[soulnik]

OK. I just switched to Core from 13 weeks on Flex. I lost 34 lbs on Flex but am highly sugar addicted and was losing control. I want to do this Core thing but maybe I didn't prepare well enough in advance? It's my second day and while I have some stuff planned to eat, I just don't know where to go from here. I forsee some major obstacles and as I look at all the STUFF...

1. I don't like to cook. I have time, I just really hate it. I'll do it but I don't know where to start. There's SOOOOOO MANY recipe options here on 3FC and I don't know how to navigate all of this. Where/which are the easy ones?

2. I've always been kind of a finicky eater. I see so many foods I've never heard of and would never have thought to try. I already know that if I'm gonna do this succesfully, I'm gonna have to diversify my general range of food options. Mostly I'd eat chicken and carbs and fill in the rest with as much crap food as my points would allow. Where do I start? How do I plan efficiently so I'm not buying groceries for 7 different types of meals at once and spending my whole week in the kitchen?

3. Aren't there any convenience foods on Core? I need to be able to eat on the go. What to do about that?

4. I need to understand more of the science behind this and the WW board doesn't have nearly the same amount of info about Core that it does about Flex. Can anyone recommend reading about why it's better to eat this way?

I think I just need my someone to hold my hand through this - some serious guidance. Like a "Core for Dummies: The step-by-step guide for your first 6 weeks." Who's written that, read that, experienced that? The group leaders all say: "Just eat what's on this list." But it's a bit daunting to figure out how to make that work in your life if you've never lived that kind of healthy life style. It's hard to learn on your own.

Help me all you Obi-Wan CORE-nobi's. You're my only hope!

[Froufy]

Okay take a deep breath and relax - once you get the hand of it you will love Core - much more natural/healthy way of eating than using up points on all those 'empty' caloriie sugar-laden foods!

1-2) Yes you will have to cook - at least sometimes - I would suggest looking thru the recipes here on the Core Board to get some ideas. Something like cooking up a big pot of core friendly soup or spaghetti sauce which can freeze in smaller portions might work well for you. You can easily buy pre-packaged salad ingredients and throw those together w/olive oil dressing. Always keep some hard boiled eggs or tuna around - very quick and easy to add to other ingredients.

Your grocery list can be 'created' from the list of core foods you have! You will probably need to stock up on some of the whole grains such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta, barley and whatever else looks good to you. Of course you should also add lf protein choices, fruits, veggies, etc.

3) As for convencience foods this is a bit harder - altho I often buy a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store and add some core side dishes and that works for a few meals as well. Some canned soups are also considered Core - you will need to check your books for this info.

4) As for the science - the Core plan is very similar to the glycemic index way of eating - many of the foods have low GI values - they tend to fill you up more and keep your blood sugar stable - instead of it crashing a few hours after eating something less healthy/filling. High fibre foods such as all the whole grains will also keep you full longer (and are healthier for you as well).

Hope this answers some of your questions! Please feel free to join us on our weekly chat thread!

Froufie

[707Goddess]

FROUFY ~ SOOO core is low carb cause i was doing flex but not loosing so i flipped to low fat low carb this week and lost 6 lbs oh and yeah i weigh'd in on the first day of TOM so i know that had alot to do with the huge loss BUT i may look into core if it is infact low carb ?
thanks
Michelle

[kaplods]

I find Core very similar to South Beach (though I've gotten quite a bit of disagreement over that from both the Core and Southbeach folks, so look at both and decide yourself). I consider both programs "lower" carb (again, I've gotten alot of flack from both sides for saying that, and they've corrected me calling both plans "right carb" instead).

[707Goddess]

Thanks colleen i will it's just tough because you either 1 go to a meeting $$$ or 2 buy the SB book $$$
but the input was good thank you

[wacky droll]

hi everyone,

I've been going to WW meetings for almost 2 months now and have lost 14lbs!! i am doing the Flex plan but reading here about the Core makes me want to switch. i pretty much just got the hang of how much i should be eating, so I don't reallyl keep track of the points; i just make mental notes.

I have developed a love for cooking healthy so the Core might be the way to go. That and my boyfriend doesn't keep track of his points at all and hasn't lost much.

Anyway, thank you for all this information!!

[AuntieMameNJ]

For quick dinners:

Have on hand
Some quick cooking brown rice, some canned white potatoes, some whole wheat pastas.
Some of the microwavable veggies (like those from Green Giant and Birds Eye) which have NO sauces.
Whatever low fat proteins you like: pork, chicken, fish, lamb or beef.

You pull the veggies out of the freezer, start the protein in a pan, cook up the starch. Add a bagged salad. Dinner in just a few minutes.

[ontarget]

soulnik, how about joining in with the weekly chat threads. here you can see and share what's going on in all our lives. also, the frouf cruise to lose 2 thread is helpful. we post our weekly successes and often our menus there. i apologize for not posting my daily menus lately. your post makes me realize we "corenobies" should be doing that. most of us have been doing core for a long time and tend to forget about what it's like to be a newbie.

i'll go post my today's menu. maybe if other's post theirs aw well you'll get some ideas. if you surf past threads here, you'll find a lot of menus.

i'm rambling here. again, why don't you join us. we'll all hold your hand and you can hold ours, too. congratulations on dropping those 34 lbs. that's fantastic.

[ontarget]

soulnik, you asked about convenience foods. how about the canned soups that are core? do you have a cfc? it lists all soups that are core. i like split pea n ham. tonight we had beef n barley.