When I am fully on plan, I spend all of my daily points (23) because I'm so hungry, generally *all* the time. I showed my planner to my WW leader and even she couldn't figure out why I don't lose very much and why I'm so hungry. So I wonder if you all had any opinions about a typical OP day for me?

Keep in mind we 1) do not count fruit (except bananas, avacado, mango, stuff like that and 2) our points are a wee bit different as we do not count fibre. Also I am literally up between 4.30 - 5 am each day and go to bed around 10.30 (long commute).

B - around 4.50am 2 slices WW chicken (½ point) - I went on my eliptical and was starving so wanted to eat something

Coffee, black 5.45am (0)

1 kiwi, 3 mandarin oranges, (0) 7am (when I get on the train to go to work)

sandwich- 2 slices wheat bread (2) with 30g light cream cheese (1) cucumber slices 8am (still on the train)

S - another sandwich (3) 10am

apple 11am

L - spinach, 100g chicken (2), 2 tomatoes, red onion, 10ml olive oil (2), balsamic vingear 1pm

S - 100g cottage cheese (2), strawberries 4pm

apple 6pm (travelling back home)

a few carrot sticks 7pm (still on train)


D - 150gr salmon with mustard seed, salt, pepper (no extra oil) (6½ points) , wild rice (* 4 points for an unlimited amount, but must stop when satisfied), steamed green beans 8pm

I had 4 "Tall" (I have a "Tall" Starbucks Tumbler I use) Herbal Teas
2 "Tall" waters
2 glasses of Light Cassis soda

I also exercised this morning for 22 minutes on my eliptical.



thanks in advance for any feedback!

Maybe switch out some of the fruit for vegetables? I LOVE fruits, and I eat about three servings per day, but it sounds like you've got a bit more than that there. I know you said they don't count, but if you aren't losing weight, would it hurt to change it? Everyone's body is different. The sugar and carbs in fruit may not affect some people, but if it affects you, you should cut back to lose your weight. Other than that, it looks great! Maybe you just need a bit longer for your body to obey your command to shrink. lol. Good luck!

I agree with Gaarmywife... If you're eating lots of fruit, the sugar and extra calories could be what's making the difference. I would also increase your water intake substantially. Tea is good, but pure water is the best thing for weight loss. WW in North America recommends a minimum of 6 glasses per day. Otherwise, your diet looks very balanced Good luck!

Velveteen, I don't want to get too personal for comfort, so please don't be offended. I am on sleep medication and some of the medication I take screws with my metabolism. I stopped taking it and switched to a different kind and suddenly the last ten pounds that I had been struggling with for the last two months melted off. Your diet looks incredibly efficient. Maybe up the exercise with a different cardio, like fast walking or jogging with sprints thrown in. It's how I lost all my weight. I have never trusted the elliptical trainers' calorie log. With running, I am able to keep track with how fast and how much I have run on the school track.

I am jealous at how healthy your WW menu seems; mine has a Skinny Cow Strawberry ice cream sandwich in there every day, a few SF popsicles, and a serving of fat free Pringles. I found myself feeling sleeker though, when my menu more closely resembled yours.

Yeah, you're diet looks amazingly good. With your first two sandwiches - is there any protein in there?

What also could be happening is your blood sugar is rising and dropping too quickly because of the sugars in your fruit, causing you to feel hungry. I know that's how I get when I eat fruit. You could add some nuts in with your fruit in the morning on the train too.

~Choirgirl~

thanks for the feedback! I have to run for my train now but I've already changed up a few things for today so I'll report back in a while.

really appreciate it!

Good luck I hope it works out today for you and you feel fuller.

thank you for the feedback! I already had planned my day out but after I read your response this morning I steamed 100g of green beans to add to my lunch and I cut out the morning and/or midday apple. I still had fruit, but not as much. So thank you for this!

Thanks as well! I still haven't managed more than 2 bottles of water today - what is the glass size that you use in the States? My bottles are 18oz. So I had 2 bottles of water and 1 tall tea today. I *will* still be drinking another bottle of water between now and bed (3 hours).

Thanks as well for your input! I don't take any meds at all but I know for a fact that I don't get enough sleep and maybe, just maybe, that is part of the reason I am on the go-nowhere track. I *was* on anti-depressants a few years ago and that is, in fact, when I gained back all of my weight that I had lost (60lbs). It was partially meds and partially trying to drink myself to death I'm sure.

I only do my elliptical if I can't get out of bed in time to go for a jog/walk in the park. I have been going out in the mornings instead of staying in and doing the elliptical and I love the fresh air and that I feel more energized those days. So that's still part of the plan I shall be riding my bike to and from the station soon as well (about 10km in total).

and that you are jealous of my menu! to be honest we just don't have the things available that you guys have, or it probably wouldn't look like this! Oh and I just don't do any chips at all these days because it is a trigger food. I just overeat them everytime.

Well... I *thought* the light cream cheese would be protein-y, what do you reckon? this morning I had chicken instead and cream cheese for my afternoon snack. I also added almonds to my fruit and yoghurt for this mornings snack, so thank you for that suggestion!

Hi Velveteen!
Here are just some thoughts I have about your menu as listed...

1. Unintentional extra points? I think that the amount of fruit you are eating and not accounting for is the primary problem. Here in North America, your one kiwi and 3 mandarin oranges adds up to four points. Add one point for your strawberries, and one for your apple and you have fruit equalling 6 points. Even though you don't count them over there, they are adding up in terms of intake...so you are eating 29 vice 23 points at this point. Also, fruit is primarily sugar/carbs, and will leave you hungry hungry hungry 1-2 hours after eating. Your diet is healthy but may not be working well for you because of this.
2. Check out the actual point count of your bread -- here, one slice of bread equals two points (1 oz or 30 g = 2 points) regardless of the type of bread (unless it is superhigh fiber which doesn't apply in your situation anyways). You might be having 4 points of bread vice 2 points unintentionally. Add another 2 points and you are up to 31 points on the day.
3. What is the calorie count of your light cassis soda? Some light products, soda included, have sugars in them and pack around 100 calories per. Others are labelled "light" as there is no sugar in it, but fructose and other "natural sweetners" are used instead, and they have the same calorie count.
Suggestions?
I would definitely add eggs/egg whites and lean sources of protein to your diet. I would reevaluate the amount of fruit you are eating because I have a sneaky suspicion that you are inadvertantly adding points unintentionally. I would up the veggie count instead in terms of salads and snacks. I would add lean proteins and reevaluate the amount of dairy you are eating. I would add a multivitamin every day. I personally would eliminate the olive oil and use olive oil spray or an olive oil spritzer (one of those manual pump things you can refill at home) and use the points on fish or something that gives you better bang for the buck. Finally, although I believe that exercise is important, 90% of your success is related to your diet. You might want to focus on your diet for now and add the elliptical in a couple of weeks in order to get your hunger under control.
Here is a sample menu that might alleviate your hunger:
Get up and spend the 22 minutes on your elliptical trainer making a proper healthy breakfast:
Omellet: 1 egg, 4 egg whites, spray of oil, onions, green peppers, mushrooms: total 3 points.
Prepare a sandwich to take with you for the train: 1 slice bread (1 oz), mustard, 4 slices WW chicken, lettuce, tomato, onion slices, container of broccoli, cauliflour, carrot sticks, 2 tbsp home-made yogort dip with yogort, lemon juice and fresh dill: total 4 points.
Snack at 10:30 am: 1 apple, sliced and 50 g of cottage cheese: total 2 points
Lunch: Home-made vegetable soup (broth, veggies, seasonings), second sandwich of 1 slice bread (1 oz) 30 g cream cheese and cucumber slices, 1 cup grapes or 1 mandarin orange: total 3 points
Snack: Large green salad, with 1 tsp sliced almonds and mandarin slices; spritz with the lowest fat/lowest calorie raspberry vinagrette that you can find: total 2 points
Dinner: 4 oz baked white fish with veggies (bake both in the same foil pouch) or 4 oz cooked chicken with veggies, 1 cup garlic mashed potatoes (boil white potatoes with 5 or 6 cloves of garlic and 2 bay leaves: drain and discard bay leaves and then mash with a liberal amount of low or non-fat yogourt: season to taste), 2 oz of red wine: total 7 points
Snack: 1 apple and 50 g of cottage cheese: total 2 points
Overall total for the day: 23 points.
Don't know if this will help, but there you go.
You might try subscribing to the US version of WW Online instead of going to your NL meetings, as you can access recipes that will work for you and allow you to account for the fruit in your diet.
Kira

just a couple of questions for you based on your feedback - which I very much appreciate!

you said

Do you mean as part of my breakfast in general? Or before I work out?

I did buy some All Bran plus at the supermarket today, so I will add this to my fruit/yoghurt - thanks!

I normally do this, but based on the advise of my leader, she suggested I eat a kiwi and some mandarins to "get things started" (I think she means my *ahem* factory) Today I had just the mandarins (no kiwis left) and then a sandwich and then yoghurt with fruit. Do you think that just fruit is too much sugar for the system first thing?

popcorn? Like microwave popcorn? I'm also not supersure I can stomach veggies in the morning - sometimes I make a veggie omelete but at this stage it's still before 9am (also, I leave the house at 6.30 and I have no microwave so I'm not totally sure how I would do that, but I like the suggestion!)

I did this today! Thanks!!


and last question, by counting my fruit... I'm not so sure how I would do that? Do you mean count how many servings I have and stop at 3, or ...? I mean we just don't count fruit here, so I wouldn't know what values to give what I eat.

I am very open and I thank you all again for your help!

WOW Kira! This is really wonderful! Thank you so much!

I want you to know I appreciate this very much. I have subscribed to US WW before but I found it difficult to find a lot of the relevant food items in the database.

I do think you all have a point about the fruit. I am also going to speak to my leader about this!

I thought I would share with you what I had today:

B - coffee at home
7am 3 mandarins
7.30 sandwich with 2 slices WW chicken, 10g Hellmans' Fat Free Dijonnaise, cucumber slices (*will check bread and weigh it to get more accurate points)
arrived at work 9am and already had 1 18oz bottle of water finished

S - 9.30 am Tall Tazo Calm Tea (no caffiene)
10am 125g Fage 0% Yoghurt, 65g strawberries, 7g Almonds
11.30 Tea (same as above)

L - 12noon 1 whole wheat ciabatta with 100g cottage cheese, 100gr chicken, 2 tomatoes, 100g green beans, a few spinach leaves, a bit of El Tapatio hot sauce, salt, pepper
Black Coffee
by 1.30 finished another bottle of water

S - 3.15pm 4 Wasa crackers, 30g light cream cheese, 1 slice LF cheese, cucumbers, tomato

at 4.40 I bought a Coke Zero because I had an appt to get my nails done and sometimes I drink pop so that I would feel too hungry or get tempted by goodies (like all the chocolates my nail lady always has)

D - 8pm 100g turkey, 10ml olive oil, 400gr green wok veggies (sugar snaps, brocrunner beans and some red onion)


that is *everything* and according to my WW online program it's exactly 23 points. I have to say I felt better today (though I woke up with a headache) in general, not as hungry as yesterday, but I have to say I find my dinner a bit veggie heavy and not a whole lot of meat. It's not a huge problem though.

Hi Velveteen!
You might want to get a weigh scale to check how big that ciabatta bun is. Over here, the small ones weigh in at 3 oz (6 points!!!)
I admire the fact that you can control your almonds!!! A great source of fat, but keep in mind the point count (high points for not so many almonds).
Also, don't forget that beans and legumes are a great source of protein and are very very filling.
A quick chili recipe: 1 cup kidney beans (canned are easier, but rinse very, very well...), roma tomatoes (3 or 4, diced), sliced onions, green peppers, whatever other veggies you like, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt to taste -- saute the onions and veggies in a little water or chicken broth. Add the tomatoes and some water if necessary and the kidney beans. Simmer 'til done, season to taste. Total points: 4!
As for the WW US availablility, I agree totally. The US recipes/etc tend to be heavy on the prepared, processed, fat-free foods and ingredients, which I myself can't access (and even if I could, I wouldn't as I don't like the idea of processed foods).
I lived in Europe for a while and I agree that it is hard to find alot of ingredients from home. But if you can tap into ethnic markets (lebanese or indian grocery stores, for example), you CAN find more variety. I stumbled into what is probably the ONLY non-italian grocery store in Florence, off the train station at the Piazza Santa Maria. Only there could I find red lentils...
If you can find a points guide that is North American (go to eBay as there are often "at home" kits offered for sale at low prices), you can use the basic info for the basic ingredients and prepare from there.
PM me if you need anything,
Kira

Thanks again Kira!

I'm actually going to ask my WW leader about the roll/bun because I don't actually know what to call it! We've gotten in the habit of calling it a "brown brick" I'm going to actually weigh it at work (i have an extra scale) and then ask my WW leader 1) what it is and 2) how to count it! Thanks for that!

Also I checked the Cassis Light that I'm drinking, it's 5 cal for 100ml. A normal glass is about 250ml. There is no fat. So maybe I should lay off of that too.

Oh and I literally count out the almonds to 7, shut the container, put them on my yoghurt and leave the house withing 5 minutes I *could* eat the whole container, but I do have better control over it than, say, dipping into the jar of peanut butter (which I just can *not* do at the moment).

Just wanted you all to know as well that regularly I eat an omelette either for breakfast or dinner which consists of 1 egg and 4 egg whites and a butt load (about 300g or 3 servings) of veggies. My salads at lunch are generally something like 100g spinach, 2 or 3 tomatoes 150-200g, red onion 50g and any other things I have that I can quickly throw in. So I'm not sure I'm wanton for veg either! I do think I could cut the fruit down though for sure and I'm going to work on that.