Weight watchers, here are a few ideas I have gathered up and tested over the years that you can use at home without spending a bunch of money or energy. Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional and these recommendations are not for everyone. If you have special needs, take care…always see your doctor about any dietary changes. These ideas are just my own experiences and I am sharing them based on that fact only.
Anyone visiting certain areas of the Middle East will find that they may be offered a cup of hot mint tea. Mint is a favorite herb
for many culinary uses as well, but the reason I like it is because it chases away those winter blues. I often drink a cup of
peppermint tea, chew a piece of doublemint gum or have a chocolate mint patty…Pearson’s is the famous Made in Minnesota brand.
Wintergreen mints are also a nice uplifting treat. Use mint or a little mint treat instead of candy bars or whatever big calorie item you might use to chase the winter blues away. Note, I only chew about one third of a piece of gum at a time. Also, the dentist told my mom it’s good to chew gum for the gums.
Teas with Chamomile as a base…be sure and read your tea ingredients on the box of tea bags you use. Many teas have a chamomile tea base and that may not be good for dieters because chamomile is an appetite stimulant and acts as a calmative…sometimes the brain thinks the calm is low energy and wants food to fuel activities. it might better to drink tea minus the chamomile when you are watching your weight.
A nice squeeze of fresh lemon, and a dash of honey in a six or eight ounce glass of water between meals or twenty minutes before a meal can really serve to reduce hunger and help make smaller meals more filling. That or an apple may help. Change up with a little bit of pickle or apple cider vinegar in a glass of water. Lemons can be cut up into pieces and frozen for weeks for your convenience.
For several years, I have been using the 400 calorie meal for 4 meals per day (1600 calories per day for moderate activity). I would do three sensible meals and then 400 calories for healthy treats. It has worked well, but I find that now that the habit is firmly established, and I don’t mean to say there weren’t a couple of times per week when I had a full fledged meal with numerous calories to stave off the feeling of being completely denied, I can actually skip a meal here and there when I am actually not feeling hungry.
The good thing about the 4-400 calorie meal plan is that it helps to keep the body’s metabolism up and even throughout the day, given that the food is good quality food and not a lot of empty processed calories. And, if you can get to the point where you feel like skipping a meal two or three times a week, you can save a couple of pounds a month…which I translate into saying you can save four pounds per month, because not only are you loosing two pounds, you are not gaining additional two pounds.
The bad thing about the 4-400 calorie meal plan is that I tried to make your goal even if I wasn’t hungry without realizing it. So now, I don’t do that, and I might loose a few pounds over the winter instead of gaining and then having to really watch it closer int he spring. Learn from my mistakes!
Another great way of watching it, the weight that is, is to change your food up everyday. Here are some examples of how to do this easily.
For your carbs, do rice one day, brown rice another, potatoes another and pasta another and wild rice another. Now remember that not all rice is created equal, you’ll have to read the container. For your protein, eat eggs one time, beans another, red meat another, chicken or fish another. Mix up your veggies, as well. Salad one day, mixed hot veggies another and then throw in a veggie juice or celery soup another. The reason for this is beside getting the recommended variety of foods, your body will not store foods unless it thinks more of the same is coming. Your body will tend to throw off the excess of any new food. Go at least a few days without eating the same food.
When eating pasta, throw in some whole wheat pasta with the regular pasta. It’s tastes great, is better for you, but doesn’t overdo the fiber thing.
I once lost quite a few pounds drinking pomagranite juice for a couple of days in addition to my regular diet. Don’t know why.
I did try the three glasses of milk per day and I did loose belly fat, but I couldn’t keep it up because I am not a big fan of milk.
At home, I try to eat as much high quality food as possible, but I do love my junk food. Avocados, bananas, berries, peas, carrots, fresh greens, potatoes, 12 gran bread, sour dough muffins,fish, chicken and pasta with tomato sauce make up about 80% of what I eat. The other 20% is frozen pizza and hostess cupcakes. I drink water or tea 95% of the time. Then I go for dinner out a couple of times per week, and save half of whatever I eat for the next day.
If you like what I have read, and want to help me back, buy a card from me so I can buy my husband a nice birthday present. And 10% of my card earnings go to Red Cross Disaster Recovery Aid.
go to;
http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/Bright
bonus tip, if you have stayed with me so far…and you have…
use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate for your main meals
to fool the eye and stomach that you are getting a full portion…
that way, seconds won’t be so naughty!
good luck!
You can get a burger or other good sandwiches there for under $10. It’s a great place for a special outing, or just a quick burger.