Hello fellow WWs,

Anyone doing CORE is welcome to jump in here. You don't have to be a Jaded Lady to participate.

Here're 8 Good Health Guidelines to keep in mind each day:

1. Eat at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits each day.

2. Choose whole-grain foods, such as brown rice and oats.

3. Include 2 servings of milk products (low fat 1%; or fat-free) each day. If you are more than 50 years old or are a teenager, increase this amount to 3 servings each day.

4. Have some healthy oil (olive, canola, sunflower, safflower or flaxseed) each day. This habit ensures that you get the essential fatty acids and vitamin E that your body needs. Use the oil in salads, in cooking, or as an ingredient in a mixed dish.

5. Ensure that you are getting enough protein by choosing at least a serving or two of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dried beans, or soy products each day. Many milk products are also good sources of protein.

6. Limit added sugar and alcohol.

7. Drink at least 6 glasses of water each day.

8. Take a multiple vitamin-mineral supplement each day.

Here we go!!

Ok, this is going to be a new adventure! I have to go get some fat-free salad dressings and some whole wheat pasta, since I don't normally keep these things around. But a lot of what I eat is already CORE, so that helps!

Here's my Monday food plan... what do you think? Oh, by the way, I get 3 milks since I'm 50. Being old is finally paying off!

B - oatmeal with milk, egg, orange
L - sliced tomatoes, tortilla (2 flex points), tuna salad, kiwi and milk
S - cantaloupe
D - salad w/green peppers and tomatoes, chicken breast cooked in canola oil, brown rice, veggie medley, ff/sf pudding
S - popcorn

That seems like a lot of food! Healthy food. I for sure have to have protein at every meal, though, to get me through. No where up there is my sugar-free popsicle that I'm used to eating.... it is point-less... can I still have one, or not??

Well, does that look ok, or am I forgetting something?

Edited to add: Where is couscous at the store? Found the other things I needed, but couldn't find couscous with the grains! I had this in a restaurant recently and liked it...

Jana,
Your meal for Monday is on Core. I don't have the materials you get at the meeting, I am on-line so I am just feeling my way also. It is my understanding that although the rules for healthy eating are still important, you are not limited to any of the core foods, although you should watch portion size and stop eating when you are full.

Today I had:
Shredded wheat/bran and skim milk - C
Chicken fajita salad (restaurant) - 2 pts. cheese and 2 points chips (cut the sour cream)
Stuffed Baked Potato - C (nonfat yogurt instead of butter, pico, onions, cucumber, mushrooms)

I think that left me with 25 flex points for the week. I start over tomorrow.

I have noticed that although I am not eating that much more then when I was on winning points, I don't feel as hungry. I munch on more fruits than before. And my mood and energy level has soared since getting rid of the sugar and junk food.

I haven't had my exercise today. Guess I'd better go for that walk.

Good luck. Now that I have found your thread, I will pop in every once in a while.
Janette

Hi Janette,

Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it! I also don't go to meetings, so I know how you feel! You are doing great so far, to have that many flex points left over. Seems like I was already eating mostly Core before, with the Flex Points. Sort of "Flore", if you will, lol.

Please do join us! This will be a very small group, and we could use all the help and friendship and good ideas that we can get.

Hope you pop in with your weight loss for the week.... we will be very interested in your progress.

Here're a couple of Core recipes that looked pretty good!

Mexican Chicken and Rice Dinner
16 ounces chicken breast, no skin, no bone, R-T-C
1 cup salsa
2 cups instant brown rice
1 cup corn

1 1/3 cups water

Spray large skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium high heat; add chicken. Cook four minutes on each side or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from the skillet.

Add water and salsa; stir and bring to a boil.

Stir in rice and corn. Top with chicken; cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes or until rice is tender. Serves 6.


Fruit-Crusted Strawberry-Kiwi Banana Cream Pie

Core Recipe
Servings | 6
Preparation Time | 10 min
Cooking Time | 0 min
Level of Difficulty | Easy

The filling for this attractive pie is made thick with evaporated skim milk instead of regular skim milk. Present it to your guests whole and then serve it with a pretty pie slicer.

Ingredients

1 oz fat-free sugar-free instant banana pudding and pie filling mix
2 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1 cups strawberries, thinly sliced
2 medium kiwifruit, peeled and sliced

Instructions

Prepare pudding according to package directions but use fat-free evaporated milk instead of regular skim milk.

Cover bottom of a 9-inch glass pie plate with a layer of sliced strawberries.

Pour pudding on top of strawberries. Smooth pudding surface with a wooden spoon and garnish with remaining strawberries and with kiwi slices. Refrigerate pie for at least 2 hours. Slice into 6 pieces and serve

Hi
I will be joing you on CORE starting tomorrow. I've been looking through my fridge and, while I don't have as detailed a menu planned out right now here's a general plan so far.

Breakfasts ( this week)
Oatmeal with a glass of milk and a piece of fruit
OR egg substitute omelette with a glass of milk and fruit or sliced tomatoes

OK my milk is 1%...I need two glasses a day, but since it isn't FF do I use my flex points? I'm inclined not to, just as I am limiting my portions on this and it is a healthy habit. I want to save those points for wine and cheese treat later...OK mostly wine

Lunches are still being worked on as I need to go through my freezer and pantry. I have whole wheat bread in the house, so I will most likely have a turkey breast sandwich with fruit or baby carrots. I eat my sandwiches dry.

As for dinners, I cooked up a lot of chicken breast and a lean pork loin earlier in the week. I will concentrate on eating those along with all the fresh vegetables that I am getting out of the garden and from our organic produce delivery.
Snacks are baby carrots and popcorn

Will post more as the plan develops. I like reading what others are eating as it gives me ideas. Thank you for this thread.

RosieKate

Hi RosieKate ~

Sorry, but the 1% milk is not a core food. It will cost you 2 flex points per 8 ounces. For the first time ever, I'm drinking Soy Milk, and it's actually very good!! I've decided not to play around with the program ...if I start eating and deciding on my own "to make them" a Core food, then it gets out of control, and I'll eat everything, and not care if it's Core ... Therefore, I'm going to give it my best shot, and not second guess Weight Watcher's ...I figure they know what they're doing. My week started Wednesday, and so far, so good ...I feel better, and 'lighter' already. Tonight, I'm going to try a recipe that I found for Cornbread ...all Core for sure!

Hi Loosinit,

I think what RosieKate meant was, rather than count the points, she'll go get the ff milk. She isn't one to bend the rules. Btw, share the cornbread recipe if you don't mind! Like you, I also want to give this my best shot. Maybe I'll stay with it, maybe not. But actually, I've been doing Core to some extent already, since I don't eat a lot of processed food or junk food. Check back and let us know how your weigh in went, if you'd like!

OK- I had another post, but it disappeared on me! 2nd one today...yuck.

I was chuckling because now I'll have to decide what to spend my flex points on, wine or milk, haha

Really, if I was trying to get out of anything, it would be drinking milk entirely. I don't like it and I know I get enough calcium via supplements and cruciferous veggies. I was trying to get used to it as part of the flex program. I've tried soy milk, but discovered it had more calories and fat than the milk I was drinking, so I stopped. Don't like the FF versions.

I get that the WW folks are just trying to get people to switch to FF, which is not a bad idea. I was a little grouchy that, to keep drinking this 1% milk I have, I would have to use 28 flex points a week. But, if it's FF ( which I REALLY don't like), I could drink a gallon a day. Oh well, such is life. I am going to try my best and give FF a chance....It's all about change, right gals?

RK

Core Cornbread! I gotta have that recipe. Can't imagine eating my pinto beans without the cornbread!
I love milk. Could be redlight food I i'm not careful. Cheese is. Even though I don't like ff cheese I will use it to stay on core cause if I start eating real cheese I am in real trouble!

Day 1, here I come! Had my oatmeal and egg for breakfast, saving the orange for later. I've got a turkey breast I'm going to bake to use this week for lunches. Neal will smell that and look for pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce too, lol. Poor man isn't going to find them, lol.

Menu change - I will be using my canola oil for popcorn instead of on the chicken tonight.

How's it going so far for you?

Day one seems to be off to a good start
Breakfast - scrambled egg substitute w/ sliced roma tomatoes, sliced peach, glass of ff milk
Lunch - Progresso chicken and vegetable soup, popcorn

so far so good..plan for the rest of the day
Snack - glass of milk, baby carrots, maybe a banana, tho' it could be cantaloupe ( I have a very ripe one that needs to be eaten soon)

Dinner - grilled boneless, skinless breast of chicken, baked potato w/ steamed broccoli. I may use some flex points and melt some lo-fat shredded mozzarella on the potato...we'll see. If I'm still hungry, I have a fresh green salad to munch on also.

after dinner, I will have a nightcap of herbal tea, maybe some more popcorn while I watch Last Comic Standing

I would love the Core Cornbread recipe, too. I have a corn pancake recipe, but am unsure on how to adapt it to core requirements....so I figured I try out cornbread first,

The day has not been too difficult, but I am missing my cheese. I only have lo-fat versions in the house and don't want to blow many flex points on them. So I will be getting me some Laughing Cow in short order
Katy

Here's the cornbread recipe. Enjoy!! How about a recipe for Oatmeal Pancakes ...tried them this morning ...Delish!! I'll post them next.

Jalapeno Cornbread/Core

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 - 1/2 cup Splenda (according to taste ~ I used 1/3 cup)
1 cup plain fat free yogurt
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
1 Tbsp 'core' oil (I used Olive)
3 eggs
1 can drained corn
1 cup fat free cheddar cheese (grated)
2 finely chopped jalapeno's

Measure dry ingredients in a medium bowl, add rest of ingredients and stir until well blended. Pour into an 8 inch square pan that has been sprayed with a non-stick spray. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Cut into 9 wedges.

Here is the pancake recipe. Once again ...Enjoy!

Oatmeal Pancake/core recipe

½ cup old-fashioned oatmeal
¼ cup fat-free cottage cheese
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp cinnamon
2 Splenda packets

Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

Mist a non-stick skillet (an 8” works great for this) with olive oil (I used Butter Pam). Add the batter and cook over medium until both sides are brown and the middle is firm.

Serves 1. Recipe makes 2 large pancakes.

NOTE: I sliced bananas, and put them on top of the raw pancakes (uncooked side) as I cooked them ...they were wonderful! You could also top with fresh fruit.

I'm sure that these recipes are in the wrong place ...I'm not sure how to move them ...sorry 'bout that!