I've done it all. I've counted calories. Counted fat grams. Counted carbs, etc., etc., etc. But what I'm finding is working for me is Weight Watchers.
I have a Weight Watchers Online membership. I started out with a 3 month all inclusive subscription to Weight Watchers and attended the meetings. The closest meeting is 30 minutes away and on a Saturday morning at 8:00am. (Not very convenient!) So when that initial trial ran out, I went to Online Only.
That means, I have all the access to the tools online, I just can't attend the physical meetings. The Online Only costs me around $19/month.
I've been trying to stay on track with the Weight Watchers food plan as much as possible.
I'm allotted 39 Daily Points (it just went down 1 point last week) and 42 Weekly Points. So each day I have 39 Points worth of food to eat. I also get an additional 42 Points per week to use however I want, if I want. I also tend to rack up extra FitPoints but I just leave them alone.
Breakfast and Lunch:
I'm usually on-the-go in the morning and at lunch time, so what I've found to be working for me is to eat a Special K Chocolate Peanut Butter Meal Bar for breakfast and also one for lunch. It is super easy to just slip one in my pocket book and take to work with me and it is convenient to be able to eat it at my desk whenever I get hungry (usually around 11am). Each bar is worth 7 points so that means between breakfast and lunch I use 14 points, leaving me 25 points. BTW, it is super yummy!
Supper:
For supper, I eat whatever we're having as a family. I don't cook anything special just for me. I just don't have the inclination to do that. Having 25 points to use for supper usually covers it for me. Sometimes, I have a few left over and sometimes, I have to dip into my weeklies.
Snacks:
Do I get hungry? In the afternoon, before supper, I'm usually hungry. If I feel that I can't wait until supper, I'll snack on a mozzarella stick but I'm trying not to snack unless I feel that I need to.
Beverages:
I don't drink ANYTHING that costs me points. For my morning caffeine, I have Diet Dr. Pepper and drink Vanilla Chai Tea while at work. Other than that it is Diet or water
Do I cheat?
Technically, I can have whatever I want as long as I account for it in my tracking. Sometimes, maybe once a week, I don't track at all. (Bad, Colletta!) This is something I'll work on...
So, what kind of meal plan do you use?
Next week, I'll talk a little bit about my Exercise Routine.
My week's stats:
Weigh-in: -1.4 Total: -27.2 lbs.
Exercise:
Sat: minutes
Sun: 60 minutes (Neighborhood walk X 2)
Mon: 60 minutes (Treadmill Planet Fitness)
Tues: 60 minutes (Treadmill Planet Fitness)
Wed: minutes
Thurs: 60 minutes (Treadmill Planet Fitness)
Fri: minutes
TOTAL: 240 minutes = 44/35 FitPoints
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Whether you've got 100 (or more) pounds to lose or just 5. Whether you've been weighing in for years or just starting. Whether you do Weight Watchers or some other diet or exercise program. Whether you are 65 or 25. I'd love, love, love to have your support and friendship in this constant struggle which is weight loss/healthy living.
So please leave a comment with a link to your fitness/healthy living/weigh-in post and let us be each other's accountability.
Linking to: Dare to Share, Saturday Sparks, Bouquet of Talent, Saturday Shuffle, Saturday Sharefest, Sundays at Home, Sunday's Best, Dishing It and Digging It