Official Weight Loss Club Thread

[Fran42478]

WAHOO! I just joined Weight Watchers...I am going to use the Flex program...Anyone ever use Weight Watchers? How was the program? I am looking to lose about 15-20lbs and then I will work out in my sisters apt downstairs...Since they have a BoFlex and a treadmill

LOOK OUT SUMMER TIME!!!

Good Luck to you all!!

XoXoXo
Fran

[Jaspermom]

Originally Posted by Fran42478

WAHOO! I just joined Weight Watchers...I am going to use the Flex program...Anyone ever use Weight Watchers? How was the program? I am looking to lose about 15-20lbs and then I will work out in my sisters apt downstairs...Since they have a BoFlex and a treadmill

LOOK OUT SUMMER TIME!!!

Good Luck to you all!!

XoXoXo
Fran

Weight Watchers is an excellent diet program, but that's what it is; a program. If you can USE what you learn in WW to influence how you eat every day for the rest of your life, then you have changed your eating LIFESTYLE.

That is what we are doing here! Changing our lives because we are changing our eating habits. Not just temporarily. Not as a fad. Not because we are paying someone money for prepacked foods or dues for programs to have them help us to lose weight. I am not saying paying for a program is a bad thing...Some people do need to enroll in programs because they need more motivation in the group session and counselors and professionals to guide them along.

We are changing our eating habits independently because we know we should to stay healthy, have great energy, and stay strong. That is exactly what we are doing here! We have our own little group where we are supporting one another. And it's FREE! And hopefully we will learn to be healthy eaters forever.

Good luck to you, Fran! Hope WW works for you!

[Jaspermom]

Reminder To Official Club Members Only: (Those who have provided their beginning statistics)

Everyone who would like to privately be part of the Club Progress Report weekly email update, please PM me your email address.

As stated previously, I would like to give everyone the opportunity to either report in public to celebrate your successes or report via PM and only the club members will be emailed the results. (Public reports will also become a part of the Club Progess Report chart)

It will be fun to see how each of us are doing, and to keep track of our Club overall loss! That's the number I think will be the most fun!

Hope everyone is doing well with this!! Remember if you have questions or challenges, I am here for you!! We all are!

[Jaspermom]

Just because you did not start with us, doesn't mean you can't climb aboard!! If you want to come into the Club, please either pm me or post your beginning stats:

Age
Current weight
Height
Goal weight
email address (you should probably PM me this so it doesn't go out to the world)

You will be added to the Club Progress Report.

If there are folks out there who are interested and want to just anonomously follow along, that's just fine! You don't have to post, just think about your eating habits and maybe make some small changes for the better!

WELCOME to everyone who has JOINED THE CLUB! Remember, READ YOUR LABELS!

[jenstals]

Does anyone have any tips for when we eat out? I tend to eat out a lot and want to be able to stay on track. My birthday is Friday and have several friends that want to take me to dinner. Any suggestions? I already know that the birthday cake is out

[Jaspermom]

Originally Posted by jenstals

Does anyone have any tips for when we eat out? I tend to eat out a lot and want to be able to stay on track. My birthday is Friday and have several friends that want to take me to dinner. Any suggestions? I already know that the birthday cake is out

Jen, you can always find healthy choices when you eat out in a restaurant.

1.Go with baked or broiled food, not fried.
2. Try to stay away from foods containing high amounts of saturated fats. (cheese sauces, red meats, butter, sour cream)
3. Get a veggie salad with low fat or fat free dressing and eat the whole thing. Try to avoid high fat toppings such as cheese, eggs, bacon bits.
4. Drink lots of water, no sugar soft drinks, lemonade, or sweet tea. Diet drinks are OK.
5. Ask for a to go container to be brought to you with your entree. Cut your entree in half, put one half of it in the container and close it. VOILA! You have lunch for tomorrow!
6. Don't be afraid to ask how something is prepared and request if they can do it differently for you. You would be amazed how many people are making healthy requests now. Restaurants are becoming acustomed to this and are good about making healthy substitutions.
7. BIRTHDAY CAKE IS FINE!! Girl, it's your BIRTHDAY! Do not deprive yourself of the most important part of the celebration! DON'T eat half the cake though, lol, a small piece is fine. Chew it slowly and relish it deeply!

Happy BIRTHDAY in advance, Jen!! ENJOY!

If anyone else has any more to add, go for it!

[Muffie's Mom]

That's good advice for eating out. That's always my big problem!

[maggiemommy]

im in
140
5/6
i have two kids whane to get back to my original wieght 117-120

[maggiemommy]

ok how much is to much sodium?what is to high please let me know

[Jaspermom]

Hope everyone is doing really well in your committment to change your eating habits! I am so excited by all the PMs I have gotten, and the excitement people are showing about changing their lives by changing how they eat! You guys give me GOOSEBUMPS!

Jen's having a birthday this week, and actually so am I! I thought it would be appropriate to give you a couple healthier cake options. Keep in mind that although these confections are "healthy", they will still provide calories, so make sure you SHARE your cake and try to limit your own portion(s) .

Fruity Angel Food
Ingredients:
1 Angel Food Cake
2 cups fresh or frozen berries of your choice (I use a bag of frozen mixed fruit: peaches, strawberries, and blueberries)
1 container Fat Free Cool Whip
***********************************
Prepare ahead so berry juice has time to soak in!

Either make your own Angel Food cake, or purchase one at your local grocery store. Although I am sure you will find this correct, read your label and find a fat free cake. (egg whites only)

Clean or thaw and slice berries. If using fresh tart berries, stir in 1/2 cup water and 2 tablespoons Splenda

Cut a 1 inch deep channel in the top of the cake with a sharp knife. Cut the cake that came from the channel into small pieces and mix with the fruit. Fill the channel with the fruit and cake mixture, and use the remainder to fill the hole in the center of the cake, retaining a few berries for decoration. Using Fat Free Cool Whip, frost the cake and put the retained berries on top. YUMMY!
************************************************** **
And here you go Villette!!
Carrot Cake. (adjusted recipe from the American Heart Association cookbook)
Ingredients:
Fat Free cooking spray
1/2 cup Egg Beaters
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Splenda
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon applesauce
1/2 cup non-fat yogurt
1 cup white flour
1 cup wheat flour
1 1/2 cups grated carrots (2 medium)
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup dry roasted walnuts
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 inch square cake pan with fat free cooking spray.

In large bowl whisk together egg beaters, sugars, applesauce, and yogurt. In another large bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Add to liquid ingredients and whisk until just combined. Do not overmix! Pour batter into cake pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, and use the toothpick test to determine if done. Serve topped with fat free cool whip.

[Muffie's Mom]

Originally Posted by maggiemommy

ok how much is to much sodium?what is to high please let me know

Let me first let it be known that we don't use salt at home PERIOD! We don't use any salt alternatives either but then again I'm a heart patient and have PVD so I have to be very careful. Try other herbs instead.

So what we have to check the labels on the prepared foods.

I try to not go over 300 mgs sodium on any one thing that is already prepared (in a box mix)

Like Glad said, start reading the labels. For myself, I eat very little canned goods mainly because of the higher sodium in them. I eat mainly fresh or frozen vegetables and steam them.

[red98vett]

Wow Glad - between you and Muffies mom ....I'm getting so pumped ....

I'd love to see is a Main Recipe Thread....then a Thread for people to post their progress - wonder if we can do this ?

That way all your yummy recipies will be together and not get lost in this Very MOTIVATED Thread ....

[Jaspermom]

Originally Posted by maggiemommy

ok how much is to much sodium?what is to high please let me know

Sodium AHA Recommendation
Healthy American adults should eat no more than 2300 milligrams of sodium a day. This is about 1 teaspoon of sodium chloride (salt).
http://www.americanheart.org/present...dentifier=4708

********************************************

BUT keep in mind this is including ALL the extra salt you get from any canned or prepacked food, and SOME frozen foods, (read the labels). With this in mind, think about putting your table salt shaker AWAY. You are probably getting way too much from all the other foods you eat, unless you only prepare all of your food fresh. And make sure you look at how much the label says a SERVING size is...loads of times it's a LOT smaller than what we eat!

If you go to the grocer's herb/spice rack, you will find some sodium substitutes that are awesome. I have begun to use some of the Mrs. Dash's mixed shakers. YUM!! They are awesome!

I do not use any salt in preparing any of my meals. I leave out the salt in all recipes I make. My husband and I quit shaking salt on our food in 2003. Like you will hear me say many times over, once you get used to it, you won't miss what you don't have! (OK, I admit it, we quit drinking too, and I STILL miss tequilla!!LOLOL)

Read your labels!! HAVE FUN!!

[maggiemommy]

got it thankyou guys

[Muffie's Mom]

Originally Posted by Jaspermom

Sodium AHA Recommendation
Healthy American adults should eat no more than 2300 milligrams of sodium a day. This is about 1 teaspoon of sodium chloride (salt).
http://www.americanheart.org/present...dentifier=4708

********************************************

BUT keep in mind this is including ALL the extra salt you get from any canned or prepacked food, and SOME frozen foods, (read the labels). With this in mind, think about putting your table salt shaker AWAY. You are probably getting way too much from all the other foods you eat, unless you only prepare all of your food fresh. And make sure you look at how much the label says a SERVING size is...loads of times it's a LOT smaller than what we eat!

If you go to the grocer's herb/spice rack, you will find some sodium substitutes that are awesome. I have begun to use some of the Mrs. Dash's mixed shakers. YUM!! They are awesome!

I do not use any salt in preparing any of my meals. I leave out the salt in all recipes I make. My husband and I quit shaking salt on our food in 2003. Like you will hear me say many times over, once you get used to it, you won't miss what you don't have! (OK, I admit it, we quit drinking too, and I STILL miss tequilla!!LOLOL)

Read your labels!! HAVE FUN!!

Very true! Your arteries don't like the salt! Couldn't have been said better.