Things that have been helpful in the Weight Loss Journey.

It's not about WHAT I eat, it's about how much I eat. Atkins, Somersizing,
Sugar Buster, all Low Carb has been tried and failed merely on their
premise. It IS about how much I intake, not as much as WHAT I intake.

1. Journaling-This is the #1 tool for me. It is important for me to see how
much I've eaten and knowing when to stop. I can't trust the "Eat till you're
full".I'm still learning to stop when I've reached my Target intake for the
day. I use the Calorie King desktop diary to track my food and exercise. I
figured the amount of Calories I get in my Daily POINTS target and hit that
number in calories. I find it easier anyway, as fat and fiber adjust the
calorie intake and I don't like that fluctuation.I need one main number to
hit.calories! the other numbers that are important for my doctor is the
nutrient breakdown due to cholesterol issues and WW doesn't currently offer
that...so I found a way!

2. Meal Planning via MasterCook- A great place to store recipes and figure
Nutritional Data for ingredients and meals and even plan daily/weekly meals.
With the VAST repertoire of recipes on the internet, this software is
crucial for compiling a database for recipes and meals. There are so many
WW-friendly recipes on the net, MC is a great way to get them all together.
If I don't have a food plan for the week, I'm lost and it becomes a
free-for-all.

3. Cookbooks-I highly recommend having a few cookbooks on-hand that are the
low calorie style. Find a good one and keep it close by.  Weight Watchers
provides some of the best cookbooks that are low calorie and fat, but have a
great flavor (well, most of them do!). Another good brand is the Cooking
Light. You can find holiday recipes that make the Thanksgiving and Christmas
seasons triumphant, as well as finding lighter substitutes your favorite
foods.

4. Weigh-Ins-Weighing once a week is essential for check-in. Some people
weigh daily and I do that, but just to see..the once a week is the one that
counts. Invest in a digital scale. I use one that records the weigh ins. The
spring scales haven't been too accurate for me.

5. Snacks-yes! I need snacks because they keep me from overeating at main
meals and keep something in my tummy. And it's ok to have them.

6. Accountability- I don't make it a point to tell everyone I'm
"re-training" my eating habits. They will tell me "Man, you're losing
weight!"..and I don't want them to see it put back on..but I have a few
close friends that ask me those hard questions to keep me honest and
encouraged.

7. Get the family involved-If everyone is one the same page, it makes it
easier at mealtime to feed everyone. While the recipes have been delicious,
it's about portion sizes. We help each other through those rough times and
rah-rah the success points.

Glenn B.