This is the BEST I've done for the longest period of time!
I'm sure MANY MANY people here on EP are yo-yo dieters. I'm sure many have been successful at losing in the past. If you're like me, you've lost the same weight over and over again.
As you know I'm a part of a group of 16 others in my town who are taking part in a Biggest Loser challenge. A few people in the group are veterans at weight loss (and gains!) as I am...... this is my 3rd attempt at Weight Watchers..... but some of the people are brand new to this. We're not doing any "official" program or agenda, but we are basically meeting once a week to weigh-in, and we are supporting each other, going to the gym together, and having a fun competition that will hopefully help us lose weight! At our weekly meetings, we share problems, concerns, questions, successes, and tips.
What I'm finding out is that most of the people are cutting out food groups completely..... one person is eating only salads. He says he cannot eat what he calls "trigger" foods at all. These trigger foods include almost everything I consider good..... bread, sweets, pasta (even whole wheat), peanut butter, cereal, crackers (he named lots of stuff!)... Another person swears to never touch sweets for the rest of her life.
I guess everyone is different, and I'm sure that there ARE trigger foods for some people. But for me, I've found that I'm being successful THIS time by seriously thinking of food as FUEL for my body. Since I've been working out so hard, my body needs to be refueled to work properly. Even though a fat-free hotdog and baked chips and a WW snack cake may only be a few points for lunch, what good would it do my body? NONE whatsoever. In the past I would chow down on low fat processed "snacks." THAT is what I am vowing to cut out. I've been off that stuff for so long now, that the thought of eating a fat-free bologna sandwich is sickening to me.
A typical day for me now consists of:
Breakfast: Kashi Cinnamon Harvest cereal, skim milk, banana
Snack: string cheese or Fiber One yogurt
Lunch: Naturally More peanut butter with apple slices, cherry tomatoes, cheese, yogurt
Supper: I always fix a healthy dinner including vegetables, and frequently beans. We often have a mixture of pinto beans, black beans, garbanzo beans in a vegetarian chili.... and I almost always have something green... such as a fresh salad or cooked greens. We frequently have lean meat or chicken for protein. I have been very careful in my meal planning so that I have FILLING foods that will fuel my body.
It's working.
WW weigh-in tonight.... I'll update later.
Have a great day!

Stef