[Desi]

Hello everyone, I 'm brand new to 3 Fat Chicks and new to Whole Foods. I posted a little info about me on the intro boards. Basically, I've lost weight, a lot of weight on Weight Watcher's. I'm not knocking Weight Watcher's at all, I got to my goal weight using the program.

But too much of MY meeting was discussions on this 100 calorie treat or this new diet product. And how much processed stuff you could eat with your daily points. At the time, I loved it, I consumed a lot of prepackaged food, and lost weight.

But now I want to learn the whole foods way of eating. I've only just started last week, and I have some questions.

What should my daily calories be? I'm averaging around 1500, does that need to go up?

What kind of drinks do you drink, besides water?

Are there any other tips that might help?

Thanks!

[Hyacinth]

I remember when WW started doing that, selling and advertising their food in their meetings. That turned me off, too.

I tend to drink a lot of water, but I also have coffee, tea, wine, and an occasional diet Coke.

I would look up a food pyramid and use that to start. This is my personal favorite: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritio...u-eat/pyramid/

I thoroughly enjoyed the Superfoods books, but there are other suggestions in the "sticky" posts.

Thanks for joining us!

[bobblefrog]

I love sparkly water (mineral water). I also love Kombucha Tea (GTs Synergy brand) - but that's truly an acquired taste. If you decide to try one try Strawberry as it's the easiest to get down. And at night I put myself to bed with unsweetened herbal tea. I like getting organic bulk peppermint the most. Also I haven't given up my weekly couple of glasses of wine! I think if I felt deprived then it would be so much harder passing up true temptations like um fried chicken...

To determine calories I like an online fitness tool (I use fitday but there are a lot out there) that lets me input my lifestyle (sedentary), my goal weight and my goal date - then shows me what my calorie deficit and daily calorie count should be to make that goal. So far I've stuck to that measurement and although I'm finding I go up and down in an interesting little drop - maintain - spike - drop again pattern (I weigh daily) I've stayed consistently moving down in correlation to the little bar chart for my goal. That helps A LOT when emotionally I'm having a "fat day". Or gained some water weight. I just look at the numbers and know everything will catch up in a day or two - that I'm doing just what I need to be doing. Very heartening.

My friend is doing Weight Watchers and I know it works for her. I love the control counting calories (easily - couldn't do it before online tools) gives me. It's GREAT GREAT GREAT that you are staying motivated! WOOHOO! I think focusing on being healthy is important to really keeping it off and making the lifestyle change that seems to be at the root of permanent weight loss. If you start realizing on a deep level that the donuts of death are exactly that it becomes easier I think to pass them up. Really I'm just starting on the diet, but it's almost the end result of a two-year gradual change in how I've been eating and looking at food. So I was already making better choices with organics and less meat, but now that I'm dieting and looking at nutrition (ah, also part of a good online tool) I am learning how to get more nutrient dense food in those limited calories. I'm learning about getting more fiber and grains, and just how awesome veggies are for you. To get excited about them try whfoods.org. He's selling a book but hopefully the administrators will approve and leave the link in as there is SO MUCH information on nutritious foods. It will get you all excited about everything from beets to mushrooms to salmon. It's quite a challenge - but fun!

Good luck to you!!