WFMW: weight watchers points plus

I recently (re) joined Weight Watchers. I had been successful on the plan before, when I actually followed the plan. But...I got lazy... and didn't follow the plan and started gaining weight which made me not want to go to meetings which made me quit. That was three years ago.

A wonderful friend of mine wanted to start losing weight early last year and asked if I'd like to join her. I was able to lose weight on my own with changes in diet and exercise for about a year before I started to plateau. I knew I needed to do something differently so I went back and rejoined Weight Watchers. I figured it would be the same as when I had joined three years ago. Well, things have changed so I figured  I would write a little bit about points plus in case anyone was curious.

How it works: food assigned a points plus value based on 4 things: total fat, carbohydrates, fiber, and protein. In the past points were determined by calories, total fat, and fiber. However, researchers at Weight Watchers determined that not all calories are the same. For instance, on the old plan, I could eat a banana for two points or I could have a 100 Calorie Pack of cookies for two points. Which do you think I chose? 

However, on the new plan banana are 0 points (as are all other fruits and MOST vegetables) and a 100 Calorie Pack is 3 points. So now, when I want to grab a snack which do you think is more enticing? The one that cost me nothing, or the one that cost me three points? 


Every person is allotted a daily points plus target. This is your set daily goal of how many points a day you are allowed to eat. Your goal is determined by your current weight, age, and sex. Therefore, as you lose weight, or as you age, your points target is apt to change. 26 points plus per day is the lowest points you can ever get, that is the base. 


In addition to your daily points plus target you get 49 extra weekly points to "spend" however you want. You can use them or not use them. You can spread them out over the course of the week or you can use them all in one day. It's up to you. 


So...what does one eat when they are on Weight Watchers. Because that's what anyone really cares about, right? 


I took pictures of everything I ate today to give you an example of one way you could use your points. I'm not saying this is the right way or the best way, simply showing you how I used them today. 

My points plus daily target is 26 points. 

Breakfast: 
one small bagel  2 points
1 tbsp. regular cream cheese 1 point
1 tbsp. jelly 1 point
1 banana 0 points

Total: 4 points

Lunch: I purposly pack a large lunch because I leave straight from work and go to school. I eat about half of my lunch at work and I save the other half to snack on during class. If I didn't do this I would get hungry at school. Hunger at school leads to snacks from the vending machine. Snacks from the vending machine mean I buy something like gummy bears which is  labeled "healthy choice" ...no joke. "Healthy choice" vending machine snacks lead to weight gain. I think you get the picture. :)

Lunch:
one piece of bread 1 point
two ounces of turkey lunch meat 1 point
one slice of provolone cheese 2 points (sandwich equals 4 points)
10 pretzel crisps 3 points
1 mini light babybel cheese 1 point
grapes 0 points
1 tbsp. Olive Garden Italian dressing 1 point
2 sticks of celery, cut in thirds 0 points

Total: 9 points

  
I've found these delicious cinnamon roasted almonds (SO yummy) that make a good snack for throughout the day. I like to eat...so if I can find something small to nibble on throughout the day it helps me to control what I eat. 


Snack: 
1 ounce cinnamon roasted almonds 4 points

After I got home from school I started making dinner and I really wanted cornbread. Part of the reason why I love Weight Watchers is because nothing is offlimits. If you have the points, you can eat it. I was hungry as I was making dinner so I ate a very small (4 inch) banana (that I forgot to take a picture of) to curb my hunger until my dinner was ready. 


  Dinner:
1 cup progressive soup 3 points
1 cornbread muffin 5 points
1 Weight Watchers carrot cake piece 2 points

Total: 10 points

 

 Total daily: 27 pointsI used my 26 daily points and one extra point so that I could have dessert. Because I love dessert. :)

Some of the reasons that I like Weight Watchers is because nothing is off limits. A couple of weeks ago was my boyfriends birthday and we had donuts at the house. I ate one. Not one of those healthy baked kinds. Oh no, this donut was fried to perfection! And it was worth every darn extra point. :) The points however prevented me from eating more than one donut. 

I also like that you don't have to buy any special foods. I chose to buy the weight watchers cake slices (which are REALLY small...but so worth the low point values) but other than that I don't buy any Weight Watcher brand foods. With your little points calculator you can look at any nutrition label on any can or box and figure out the points plus value. 

I love that I can still eat out. With restaurants putting their nutrition info online it makes it super easy to calculate how many points a meal out might be. And, if I go somewhere with high points values I can use my extras. 

The meeting that I attend is wonderful. The leader is super down to earth and everyone who is there has the same goal in mind. It's a wonderful environment. 

I hope this will help someone who's interested in learning more!

sacrifices for lent

I'm not catholic but I greatly admire the honor and respect that they give for the Easter season. 


I baby-sit for a wonderful Catholic family and they have a beautiful tradition that I would love to incorporate into my future family. 


Each Lent the family has an empty jar and some pinto beans. It is a sacrifice jar. The point is to teach your child about how Jesus was obedient to the Father and sacrificed Himself for us, even though it was hard. 

photo credit

 As children (and adults!) go through the Lenten season they add a pinto bean to the jar each time they make a sacrifice. 


Then, on Easter morning, when the kids enter the kitchen they see their jar filled with jelly beans! 

 

You can then explain, on Easter morning, how God can take our obedience, even when it is a painful thing, and turn it into something beautiful! I think another good thing would be to make sure that you use a large jar that you know your family would never be able to fill on their own with the pinto beans. Then, on Easter fill the jar to the brim with jelly beans. You can talk about how there are more jelly beans than Easter beans because God gives us grace; something that we can never earn. 

I think the important thing would be to focus on Jesus, not the "good deeds" we can do. However, I do believe that it is a beautiful visual, especially for children. :)