refined (white bread) form (I use only WhiteWheat! 1 pp a slice). They are structurally more complex and take longer to be broken down and digested.

Complex carbohydrate foods have been shown to enter the blood stream gradually and trigger only a moderate rise in insulin levels, which stabilizes appetite and results in fewer carbohydrates that are stored as fat. Unrefined or ‘whole grain’ carbohydrates found in products like brown rice, whole wheat pasta and bran cereals are digested slowly. They contain vitamins, minerals and fiber which promote health. Fiber and nutrient-rich vegetables, fruits and beans which are carbohydrates also have many important functions for the body and are important for good health.
Indigestible carbohydrates are also called fiber. The body is unable to breakdown fiber into small enough units for absorption. It is therefore not an energy source for the body but does promote health in many other ways.

Simple carbs, complex carbs, and fiber are found in many foods. Some provide important nutrients that promote health while others simply provide calories that promote girth.

Sugar, syrup, candy, honey, jams, jelly, molasses, and soft drinks contain simple carbohydrates and little if any nutrients.
Fruits contain primarily simple carbohydrate but also valuable vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water.
Vegetables contain varying amounts of simple and complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water.
Legumes such as beans, peas, lentils and soybeans contain complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and protein.
Milk products contain simple carbohydrates along with protein, calcium and other nutrients.
Grain products contain complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and protein. The amounts vary depending on the type of grain used and the amount of processing. Selecting whole grain options whenever possible is recommended.

What You Should Know About Low-Carbohydrate Diets
Following an extremely low-carbohydrate diet is disastrous, dangerous, and above all—boring! Carbohydrates are NOT the enemy. Including the appropriate amounts and types of carbohydrate-rich foods in your diet is essential for long-term health and weight loss/maintenance.

The Body’s Immediate Reaction to Very Low Carbohydrate Diets
When there is a severe deficit of carbohydrates, the body has several immediate reactions:

With no glucose available for energy, the body starts using protein from food for energy. Therefore this protein is no longer available for more important functions, such as making new cells, tissues, enzymes, hormones, and antibodies and the regulation of fluid balance.
When carbohydrates are lacking, the body cannot burn fat in the correct way. Normally carbs combine with fat fragments to be used as energy. When carbs are not available, there is an incomplete breakdown of fat that produces a by-product called ketones. These ketones accumulate in the blood and in the urine causing ketosis, which is an abnormal state. Ketosis does cause a decrease in appetite because it's one of the body's protection mechanisms. It's an advantage to someone in a famine (which the body thinks it's experiencing) to lack an appetite because the search for food would be a waste of time and additional energy.
Due to the lack of energy and the accumulation of ketones, low-carb diets are often accompanied by nausea, headaches, dizziness, fatigue, bad breath, and dehydration.
Because of dehydration and a lack of fiber, constipation can result.
Exercise and fitness performance is reduced on a low-carb diet. Do not be surprised if your energy level is so low that you cannot make it through your normal workout routine.

The Long-Term Effects of Low Carbohydrate Diets
When you severely restrict carbohydrates, your consumption of protein and fat increases, which has several long-term effects:

The risk of many cancers increases when fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, and beans are eliminated from the diet.
Protein foods are also high in purines, which are broken down into uric acid. Elevated levels of uric acid in the blood may lead to needle-like uric acid crystals in joints, causing gout.
Kidney stones are more likely to form on high protein, ketosis-producing diets.
Over time, high protein diets can cause a loss of calcium and lead to osteoporosis.
The risk of heart disease is greatly increased on a low-carb diet that is high in protein, cholesterol, fat, and saturated fat. A temporary reduction in cholesterol levels may be experienced, but this is common with any weight loss.

The Million Dollar Question
How do you include carbohydrates in you diet in a safe, effective, and controlled way? The “Please KISS Me” (Please Keep It So Simple for Me) plan for carbohydrate control is a wonderful tool that only contains 3 simple rules:

RULE 1: Include the following in your day:

Fruits: 2-4 servings daily
Vegetables: 3-5 servings daily
Whole grain breads, muffins, bagels, rolls, pasta, noodles, crackers, cereal, and brown rice: 2-3 servings daily
Legumes, beans and peas: 1-2 servings daily
Low-fat and non-fat dairy products: 1-2 servings daily

RULE 2: Eliminate the following from your diet or eat only on occasion:

Sugary desserts, cookies, cakes, pies, candies
Doughnuts and pastries
Chips, cola and carbonated beverages
Sugar, honey, syrup, jam, jelly, molasses
Fruit Juice
Refined and processed white flour products (bread, muffins, bagels, rolls, pasta, noodles, crackers, cereal)
White rice
French fries
Fried vegetables

That’s it! A simple, effective carbohydrate-controll plan that, when combined with your Points Plus Plan, allows you to reap the countless benefits of complex carbohydrates and fiber while enhancing your health and maintaining a healthy weight. The long term result will be a healthy you!

Weight Watchers 2 Points Snack Ideas

2011-08-23T11:19:00.000-07:00

Brand Name	Serving Size	Protein (g)	Carbs. (g)	Fat (g)		Fiber (g)	Points Plus
Bread, Rice, Cereal, and Pasta Group
Barbara's Grain Shop Cereal	1/2 Cup	3g	24g	1g	8g		2
Bestlife “Flat Out” wraps Lite Origional	1 piece	9g	16g	2.5g	9g		2
Bestlife “Flat Out” wraps Lite Spinache	1 piece	9g	15g	2.5g	9g		2
Cedar's Whole Wheat Wrap	1 wrap	8g	11g	3.5g	6g		2
Fiber Gourmet cheese crackers	1 pouch	5g	20g	3g	12g		2
Fiber Gourmet wheat crackers	1 pouch	5g	21g	2g	12g		2
Fiber One Cereal Origional	1/2 cup	2g	25g	1g	14g		2
Food for Life Sprouted Grain Bread	1 slice	15g	4g	.5g	3g		2
Healthy Life Light Multi-Grain English Muffins	1 muffin	5g	17g	1g	4g		2
Heiner's 35 Hearty Wheat bread	2 slices	4g	16g	.5g	4g		2
Hostess 100 calorie pack Mini-cakes	3 cakes	2g	16g	3g	5g		2
Hostess 100 Calorie Packs Cupcakes Cinnamon Coffee	3 cakes	2g	21g	3g	5g		2
Kellogg's Special K Bar Blueberry	1 bar	1g	18g	2g	3g		2
Kellogg's Special K Bar Chocolatey Chip Cookie	1 bar	1g	18g	1.5g	3g		2
Kellogg's Special K Bar Chocolatey Drizzle	1 bar	1g	17g	1.5g	3g		2
Kellogg's Special K Bar Chocolatey Pretzel	1 bar	1g	17g	2g	3g		2
Kellogg's Special K Bar Honey Nut	1 bar	2g	16g	2g	3g		2
Kellogg's Special K Bar Peaches & Berries	1 bar	1g	18g	1.5g	3g		2
Kellogg's Special K Bar Raspberry Cheesecake	1 bar	1g	17g	2g	3g		2
Kellogg's Special K Bar Strawberry	1 bar	1g	18g	1.5g	3g		2
Kellogg's Special K Bar Vanilla Crisp	1 bar	1g	17g	2g	3g		2
Lupita White corn tortillas	2 Tortilla	2g	17g	1g	3g		2
Martin's Famous 100% Whole Wheat Potato Bread	1 slice	4g	15g	1g	2g		2
Martin's Famous 12 Sliced Potato Rolls	1 Roll	4g	16g	1g	2g		2
Martin's Famous Dinner Potato Rolls	1 Roll	4g	17g	1g	2g		2
Martin's Famous Whole Wheat Potato Bread	1 slice	6g	14g	1g	4g		2
Martin's Famous Whole Wheat Potato Rolls	1 Roll	7g	18g	1g	5g		2
Nabisco 100 Calorie Pack Cheese Nips	21g	2g	14g	3g	1g		2
Natures Own White Wheat Bread	1 slice	4g	10g	1g	2g		2
Old London Melba Snacks Roasted Garlic	4 pieces	2g	10g	1.5g	1g		2
Old London Melba Snacks Sea Salt	4 pieces	2g	11g	1g	1g		2
Old London Melba Snacks Sesame	4 pieces	2g	10g	2g	1g		2
Old London Melba Snacks Spicy Pepper	4 pieces	2g	10g	1.5g	1g		2
Old London Melba Snacks White Cheddar	4 pieces	2g	10g	1.5g	1g		2
Oroweat Light 100% Whole Wheat Bread	2 slices	4g	18g	.5g	7g		2
Pepperidge Farm Whole Wheat Mini Bagels	1 bagel	4g	20g	.5g	3g		2
Quaker Chewy Granola Bar Chocolate Swirl	1 bar	1g	18g	2g	1g		2
Quaker Quakes (Rice Snacks) Kettle Corn	15 Mini Cakes	2g	26g	1g	1g		2
Silver Hills 16 Grain Bread	1 slice	6g	18g	1g	5g		2
Trader Joe's High Fiber Cereal	3/4 cup	3g	23g	.5g	9g		2
Tumaro's Gourmet Tortillas, 94% Fat Free Garden Vegetable	1 tortilla	7g	12g	3g	8g		2
Uncle Wally's Smart Portion Whole Grain Banana Muffins	1 muffin	2g	18g	5g	2g		2
Uncle Wally's Smart Portion Whole Grain Blueberry Muffins	1 muffin	4g	18g	.5g	2g		2
Uncle Wally's Smart Portion Whole Grain Cranberry Apple Muffins	1 muffin	2g	17g	5g	2g		2
Vitalicious VitaMuffin BlueBran	1 muffin	4g	20g	0g	5g		2
Vitalicious VitaMuffin CranBran	1 muffin	4g	22g	0g	5g		2
Vitalicious VitaTops BlueBran	1 vitatop	4g	20g	1g	5g		2
Vitalicious VitaTops Dark Chocolate Pomegranate	1 vitatop	3g	21g	1.5g	6g		2
Walmart 90 Calorie Cereal Bars Blueberry	1 bar	1g	19g	1.5g	3g		2
Walmart 90 Calorie Cereal Bars Strawberry	1 bar	1g	19g	1.5g	3g		2
Wonder Bread - Light	2 slices	4g	18g	.5g	5g		2
Fruit Group	Serving Size	Protein (g)	Carbs. (g)	Fat (g)	Fiber (g)		Point Plus
Brothers-All-Natural Fruit Crisps: Banana	1 bag	1g	15g	0g	2g		2
Brothers-All-Natural Fruit Crisps: Pineapple	1 bag	0g	14g	0g	2g		2
Curves Apple Streusel Chewy Bars	1 bar	1g	19g	1.5g	5g		2
Curves Strawberries and Cream Chewy Bars	1 bar	1g	19g	2g	5g		2
Del Monte Cherry Mixed Fruit Salad	1/2 cup	0g	17g	0g	2g		2
Del Monte Citrus Salad	1/2 Cup	1g	16g	0g	2g		2
Del Monte Grapefruit Duo	1/2 cup	1g	16g	0g	1g		2
Del Monte Peaches	1/2 cup	0g	17g	0g	2g		2
Del Monte Red Grapefruit	1/2 cup	1g	14g	0g	1g		2
Del Monte Tropical Fruit Salad	1/2 cup	0g	21g	0g	1g		2
Dole Fruit 'n' juice bars	1 bar	0g	17g	0g	0g		2
Fruit a Freeze Chocolate Dipped Fruit Bars	1 bar	2g	0g	9g	1g		2
General Mills Fruit Roll-Up Blastin Berry Hot Colors	1 roll	0g	12g	1g	0g		2
General Mills Fruit Roll-Up Berry Cool Punch	1 pouch	0g	17g	1g	0g		2
General Mills Fruit Roll-Up Mixed Berry	1 pouch	0g	17g	1g	0g		2
General Mills Fruit Roll-Up Scooby Doo Variety Pack	1 pouch	0g	21g	0g	0g		2
General Mills Fruit Roll-Up Strawberry	1 roll	0g	12g	1g	0g		2
General Mills Fruit Roll-Up Tropical Berry	1 pouch	0g	17g	1g	0g		2
Trader Joe's Fruit Floes Lime Juice bar	1 bar	0g	16g	0g	0g		2
Vegetable Group	Serving Size	Protein (g)	Carbs. (g)	Fat (g)	Fiber (g)		Point Plus
Covent Garden low-fat Tomato Basil Garlic Soup	1 serving	0g	15g	2g	3g		2
Hungry Jack Mashed Potatoes Original	1/3 cup flakes	2g	19g	0g	1g		2
Progresso Light Italian-Style Vegetable	1cup	3g	16g	0g	4g		2
Progresso Light Vegetable and Noodle	1 cup	3g	13g	.5g	4g		2
Progresso Light Vegetable Rotini	1 cup	5g	10g	1.5g	1g		2
Progresso Light Zesty Southwestern-Style Vegetable	1 cup	3g	12g	1g	4g		2
Milk, Yogurt, Cheese Group	Serving Size	Protein (g)	Carbs. (g)	Fat (g)	Fiber (g)		Point Plus
ALBA Dairy Shake Mix Chocolate	8 fl oz	6g	12g	0g	2g		2
Almond Breeze Rich and Creamy Almond Milk	1 cup	1g	16g	2.5g	1g		2
Blue Bunny Sweet Freedom Fudge Lites Bar	2 bars	3g	19g	.5g	5g		2
Blue Bunny Sweet Freedom Snack Size Variety Sandwiches	1 sandwich	2g	18g	<2g	2g		2
Dannon 6 oz light & fit yogurt Blueberry	6 oz	5g	15g	0g	0g		2
Dannon 6 oz light & fit yogurt Raspberry	6 oz	5g	16g	0g	0g		2
Dannon 6 oz light & fit yogurt Strawberry	6 oz	5g	15g	0g	0g		2
Dannon 6 oz light & fit yogurt Vanilla	6 oz	5g	15g	0g	0g		2
Fiber One Cottage Cheese	1/2 cup	10g	8g	2g	5g		2
Fudgesicle (fat free)	1 bar	1g	12g	1.5g	0g		2
Fudgesicle (No Sugar Added)	2 bars	3g	19g	1.5g	4g		2
Häagen-Dazs Sorbet & Yogurt bars (fat free)	1 bar	2g	21g	0g	0g		2
Healthy Choice Low Fat Mocha Swirl Bar	1 bar	3g	17g	1g	1g		2
Healthy Choice Low Fat Sorbet & Cream Bar	1 bar	1g	18g	.5g	1g		2
Healthy Choice Low-Fat Fudge Bars	1 bar	3g	13g	1.5g	4g		2
Healthy Choice Premium Fudge Bars	1 bar	3g	13g	1.5g	4g		2
Kozy Shack Simply Well dark chocolate pudding	4 0z	4g	17g	1.5g	3g		2
Kozy Shack Tapioca pudding (in the dairy case) 4 oz.	1 cup	3g	11g	3g	4g		2
Sargento reduced fat colby-jack	1 slice	5g	1g	4g	0g		2
Sargento reduced fat medium cheddar	1 slice	6g	0g	4g	0g		2
Sargento reduced fat swiss	1 slice	7g	1g	4g	0g		2
Schwan's Healthy Creations fat free creme bars	1 bar	2g	19g	0g	0g		2
Swiss Miss 100 Calorie Fudge Bar	1 bar	3g	18g	1g	1g		2
TCBY Sorbet Swirl bars 99% fat free	1 bar	2g	18g	.5g	0g		2
Walmart Fat Free No Sugar Added ice cream, Strawberry	66g	3g	18g	0g	4g		2
Walmart Fat Free No Sugar Added ice cream, Vanilla	66g	4g	18g	0g	5g		2
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts Group	Serving Size	Protein (g)	Carbs. (g)	Fat (g)	Fiber (g)		Point Plus
Boca Burgers Original Vegan 10oz	71g	13g	6g	.5g	4g		2
Boca Burgers Original Vegan 56oz	99g	19g	8g	1g	6g		2
Boca Burgers Original Vegetable 10 oz	71g	12g	7g	1g	4g		2
Boca Burgers Vegan Made with Non GMO Soy 4 Ct	71g	13g	9g	2.5g	4g		2
Campbell's Soup at Hand Chicken and Mini Noodle	1 can	4g	11g	2g	2g		2
Campbell's Soup at Hand Chicken and Stars	1 can	3g	10g	2g	1g		2
Campbell's Soup at Hand Vegetable Beef Soup	1 can	3g	11g	1g	1g		2
Goya black beans	1/2 cup	7g	19g	.5g	6g		2
Healthy Choice Creations Fiesta Chicken bowl	1 cup	6g	15g	1.5g	3g		2
Healthy Choice Pastrami lunch meat, 97% fat free	4 slices	10g	2g	1.5g	0g		2
Hormel Pizza Turkey Pepperoni	30g	9.3g	1.1g	3.5g	0g		2
Jell-O Sugar Free Chocolate Pudding Cups	1 snack	2g	12g	1.5g	0.89g		2
Oscar Mayer - Fully cooked Bacon	4 slices	5g	0g	6g	0g		2
Progresso Light Beef Pot Roast	1 cup	7g	10g	2g	2g		2
Progresso Light Chicken and Herb Dumplings	1 cup	5g	11g	1.5g	2g		2
Progresso Light Chicken and Vegetable	1 cup	5g	10g	1g	2g		2
Progresso Light Chicken Noodle	1 cup	5g	10g	1.5g	1g		2
Progresso Light Italian - Style Meatball with Penne	1 cup	3g	13g	2g	2g		2
Progresso Light Zesty Santa Fe Style Chicken	1 cup	5g	12g	1g	2g		2
Sugardale Ready Bacon	4 slices	5g	1g	5g	0g		2
Fats, Oils, and Sweets Group	Serving Size	Protein (g)	Carbs. (g)	Fat (g)	Fiber (g)		Point Plus
Caffe D'Vita Mocha Cappuccino	3 tsp	1g	11g	2g	1g		2
Fiber One 90 calorie snack bars, chocolate	1 bar	1g	17g	2g	5g		2
Fiber One 90 calorie snack bars, chocolate peanut butter	1 bar	1g	17g	2g	5g		2
Hershey's Sticks of Dark Chocolate	1 piece	1g	6g	4g	1g		2
Lays Light potato chips (fat free)	1 serving	2g	17g	0g	1g		2
McCormick Produce Partners Strawberry Frost Drink Mix	1.67 tbs	0g	19g	0g	0g		2
Murray Sugar Free Chocolate Bites	1 pouch	1g	16g	2.5g	3g		2
Murray Sugar Free Shortbread Bites	1 pouch	1g	16g	3.5g	3g		2
Pringles fat-free potato chips BBQ	1 oz	1g	15g	0g	1g		2
Pringles fat-free potato chips Original Flavor	1 oz	1g	15g	0g	1g		2
Pringles fat-free potato chips Sour Cream and Onion	1 oz	2g	15g	0g	1g		2
Ruffles Light (fat free)	1 oz	2g	17g	0g	1g		2

One Pound at a Time!

2011-08-22T15:09:00.000-07:00

It's a well known fact that quite a high proportion of adults who want to shed a little or a large amount of fat! The sole way to try this is one pound at a time! Many chunky people wish and hope for a fast cure to their weight issues. They will try anything that guarantees instantaneous results! Sadly, these 'miracle weight loss' products are cons! They may help an individual shed some water weight, at first.

For those individuals who've tried weightloss diets or are considering trying one, consider all of the dieters who've attempted the same diets and failed. However the fat isn't going anywhere without a little effort on that person's part!

They try one diet for awhile, lose a couple of pounds, give up the diet, gain back the weight ( and then some ), and move on to another diet. With each new attempt, there's frequently more weight to lose than there had been at first! Successful Weightloss Techniques

If you would like to lose pounds successfully, you have to realize, first, that there aren't any miracle diets or products that may blast away the fat. You did not gain the weight overnight. You are not going to lose it overnite, either! You are going to have to put forth effort to lose the fat, one pound at a time.

Even after you have shed those additional pounds, you're going to have to continue to work at controlling your weight, if you want to keep the fat off! In an article on Client Reports.org which rates assorted well-liked diets, Cathy Nonas, R.D, M.S, (an obesity analyst at North General Infirmary in N. Y ) states,

"The best diet is the one you can stay on."

Consumer Reports goes on to claim that "adherence is importantTo maintain lost pounds, dieters must permanently cut back their intake of calories, because they're going to need less calories to fuel their now-smaller body." Trend diets often fail at the end. From my private private experience, I've found that eating reasonably works best! If you would like to shed the pounds ( one pound at a time ), keep it off, and feel good, as well, why don't you try cutting back on the empty calories found in most American diets? Eat more raw vegetables and fruit and whole grains.

Go easy on the fats and processed sweet or salted nibbles. Restrict yourself to smaller portions and avoid having 2nd helpings. This kind of diet is one you can stick with and live with for the remainder of your life! Yes, you'll need to make 1 or 2 life changes, and you'll need to work on being more trained in your food habits.

However in the final analysis, it's going to be worthwhile! You will look better! You will feel better! Your confidence will return, and you may accept that there is not anything that you can't do! Would it be worth giving up that 44-ounce Coke and that big order of oily Fries for a more healthy, more happy you? If you just can not do without 1 or 2 Potato fries and a Coke now and then, go forward and give yourself a little serving.

Now and then, it's fine to indulge. However if you seriously wish to shed the additional fat and keep it off, be acutely aware of everything you put into your mouth. You may lose that weight, a pound at a time! Note : Prior to beginning any weight reducing system, be totally certain to do a check with your medical expert.

Plateau's

2011-08-22T13:58:00.000-07:00

Help! I've reached a plateau

Our take: Look, you’re in this thing for the long haul, right? So don’t let one week change your outlook on your overall progress. Besides, chances are you haven’t hit a plateau—you can’t base that simply on one week. You’re probably doing great, but in case you don’t believe that, here’s how to know for sure: figure out your average weekly loss since you joined, excluding the first three weeks. If your average is between a half pound and two pounds, you’re fine—no plateau. If you’ve determined you’re at a plateau, don’t panic, there are two very possible explanations:

You’re actually burning fat instead of the glycogen stored in your body because the glycogen is gone (used up as a result of your reduced caloric intake). Fat doesn’t hold water and requires twice as much energy to burn, so your weight loss seems to be slower.
Most plateaus are caused by a relaxed adherence to the plan. As you continue on the Plan, you become more adept at following it. Sometimes that makes you believe that you no longer need to weigh and measure your food or track. Even if you aren’t aware of the subtle changes, the scale is. Don’t sweat it—this is a learning process. With time and experience you’ll figure out exactly what you must do to achieve weight loss on the plan.

What you can do about it today

Go back to basics.
Consistently use your measuring spoons and food scale to make sure that you are consuming the right number of PointsPlus values each day.

Look at what worked for you in the past and do it again.
Use a week of eating from one of your first weeks on plan. Pull out an old tracker or print up a week from your online tracker and follow it to the letter for a week. It helped you lose weight the first time and probably will again.

Turn to the Simply Filling technique.
Do so for a week or more. This can shake things up and introduce you to new and interesting meal ideas.

Don’t fall into a rut.
Boredom can be one reason for relaxed adherence to the plan. Keep it interesting by trying a new recipe or two. Browse these subscriber favorites for something to make this week a success.

50 Weight Watcher Inspirations

2011-08-21T12:21:00.000-07:00

Here are my 50 Thoughts on Weight Watchers and how I Have Succeeded Thus Far! I wouldn't say that all of these tips are Weight Watchers related but combine all the tips and tricks with the program and you can SUCCEED on Weight Watchers too!!

1. Journal journal journal. You absolutely cannot keep track mentally of what you consume on a daily basis. You are bound to forget that handful of pretzels or that snickerdoodle. Write it down and own up to eating it. BITE IT WRITE IT!

2. Drink drink drink. Sip water all day. Eventually it adds up to the required 6 glasses you need. Not only will you feel more full at mealtime, your body will be happy because it is hydrated.

3. Have a glass of soda when hunger strikes. This is a personal tip I use to curb hunger. A diet Pepsi is sweet enough to curb my longing for a treat and the carbonation will help you feel satisfied.

4. Buy precut, pre-bagged finger veggies like carrots and peppers. Then when you feel a need to gorge on food, you can gorge on these for crunch and for a satisfying VOLUME of food. This only works if you need massive quantities of food, not if you have a chocolate attack.

5. Buy bagged salads. They are infinitely better than a head of iceberg lettuce. It adds a touch of gourmet flair to your meal and gives you more vitamins and nutrition than plain old varieties of lettuce. And they are delicious. Shoot for baby greens and arugula blends.

6. Buy grape tomatoes instead of large beefsteak ones. They look better tossed in salad, they are sweeter and they don’t need to be cut. Also, they are good snacking foods!

7. Buy I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter butter spray. It is very low in calories and provides the same great taste as regular margarine.

8. Use Dotti’s Weight Loss Zone for point values of tons of popular restaurants and for snack ideas. Her website is www.dwlz.com

9. Air pop your popcorn instead of buying microwave popcorn. Then add the butter spray and you get TONS more popcorn for less points.

10. Buy Skinny Cow flying saucers when you want flavor variety for your dessert. Weight Watchers, I’ve found, only come in vanilla and chocolate. Skinny Cow brand comes in those two flavors AND coffee, strawberry, and strawberry cheesecake. And all for just 2 points!

11. Use the Weight Watchers Just 2 Points bars for your treats! They are delicious and they are packed with fiber.

12. Buy the Weight Watchers Fruities treats. A whole pack is 2 points. And they are the perfect treat for the movies.

13. Cook with fat free chicken broth. It adds flavor and is no points.

14. Don’t deprive yourself. Don’t switch to skim milk in your coffee. Simply pour yourself a cup of coffee instead of a mug of coffee and then measure 1 points’ worth of creamer!

15. Buy a scale. I genuinely recommend the Weight Watchers scale. It weighs in grams and in ounces (and I have used both settings). Nothing is more of a reality check than actually seeing what 4 ounces of chicken really looks like!

16. Measure everything! Measure your creamer. Measure your margarine. Measure your rice! Going overboard just a little on things adds up in the end.

17. Don’t cut up all your food at once when eating. Cut each piece as you go along. This seems simple but sometimes it is easier to cut up your entire piece of chicken at one shot but don’t do it! Cut as you eat!

18. Make cauliflower your friend!! When cooked until soft, you can mash it and add lots of fun stuff like reduced fat cheese, garlic, broccoli… and then you can bake it!! It has the same consistency as mashed potatoes!

19. Handle buffets better by only eating things that are special for instance, instead of gorging on the sausage and peppers (ordinary) or the baked ziti (also just ordinary), help yourself to the dishes you wouldn’t normally prepare yourself! This way it is more of a treat to be at the buffet and not just another meal. Have picatta, marsala, any fish, the filet mignon…. Whatever is unique to you so that your indulgence is not wasted on the ordinary.

20. Eat more shellfish! Shrimp is unbelievably low in points especially for the volume you get! And it’s good for you! Enjoy scallops too! These are low fat high protein and LOW POINT alternatives for dinner.

21. Don’t deprive yourself of indulgence. If you really want that dessert (cheesecake, carrot cake, etc) order it to share with someone. Then take the FIRST bite and while you are appreciating that, let the other person eat the rest and save the LAST bite for you! In essence, you really only taste the first initial bite of something and you really only remember the last so save yourself all those calories and fat in between!

22. Find a friend you can share your successes and setbacks with. This person does not have to be on program, they just need to be there for you when you need someone to talk to and bounce things off of. I found that the friends I made at my meetings were the best to talk to!

23. Recognize that each moment stands alone and that no one binge or one gorged meal wrecks anything! It is part of living and learning and that a bad eating decision doesn’t have to snowball into a weeks long or months long setback. It’s like riding a bike, when you fall down, you get right back up!! You don’t walk the bike 10 miles up the road and THEN get back on! You get back on right away! Consider each moment as just that and know that you never really go OFF program. Weight Watchers allows you to incorporate setbacks into your lifestyle without punishment and guilt.

24. Make informed decisions. Use the points calculator to figure out exactly how much something is valued at. Don’t guess. Knowing exactly how many points a food item is allows you to fit it into your daily intake without sacrificing it and without overdoing it.

25. EXERCISE! Exercise works to benefit you in many ways. It helps you to lose weight, build muscle, burn fat, AND it enables you to eat more if you choose to! Activity points can be added onto your daily intake so the more you exercise, the more you can eat (but seriously, make it a heathly intake so that you can truly benefit).

26. Build more activity into your lifestyle. Walk more, climb the stairs more, stretch your legs more. MOVE MORE! Any movement is better than no movement.

27. Experiment with new recipes. Be creative in the kitchen (like I said with the cauliflower!). Try root vegetables, try different squashes, try different potatoes, try flatbreads instead of chips.

28. Buy reduced calorie light bread.

29. Drink flavored hot tea as an afternoon indulgence. It is no points!

30. Order your Chinese food steamed with your sauce on the side. You will be able to eat much more and you will feel so much less bloated from the MSG and salt.

31. For a sweet treat, try to find Barry’s Bakery French Twists. They are one point each and are a true sweet treat!

32. Treat yourself to frozen yogurt (there is a Weight Watchers brand that you may be able to find at a shoppe). It is fabulous and treat yourself to the chocolate sprinkles!

33. Switch from skim milk to Skim Plus if it is available in your area. It tastes great and it packs more nutrition.

34. Buy Fat Free, Sugar Free Jello chocolate pudding to satisfy your nighttime chocolate cravings. It needs NO time to set when mixed!

35. Weight in at meetings. Don’t skip a weigh in if you think you gained weight. You must own it!

36. Prepay for the 10 weeks. It makes a mental difference on your commitment level.

37. Don’t hang out in your kitchen. You will only hear the pantry calling for you. Move to the den!

38. Avoid buying the junk food if possible. You truly can NOT eat it if it isn’t in the house. Save your indulgences for when you eat out. Make them special instead of the norm.

39. Eat a small protein within half an hour of exercising. This helps your body’s metabolism work better.

40. Avoid those quick energy bars as snacks. Eat them only if you plan on using that energy for activity! If not, it is nothing more than an empty carb that you could probably have better enjoyed somehow else.

41. READ LABELS when shopping! Make sure you check the fat content and the carbohydrate content. You don’t want to eat TOO much sugar! Bring your points finder with you to help you make the right choices for you.

42. Understand serving sizes. If the label says that a serving is 40 grams, then measure those 40 grams out so you familiarize yourself with what 40 grams actually looks like.

43. Do NOT punish yourself for a weight gain one week. That sets off a snowball effect that could take you YEARS to get under control. Instead, try to change one thing in the next week to counteract your gain.

44. STAY FOCUSED. Your goal is to lose weight and get healthy! The occasional trip to McDonalds is ok and the occasional chocolate bar is fine but IN MODERATION. Keep focused on the end result and the good choices will counter balance the poorer or weaker ones in the long run.

45. Don’t think of yourself as constantly “on a diet”. This is a setup to failure because it categorizes you and if you decide to have something not considered “dietary”, then you feel like you cheated. You NEVER cheat! You DECIDE! Weight Watchers is built in such a way that it incorporates every food into a point value and YOU get to DECIDE how to spend those points. But trust me, using your points daily for McDonald’s is going to be a slower weight loss than grilled chicken points.

46. You cannot eat unlimited amounts of zero point foods. 0 + 0 + 0 does not necessarily equal 0. Every food has calories and if you eat unmeasured unlimited amounts of zero point foods, they ultimately total up to a calorie count that warrants a point. Just be careful.

47. Use Weight Watchers.com for help with recipes! They have wonderful ideas for low point recipes that I have used.

48. Try Weight Watchers.com etools to figure out the point values for your home recipes and for online journaling if you hate writing down your food and are married to your computer! Online journaling has a database of food point values so it makes it easy to figure out your daily points.

49. BUY THE FOOD COMPANION. This is priceless. I use it as my bible. You may also want the Dining Out Guide.

50. Live your life! It isn’t about what you eat and don’t eat, it’s about making food choices on your own and putting the power in your own hands. It’s CONTROL. You control what you eat, when you eat and how much you eat. Just account for everything and you will see where you can cut back, eliminate, and enhance and you WILL lose weight!

Five Ingedient Cookbook

2011-08-20T13:59:00.000-07:00

This is by far the best cookbook Weight Watchers has ever published! It's easy to use and all the ingredients are popular and things I already stock in my pantry! (huge plus) .... I hate when you have to purchase things you've never heard of, only to use it once!

Order It Here!