"Point" Me in the Right Direction

So this year I decided to get serious about loosing some weight.  Now don't get me wrong, I am not aiming to be some sort of negative clothing size.  I am realistic and like my curves but wouldn't mind having a bit less junk in the trunk and make sure all my numbers stay on the good side.  I get an annual physical every year and am lucky to have excellent blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and all that jazz.  But heart disease is hereditary in my family so I need to be careful and proactive.

So my BFF recommended Weight Watchers as it has been working for her.   I went to "the meeting" and got the essentials to get started.  A handy dandy calculator, a book that helps you calculate your optimul points per day you can have, and some food and dining out guides.  Armed with this plan I got started.

I am not a meeting person so I don't go to the group sessions.  I weigh in at home every Friday and report to my friend to help keep each other honest.  So far I am loosing about 1 pound a week for a total of 28lbs to date.  It hasn't been that hard at all, it is really about portion control and tracking what you eat.  I get 26 points a day and write down everything I eat.  Actually I have an app on my IPod Touch that helps me track my food.

To get the point value of a food you calculate, calories x Fibre x Fat.  Fruits and Veggies are mostly free and you can eat what you want, however you need to stay within your limit to actively loose weight.  So 26 points is just fine, I eat well and have been fairly successful.  Counting points makes you really aware of how much you are willing to spend on a food item.  I like to eat lots of little bits so I am not willing to spend a wack of points on a really high cal/fat item.

A typical day for me is something like this:


Breakfast
3 - Oatmeal

Lunch & Afternoon Snack
2 - Tomato on a Bun
1 - Banana
2 - Activa Yogurt
0 - Small bag of raw carrots and pea pods
2 - Turkey Bites
2 - Piece of Hard Cheese

Dinner
4 - Chicken Breast
0 - Broccoli or another Veggie
4 - Garden Potatoes or Rice
2 - 1 cup milk
2 - Dessert (tonight i had a light coconut cream pie)  I also like Skinny Cow or Chapans Yogurt Ice Cream

Evening Snack if needed
1 - Light Popcorn

This is really a lot of food and very satisfying.  I also get in some desserty thing as that is my weakness.  I do eat out because that is a fact of life.  Restaurants are hard because they have a lot of high calorie food.  I tend to look up nutritional information before going if I can, so I can have a plan.  There is also a Dining Out Companion Guide that helps with point values for fast food.

When I was talking about making choices, I have learned that some things are rarely worth it.   I am not saying I will never have one of these items ever again, but I have found alternatives that are just as satisfying for a lot less.  Here are some samples of what some fav. fast foods are.  Now keep in mind that i get 26 points per day:

DQ Medium Reeses Blizzard - 20 points
DQ Peanut Cluster Blizzard - 39 points
DQ 1/2 Grillburger with Cheese - 23 points

Denny's Apple Crisp - 16 points
Denny's Western Burger - 32 points
Denny's Heartland Scramble - 28 points

Pizza Hut - 1 slice of medium Hawaiian - 6 slices (dont know about you, i cant just have one slice)
Tim Hortons Multi-Grain Bagel w/creme cheese - 11 points

This is just a small sampling of what is out there.  Now when I am in the mood for a drive through, I will go to Wendy's and get the Junior cheeseburger and small fries for 13 points, which is about right for my dinner.   I typically go for lunch with my work peeps on Friday and bring lunch the rest of the week.  It is really about balance and really taking stock of what and how much you put into your mouth.

I feel a lot better being lighter and have more energy.  It has to have a good effect on my health and I am eating better than ever.  My ultimate goal is to wear this dress on December 1st at my Best Friends wedding in Mexico and dance a slow one (or two) with my man.