General Diet Plans and Questions General diet questions, support for various diet plans other than those listed below.

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Old 12-13-2010, 04:31 PM   #1  
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Default Resurrecting the Exchange Plan Support Thread

Our Exchange plan support thread was going strong and then fizzled a few months ago, I think because it was under the LA Weight Loss plan (which is an exchange plan).

I thought this was a good time to ressurect the exchange plan support thread, and move it the Calorie Counters, where I think it fits better (since LAWL isn't the only exchange plan).

I know some people would argue that exchange plans aren't calorie counting, but I think there's more arguments for it being a way to count calories than against. After all, each exchange has approximately the same calorie count, so if you follow an 1800 calorie exchange plan, your calorie count is is going to average 1800 calories. You've counted those calories without counting each calorie. Counting by 5's or other units, is still counting. Rounding and estimation are still counting.


So fellow exchange plan followers, where is everybody?
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Old 12-13-2010, 08:15 PM   #2  
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Hi Colleen! It's fine to have it here in CC but we could also move it to General Plans if you think you might get more responses.

I like to follow an exchange plan myself and I've had some good success with it.

What does your exchange plan look like?
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Old 12-14-2010, 01:26 AM   #3  
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I trust your judgement, wherever you think it fits best.
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Old 12-14-2010, 01:41 AM   #4  
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What does your exchange plan look like
I based my exchange plan on the high-protein (lower carb) plans I found on the hillbillyhousewife website

http://healthy.hillbillyhousewife.com/foodplans.htm

but I tweaked it a bit, because I tend to calorie cycle (so I can eat more on high-hunger days, and eat less on low-hunger days, and so I can eat a little more fat during TOM when I seem to be ravenous for it). I used the 1200 calorie high-protein plan as my "minimum" and then based my maximum mostly on the 1800 calorie plan plan as my "maximum." My fat and vegetable maximum limits are higher than the hillbillyhousewife limits (but mostly I take advantage of the fat and veggies during TOM).


My tweaked plan (1200 - 2000 calories)

2 - 4 Bread exchanges
2 - 8 vegetable exchanges
8 -12 protein exchanges
2 - 3 fruit exchanges
2 milk exchanges
3-8 fat exchanges


I also use the higher carb plans when low-carb eating isn't convenient. For example, on Dec 18, we're having our Christmas with my husband's family (who all think low-carb eating is very unhealthy). I probably will follow the 1800 calorie high-carbohydrate or middle-of-the road plan on the hillbillyhousewife site.


1800 calorie high-carb plan

9 Bread exchanges
4 vegetable exchanges
6 protein exchanges
3 fruit exchanges
2 milk exchanges
4 fat exchanges



1800 calorie middle-of-the-road plan
7 Bread exchanges
4 vegetable exchanges
10 protein exchanges
3 fruit exchanges
2 milk exchanges
4 fat exchanges

Last edited by kaplods; 12-14-2010 at 04:47 PM.
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Old 12-14-2010, 03:42 PM   #5  
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I'm so happy to see this thread here in CC, since that is my main focus, but I also want to keep and eye on exchanges. Thank you, Colleen, for bringing it back to life.

The middle-of-the-road approach might be best for me to begin with, personally. I can tweak it if necessary.

I'm thinking I get more than enough fat and vegetables, and need to eat more fruits and proteins. I get lots of vegetables every day, because I love them so much!

How do you track your calories and exchanges?
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Old 12-14-2010, 04:13 PM   #6  
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Until recently, I was using worksheets I created with my spreadsheet program. Every time I changed my plan, I would create a new worksheet, and print them out. I kept them in a binder of all sorts of weight loss tools (progress charts and stickers, articles and recipes I'd saved...). When the 8 x11 binder became WAY too heavy for me to work with, I shrunk the worksheets down to a 5.5 x 8 size dayplanner size (but even that got too heavy).

The worksheet was fairly simple, just boxes that I could check off, and space to write notes/log specific food eaten. The minimum exchanges were white boxes, and the optional exchanges were shaded boxes, and under the boxes I created lined workspace to log the time, the foods eaten, and the exchanges used and calorie estimation counts.

Really the calorie estimation was overkill, because the exchanges count the calories, but I did it anyway out of force of habit.

I have a lot of joint pain with arthritis and fibro, both are much worse in the winter, and I found that I was avoiding documenting because the journal was just too heavy.

I've changed my journal format though, and am now using small, spiral bound college-ruled notebooks, and I take it everywhere. I don't just journal what I'm eating, I journal everything. For example I even draw a face and draw my skin issues (I'm severely broken out today, so I drew the red and pimply areas on my face diagram).

I start each day with the Date, skip a couple lines and then write (each on it's own line) Protein, Veggies, Fat, Milk, Fruit, Carb and then use a tiny ruler (that I keep in the pocket of the notebook) to draw 11 vertical lines, to make 10 boxes for each exchange. It gives me 60 boxes total).

I don't use all 10 of course, but I know my range limits by heart (when I started, I wrote them in parenthesis after each exchange name, but before the boxes).

I just check off boxes as I eat them, and write in my journal when I ate the meal/snack and what I ate (and out of habit the calorie estimation).

I write down as much as I can - what the weather/temp is like, how I'm feeling physically and emotionally, hunger/craving issues, naps, pain charts....

Those also I have on a worksheet, but now I just write everything in the little notebook, as it happens.

I find I actually document more this way, so my plan is to save the notebooks (writing the start and end date on the cover).

Last edited by kaplods; 12-14-2010 at 04:15 PM.
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Old 12-15-2010, 08:34 AM   #7  
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Colleen - That's very similar to my method. Remember the old WW sheets that had the boxes for exchanges? That's how I got the idea to put mine at the bottom of the page, one for each exchange, and I also include boxes for water consumption and exercise. The whole top part of the daily record form is blank, and that's where I itemize my daily food. I usually do this while watching TV the night before. These pages go in a 3-ring binder, and I also have sections in it for my weight record, and other miscellaneous notes. After each month, I take the daily record pages out and store them on a shelf in the closet so the binder isn't too heavy.

Now, in planning today's menus, I find I an short on milk/dairy. I will have 2 T of cheese on my noon salad, and 1/2 milk on cereal before bed. I do not like yogurt, and try to avoid puddings with artificial sweeteners. I guess I can just drink a glass of milk, but would like to add something more exciting than that, haha. Any suggestions? I was also short on fruit, but I can easily remedy that.
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Old 12-15-2010, 01:56 PM   #8  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jane View Post
Now, in planning today's menus, I find I an short on milk/dairy... I will have 2 T of cheese on my noon salad, and 1/2 milk on cereal before bed. I do not like yogurt, and try to avoid puddings with artificial sweeteners. I guess I can just drink a glass of milk, but would like to add something more exciting than that, haha. Any suggestions? I was also short on fruit, but I can easily remedy that.
The milk/dairy exchange is the hardest for me to fit in (and I take a calcium supplement, just in case I don't).

One thing that I've carried over from WW is that I count anything that has at least 20% of the RDA as a dairy exchange. So I actually use sardines to fulfil dairy exchanges. If I already used my dairy for the day, I count them as all protein.

So for 140 calories of sardines, I count as 1 milk and 1 protein exchanges (I eat the bones though. I'm not sure they'd still count if you pick them out). For sardines packed in non-oil marinades, the calories of one can is usually about 140 calories. If they're packed in oil (and drained before eating), it's about 190 calories (1 dairy, 1 protein, 1 fat).


Last night I still had my dairy exchanges left (and didn't want sardines), so I made Nestles's Women's Wellness Hot Cocoa. I made it with 8 ounces of skim milk (instead of the 6 ounces called for). The cocoa itself has 80 calories (and a whopping 35% RDA of calcium), so with the milk it came to 170 calories and a total of 55% RDA of calcium.

I'm not a huge fan of hot cocoa either, but it satisfied my TOM chocolate craving (except for TOM, I'm not much of a chocolate fan).

I think tonight I'm going to do the cocoa again, but will add a little cherry or raspberry flavoring.

Some cheeses can count as dairy exchanges (using the 20+% guideline). So I'll count 80 to 90 calories of cheese as a dairy (for hard cheeses like swiss, usually about an ounce to an ounce and a half).

Last edited by kaplods; 12-15-2010 at 02:02 PM.
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Old 12-15-2010, 02:52 PM   #9  
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Hi, may I join you?

I lost my weight and am maintaining that loss by following the Richard Simmons Healthy Eating plan, and using the Foodmover. This is basically an exchange program

Following this plan helps me control the size of my portions, and eat a good balance of healthy foods.

Goodness me, I've been on this plan for almost 11 years now. How time flies when you are having fun. It has been a good plan for me, and I'm glad I stumbled on it back in 1999.

Last edited by JoJoJo2; 12-15-2010 at 02:53 PM.
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Old 12-15-2010, 03:07 PM   #10  
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Welcome JoJoJo! Yes, please do jump right in. A big whoo hoo for you, reaching maintenance!

Colleen - I added some hard cheese to increase my dairy. Good idea - using the cocoa made with milk - thanks for that. I often get strong chocolate cravings, so that would be just the thing! Nice way to warm up on these chilly days, too.

Since not everyone here will be counting calories, I will recommend to Midwife that she go ahead and move this thread to General Plans.

Last edited by Jane; 12-15-2010 at 03:26 PM.
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Old 12-15-2010, 03:12 PM   #11  
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Welcome JoJoJo,

I've done Richard Simmons plans too. I had the deal-a-meal cards, and the foodmover.

The tops.org website has cards you can print out, much like the deal-a-meal cards. I thought it might be copyright infringement, but I learned that Richard Simmons didn't invent the concept. A dietitian who did, sued him, but I don't know how the case was resolved. I've heard varying accounts, some that she won, some that she settled out of court for unspecified damages, and some that it was considered a non-copyrightable concept, as food exchanges are considered public doman (because the American Dietetic Association and the American Diabetes Association which created the original diabetic exchange plan wanted it that way).
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Old 12-15-2010, 03:15 PM   #12  
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Moved.
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Old 12-15-2010, 03:25 PM   #13  
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Thank you, Midwife!
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Old 12-15-2010, 05:13 PM   #14  
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I have tinkered with the plan myself, mostly limiting the simple carbs since I am a diabetic. All plans get tinkered with, don't they?

As for any lawsuits, that was before I got interested in the exchange program. All the materials I have refer to the Richard Simmons program as being in agreement with the American Dietetic Assn. and the American Diabetic Assn. exchange programs. As to who invented it, that is of absolutely no interest to me.

It does work for me, that is what is important to me.
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Old 12-15-2010, 07:33 PM   #15  
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Neither ADA sued Richard Simmons, it was a dietitian not associated with either ADA who sued Richard Simmons for using a playing card-based system. She couldn't sue him based on using an exchange plan (because that's public domain, because both ADA's have officially put it there - at least that's the rumor), she was suing him claiming the playing card idea was hers.

I don't know what actually happened in the case, just the conflicting rumors.
Not that it matters. I wasn't saying it is relevant to anyone - I'm just a trivia nut, and tend to insert little bits of trivia into posts.

I thought it was interesting, not necessarily relevant.
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