Hi everyone! I've been on CORE for 4 days now, and I really like it so far. It seems very healthy, and I've been wanting to eat this way for a long time, but didn't know exactly how.

Anyway, a few questions. Is cornstarch CORE? What about wild rice?

And, I have a bunch of good recipes I think are CORE. Maybe I'll post one a day or something.

Thanks in advance, and I look forward to hearing more from you all.

Do you have your plan materials (either online or hard copies with Meetings and/or At Home programs?) All the information is in there.

Cornstarch isn't but it takes 2 tablespoons (60 cal) to get a point so over the course of are recipe that is 4 servings it is a zero point add in.

Wild Rice is core because it really isn't a rice at all.

However if you have a recipe that has more than 2 NonCore Foods it is not a Core Recipe. There was a quiz not to long ago on the W/W site that explained it (I beleive we had several threads on the quiz here too if you look back a few days).

I just bumped up the thread with the quiz but I am not sure if you can get the quiz without being a paid member. I am a paid member so I know I can get it.

I checked out the quiz thing (I was Core, but now Flex) it just seems that they really made things more confusing, and it seems to really limit what you can do. If there are more than two NonCore items then the whole thing must be counted!!!!!...jeez it means that the 35 WPAs will go really fast. The biggest problem I had when I did Core (3 weeks) was the variety. I like to eat out and when I cook, I like to experiment...and I got really tired of steak and chicken....with basic sides, etc....Ilike funky things ...just my two cents.

-nate

Yeah, I checked out the quiz, and it confused me too. But thanks for the cornstarch and wild rice answers...I do have the program materials, but it doesn't list either food at all, so I wasn't sure.

I guess I can introduce myself too. My name's Angela, I live in Iowa, and I'm the mom of 3 little girls, 5, 3, and 1. I've done WW several times after each baby, and been pretty successful with Flex each time. But I wanted to try CORE because it seems healthier. I have a personal goal of hitting my goal weight of 125 by the time I'm 30. I have 7 months, and 35 pounds to lose. I can do it! And, the chick on my avatar picture is mine - for my daughter's parent-run preschool, I hatched chickens. It was so fun!

I'll post a recipe in a new thread.

Angela

Angela, come join us on the Core Support Board. This is where we go as often as we can to give updates, moral support and share a few laughs along the way. I'm Vickie from the south suburbs of Chicago. I started with 150 pounds to lose. I started Core on 9/9 and have lost 14.4 pounds in 8 weeks. I'm determined to get to be healthier and well on my way to reaching my goal by my 50th birthday which is in 18 months.

It would help you to buy the Daily Food Companion. This is where we all find most of our answers about what is Core and what isn't. That little generic food list doeson't help much.

Good Luck!

This is very much a mis-statement and misunderstanding. What makes any program healthy is the individual and what they choose to eat. I have never eaten unhealthy on any program W/W has had. I do enjoy an occasional treat but I use mostly whole foods and limit they simple carbs.
Flex is just as healthy as Core if the person makes the decision to eat healthy foods and not junk.

Sorry but my RDA says Core is the winner over Flex hands down for being a healthy way to eat. If you need more than 35 WPA, you probably need Flex.

Once again Quilter you can eat just as healthy on Flex as Core. If a person choose to not eat that way and eat more junk that is a personal choice and not a fault of the program. So once again I will say there is no winner or loser in which is more healthy...it is based on the individual.

FLEX IS JUST AS HEALTHY AS CORE IF THE INDIVIDUAL CHOOSE TO MAKE IT THAT WAY.

True, but the "if" is why many people feel Core is healthier - there is less *permissible* junk.

Well again it is an indivdual's choice to make the plans what they may. And I disagree with the 'less permissible' junk statement with WPA and APs the same thing goes. Think about it.

I guess the better way to say it is Flex and Core are both healthy programs but in both it is up to the individual to make it healthy and keep it healthy.....

I think if you are posting on this board you must think Core is the best or healthiest plan to follow or you would be following another program. You can't follow both programs at the same time, even WW has said this.

As far as the recipe thing goes, if I fix a meal that has non-core food in it and I eat only 1 serving, I only count the non-core points, I don't care what anyone says. It's just common sense. Don't make it too complicated--just enjoy the results.

Actually I do follow both programs to an extent and always have. I will always continue to count points and watch portion size for the points but I use mostly Core Food as in whole, natural and not much in the way of processed. I follow this board as it is the busiest one here and have am fond of most everyone on it. You can follow Core Concepts and still be Flex.

I understand you have made it individual but as W/W stated if a recipe has more than 1 or you mix more than 1 Core Food into it technically it is no longer core.

Now just joking so if I can't follow both programs you can't do your recipe thing! LOL! We both made it individual.

On a brighter note... Have any of you used xanthan gum to thicken your recipes? I bring this up in response to the cornstarch query. I use 1tsp for 2 c of broth, sauce whatever. It's 5 cal for a Tablespoon, so I figure 1 tsp is basically free.This stuff doesn't "break" if you choose to freeze leftover casseroles. Not that many of you are eating casseroles.

I'm not core either, but as Kelly said, it is the busiest board and I need to feel that there is someone else out there toiling away like me.

I usually use Tarot (sp) root based on information that Alton Brown gave me one day. LOL! I have never tried Xanthan gum. Basically 1 tbsp of CornStarch is 30 cal or 1/2 a point so 1 tsp of it isn't pointworthy anyway when I use it.