A reader asked me to talk about what I eat on a day to day basis.
She wanted simple nutritional Weight Watchers point friendly food ideas and menus.
I seriously recommend that you first talk with your doctor before embarking on any plan.
Thyroid problems are responsible for a lot of weigh gain by women in their later years...so it is good to have a test done just in case your gland is not producing enough of the thyroid hormone. (like mine)
Once you get the go ahead to start reducing I would strongly urge you to join
Weight Watchers.
It is a sensible regime and one that my physician enthusiastically endorses.
Breakfast is the easiest meal and takes the least amount of time to prepare, plus I like to keep it simple.
I alternate between fresh fruit and yogurt, eggs and toast.
I opt for a variety of fresh fruits and berries with 1/3 cup of Source Yogurt several mornings a week.
Poached or scrambled eggs with Silver Hills Little Big Bread are served on other days.
Two slices of crisp bacon are a treat and I will add these on occasion.
Often I will top two slices of bread with sliced bananas or low fat peanut butter.
To make meals quick and easy I roast a tray of assorted vegetables once a week and keep them in a container in the fridge.
I use yams, carrots, peppers, zucchini, onions, mushrooms, beets, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, whatever looks fresh at the market. I drizzle a small amount of olive oil and toss with the veggies before roasting them at 450 for 40 minutes.
They get a nice colour and have a nutty flavour when they are done.
Lunches are mainly wraps or salads.
I use these with Grimm Co. corn and flour tortilla wraps topped with roasted veggies or a scrambled egg with salsa for a quick lunch.
The roasted vegetables are nice topped with a sprinkling of feta cheese and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar which can be used as a side dish or a main course.
Salads are great for lunches and I always serve mine with a small amount of protein.
Lean chicken or turkey breast, leftover salmon, tuna, soft or a hard boiled egg.
Dressing is used sparingly, about 1 tablespoon, which you can serve on the side and dip the tines of your fork before each bite or dress your entire salad. I use Paul Newmans' lite Thai dressing as I love the flavour.
Dinners usually call for some lean meat, poultry or fish with a salad and lots of vegetables.
A bit of starch on occasion, a baked potato topped with salsa or 1/2 cup of brown rice with a bit of Braggs.
I like to drizzle some lemon juice and sprinkle herbs on top of white fish which I bake on parchment paper at 350 for about 20-25 minutes until done. If I cook salmon I use a wee bit of maple syrup and soy sauce or grated ginger if I have some fresh on hand.
Chicken breast is my preferred choice but Mr. HB likes thighs and wings which I rarely eat because they have skin and more fat than I like to consume. I cook him these when I have lean chicken breast.
Remember that the suggested 3 ounce portion is about the size of a deck of cards.
Steak is a good choice but we don't BBQ much in the winter and I don't grill in my oven so we might have some ground hamburger in burritos, chili or spaghetti sauce.
I severely limit the amount of pasta that I have because it is so high in points and serve a big salad with it so I am not hungry and tempted to have seconds!
I make a big pot of chili with beans, peppers, corn and ground turkey...this is nice leftover served in a wrap for lunch the next day.
Stir fries are a great way to get lots of veggies and a just wee bit of meat. I use vegetable stock to stir fry instead of oil so I save points and still get a tasty result. Bean sprouts are used instead of noodles and I aways add Braggs, red pepper flakes, freshly grated ginger and some Chinese five spice powder.
You can use a bottled stir fry sauce that is low in calories for added flavour if you prefer.
Homemade soup with a tomato base is great to have on hand. Make a big batch and freeze it in small containers for when hunger strikes and you do not have time to whip one up from scratch.
I saute onions, carrots and celery until soft then add water and fish or chicken bones and make a broth.
Season with dill, salt and pepper add a can of tomato paste and simmer. You can add leftover vegetables or some frozen ones if you like.
Homemade soup is very filling.
Snacks mostly consist of an apple sliced with 2 wedges of lite Laughing Cow cheese.
Fresh carrot sticks, peppers, pea pods, celery, cherry tomatoes with a tablespoon of lite Dilly Dip made by the Lighthouse company. Great for serving to company too, and look how beautiful it looks!
Popcorn is a good choice too but with no added butter!
Remember to eliminate or drastically reduce the consumption of sodas, sweet drinks, candy, cookies and pastries.
Drink lots of water and avoid alcohol.
I hope this helps and remember that the
Weight Watchers have a website where you can sign up for a free newsletter to get recipes and ideas that help you eat nutritionally good food in portions that allow for weigh loss and maintain your health. Exercise is an important component when trying to lose weight. Walking just 20 minutes each day will help you to rev up your metabolism and aids in sleep. The more activity that you engage in the faster you will notice results.
One of the best things I did was buy the Walk Meter app for my IPhone which keeps track of my walk stats.
You can program it to talk and encourage you to step up your pace to walk faster if you need the motivation.
It is not a huge task if you start small.
Make a few changes a bit at a time and before you know it they become a habit.
Best of luck and thank you for posing the question.
