FOOD PLAN SHOPPING LIST


1. Sugar-free maple syrup - Walmart has one called Maple Grove Farms. Very good!  You can use 1-2 Tablespoons of this syrup as a condiment.


 2. I've been experimenting with extracts lately, and have had great success! I use them in the shakes, pancakes, and oatmeal. I get the Watkins extracts from Walmart - they are a good size, and they are about $2.30-$2.50 each. The extracts I use are: banana, peppermint, orange, raspberry, maple, coconut, strawberry, lemon, vanilla nut, and rootbeer. My sister told me that she adds the caramel extract to her Dutch Chocolate shakes, and it's YUMMY!


3. Make sure you have some "Pam" on hand - for non-stick cooking (pancakes).


 4. Get some packets of sweetener. I use Truvia. It's natural, has no calories, and only a few carbs. I add some of this sweetener so whatever I put extracts in. I've found that it is very sweet - so you only need maybe half of a package. Again, Walmart has this - it comes in a green and white box.  Remember that 1 packet of artificial sweetener counts as 1 condiment.


 5. Bouillon - chicken and beef. Get the low-sodium. I usually add an extra 1/2 cup to 1 cup of water with bouillon to my soups. This gives me a bit more soup.


 6. Costco canned chicken!!! I love this product. It's packed in water, and it's all white chicken breast. I like to use about 2 oz. of shredded chicken in my soups and chili. Adds more bulk, and then I don't have to try to eat 6 oz. of protein during my lean and green. Plus, being able to open a can and have instant cooked chicken is great! Lots of times, I just use the rest of the can I opened at lunch time on top of my salad. You can throw it into a pan and heat it up, and use BBQ sauce (1/2 tsp - on the condiment list), or a tiny bit of sweet and sour sauce. Sometimes, I'll just mix it with balsamic vinegar - that's my favorite. Remember to weigh your chicken, though. Usually, one can of chicken is around 7 oz. (that's the chicken, not the can plus chicken! :) So, you can have almost the whole can in one day. Makes it easy to split it between two meals!


7. I use the balsamic vinegar from Costco. It's amazing. (I'm drooling just thinking about it!)  (You can have 1 teaspoon as a condiment)


 8. Make sure you have a good supply of baking powder - you'll use this in your pancakes. Plus, I use cocoa in my shakes and pancakes. So, have some of that on hand.  (Cocoa is not really on the plan, so you have to be careful with how much you use.  I only use 1/8 - 1/4 of a teaspoon.)


 9. If you are having trouble drinking all of your water (you need to consume half your body weight in ounces every day), add a powder like Crystal Light, or Propel Zero (my favorite). I have a 24 oz. water bottle with a straw, and I usually drink 2 of those during the day, put Propel Zero in another one, and drink that at dinner with my lean and green. And then, I sip on the 4th bottle of water all night - and I've had all the water I need for the day!

 

10. Get a good, low-carb dressing for your salads. My favorite is Paul Newman's Olive Oil and Vinegar - just 1 carb. (Remember, this will count as your healthy fat - 1 serving is up to 2 tablespoons)


11. I also always have a supply of pebble ice from Sonic! I use this in my shakes.

12. Remember to stalk your fridge with protein (meat and eggs and tofu, if you'd like), and lots of veggies.  Check out the list of veggies you can have in the Quick Start Guide.

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Weight Watchers - The ABCs of Weight Loss

I read this in the Weight Watcher magazine July/August 2008, and thought there were some great suggestions here. These were all contributed by successful WW members)...

A - Ask questions (when dining out, don't be afraid to ask your server how a dish is prepared - and request it without sauce or oil).

B - Budget for snacks - you don't have to give up all of your favorite treats, just plan ahead.

C - Cancel the pity party - when you're down about your weight, remind yourself that everyone struggles.

D - Distract yourself - If you're hungry, call a friend, go for a walk, write a letter or email, etc. You'll notice that the hunger usually passes in a matter of minutes.

E - Eat slowly - put the fork down between bites, be more aware of how much you're putting in your mouth.

F - Focus on the presentation - arrange your food creatively, use a larger plate and spread your portions more artfully, it will help you feel more satisfied.

G - Give the new habits time - make a commitment to stick to your new regimen for at least 6 months, it often takes that long for revamped eating or exercise habits to feel natural.

H - Hang out with optimists - The can-do spirit is contagious.

I - Inspire yourself - brainstorm a list of activities you've been putting off because of your weight - it will provide a built-in incentive to slim down.

J - Join up - exercise with others - this often provides a sense of accountibility.

K - Keep your focus - as you lose weight, notice what you're gaining - a healthier diet, slimmer profile, or a new love of exercise.

L - Lighten up your favorite - Use cookbooks that can show you low-fat, healthier versions of your favorite dishes.

M - Make over your kitchen - get rid of trigger foods (those you often overeat) and restock your kitchen with healthy items.

N - Navigate out of your comfort zone - try a new exercise once a week.

O - Opt for the 10-minute rule - Even if you don't feel like it, get moving for at least 10 minutes.

P - Push yourself to try at least one new fruit or vegetable each week - expand your culinary repertoire in a healthy, low-calorie way.

Q - Quit the clean-plate club - stop eating once you're satisfied, and you won't eat tons of extra calories.

R - Reward yourself - if you are looking for a snack after dinner, give yourself a manicure or pedicure instead!

S - Stand up to food pushers - if a host pressures you to eat something you'd rather avoid, tell her you'll try something else on the table - compliment her, and she'll be distracted.

T - Treat your body like a temple - exercise and take care of yourself as if you were an athlete.

U - Use your lunch break wisely - spend half of your lunch break walking.

V - View sweet treats wisely - if you want to shed pounds, you can't eat sweets whenever you like. Find a low - calorie substitute that you can have every day, or limit rich desserts to once a week.

W - Write a gratitude list - each day, jot down 3 to 5 things in your life that you're grateful for.

X - Xerox your exercise moves - find exercise routines you'd like to try in books and magazines, and make copies, then refer to these when you need new moves.

Y - Yearn to accept where you are now - when you fell discouraged by your rate of progress, try to accept and appreciate yourself at your current weight. This might help you hang in there until you start losing weight again.

Z - Zero in on your body - Don't wear big baggy clothes - wearing clothes that fit well to remind yourself of your diet and fitness goals - and the slimmer body your are striving for.

GOOD LUCK!