As I've mentioned several times on this forum, I've lost a considerable amount of weight (now around 180 lb.). The key, for me was the Weight Watchers program. I joined after losing about 23 lb. just by cutting back, eating more salads, etc. and have lost just about 157 lb. on the program itself. My wife joined at the same time I did and she has lost about 60 lb. We may be in Weight Watchers magazine before much longer; I'll let you know if that develops.
The reason I mention all this is not so much to brag (well, maybe a little ) as to point out that I see on this thread a lot of analysis of fats, proteins, oils, etc. that lead ultimately to where the WW program ends up: eat a balanced diet consisting of all major food groups, keeping one's food intake within reasonable limits according to one's present weight. On this program, I rarely feel "full" in the way I used to after a Chinese buffet lunch, but at the same time, I am rarely overly hungry either. And when I do feel hungry, there are options. Aside from those Chinese buffets and fast food places, there is little I have had to give up, but everything has been adjusted. I am, for example, arguably addicted to ice cream. I used to eat a salad bowl full of the premium stuff nearly every evening. I still have ice cream pretty much daily, but now it's the Smart Ones treats (or similar products in other brands), which fit nicely into the points structure of the program. For lunches, since I am on the road most of the time, I eat at Subway or Quizno's, both of which have low-points sandwiches. I do both the shopping and the cooking in the house, so I can control portion sizes and which products we use.
My wife has compiled and passed out some tips that several of the members of our WW group have found to be really helpful, so I'll offer them here:
· In your house, only have things that keep you focused on loosing weight. If others in the household don’t need to loose weight, they can benefit by having healthy foods to eat. Just plan larger quantities for them. Treats can be obtained on an occasional basis (maybe outside of the house).
· Bring your points finder to the grocery store. Read labels and calculate the points before you put it in the cart.
· When buying meat or fish, buy only enough in one package to make one meal.
· If you aren’t going to be using meats or fish soon, repackage them into one meal or one serving sized packages. Label them with the date and weight. Place them so that they lie flat in the freezer. This decreases the time it takes to get it cooked. With hamburger, make a large patty for use with tacos, etc.
· Use spray oil (we use olive oil for everything). Either buy it in a can or get a pump bottle.
· Use chicken broth, beef broth or clam juice to add additional moisture to meats/fish cooked in the frying pan. The additional moisture helps to distribute the spices evenly. We keep a plastic spout bottle in the refrigerator with chicken broth.
· To speed up meal preparation time, defrost the meat/fish in the microwave.
· To jazz up meat/fish, use dry spices. Beware of salt content of some spice blends or use them sparingly.
· Broil, grill or pan cook meat/fish for quick meals.
· Only cook enough for the people sitting down at the one meal, if possible.
· If you cook a large batch of something, package it for the freezer in one meal sized or one serving sized packages.
· Idaho potatoes are quick and delicious baked in the microwave. We do sweet potatoes this way too, but it takes longer.
· Buy frozen vegetables. They are probably healthier and they are certainly quicker to the table.
· If you are hungry, eat your vegetables or salad while you are cooking the other things for the meal. You could even include another vegetable for the table.
· We always sit at the table to eat meals. No TV, just conversation (even if we don’t talk much).
· Timing is everything. If you are cooking something, like rice, which takes awhile, start it first.
· Make snacks available. Grapes should be in a bowl on the counter cut into serving sized bunches. Or have other fruits out.
· Freeze juice in ice cube trays for a quick kids treat or to put into seltzer on a hot summer day.
· Look at the way you eat, determine what is important to you and give yourself permission to have it. For example, Tom likes ice cream, so we have WW ice cream sandwiches and Fat Free Cool Whip in the freezer and 0 points chocolate sauce in the refrigerator. He likes to snack after dinner, so we have popcorn, WOW chips and salsa, etc. I have to have chocolate, so we have Hershey’s Nuggets in the refrigerator. Breakfast is important to me, so I have oatmeal and a banana or other fruit most days.
· Buy frozen fruit, especially pineapple, for a cool treat.
