Weight Watchers Get Healthy Freestyle Journey – Week 6

DINING OUT TIPS

It’s time once again to reflect on my week. This week I continued to look at how I was using the Zero Point foods. Although these are “FREE” foods, it still is not a good idea to overeat them, even if they are healthy and good for you. Both mom and my sister lost weight this week. They’re keeping the pressure on me to stay on track! Even with a busy week, I had to stay focused on my goal. 

DINING OUT TIPS

According to new research, restaurants are the number-one place to sabotage your diet. This should be no surprise to anyone who’s ever tried to lose weight while eating out. Instead ofONThis week I want to explore dining out since it is something that I find hard to do without consuming way too much. We’ve all been there. You’re busy, hit the drive-thru, and order a combo meal, or if you’ve missed lunch, you upsize it. You can easily have your entire daily intake of calories in just that one meal! How about this one? It’s Friday night and you’ve got big dinner planned at your favorite restaurant, so you skip lunch. Sound familiar? Don’t! By the time you arrive at the restaurant you’re famished, and hello here comes the bread basket! You eat two or three pieces, with butter of course, and before you know it you’ve inhaled a couple hundred calories before you’ve even spoken to the waiter. A better plan is to eat a light lunch and have a small snack before going out to eat.

Although often the larger adult portion is a better value, I’m no longer ashamed to ask if I can order off the children’s menu. Especially, now that I know how much those extra calories are going to cost me in terms of my health. If the restaurant will not let you order off the children’s menu or you can’t get what you want on it, ask your server to bring a to-go box with your meal and take half of it home. I also now look for items that are flame-grilled, poached, smoked, baked, or grilled when ordering as these are often healthier and lower Smart Point foods. 

Don’t be afraid to ask for dressings and sauces on the side or to have an item baked or grilled instead of fried. Remember, you’re paying good money and it’s okay to make special requests or ask for slight modifications. A restaurant portion can be two, three, and even four times what a normal size serving should be. Regardless of what your parents told you growing up about children starving or waste not, want not, etc., you don’t have to finish everything on your plate. I promise that the plate police are not going to come running out and slap handcuffs on you for pushing your plate away with food on it. This also goes for eating at home. They’re not hiding in your closet or pantry either!

Read the menu carefully. More and more restaurants are promoting low calorie, heart healthy choices. However, that claim isn’t always true. Look for a balance of lean protein such as fish, chicken breast, pork tenderloin, strip steak, complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and monounsaturated fats like canola or olive oil. To help you choose the healthiest meals, visit the restaurant’s website before you go. They often list nutritional information for each dish there.

One great tip I found on the Weight Watcher’s site is not to drink my SmartPoints. One study found that women who indulged in more than two alcoholic drinks in a day consumed nearly 30 percent more calories. Most of all to never drink alcoholic beverages on an empty stomach! Another tip is to start with a salad. Just be sure to omit or limit the bacon bits, cheese, croutons, and creamy dressings. You can also split an entrée with someone else or order an appetizer or two instead of a meal.

Eat dessert. Yes, you read that right. Denying yourself that dessert that sounds so decadent might find you eating an entire carton of ice cream when you get home. The catch? Order one dessert and share it. A few bites should satisfy your sweet tooth.

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How my freestyle weight loss week went:

My first big hurdle came when my neighbor sent some apple and cinnamon treats home with Marcus. She means well, but oh the temptation! So, I left a few out for him to enjoy but put most of them in the freezer. This way neither of us will be binging on them since they have to be thawed before eating. It seems like I just went on our all day shopping trip but once again it was time for my marathon monthly shopping trip with my aunt. I spent 80 percent of my grocery budget on healthy meats, seafood, fresh fruits, and vegetables. The other 20 percent went to staples like PB powder, quinoa, zero point yogurt, and tofu fettuccine noodles. Things like bacon, sausage, sugary cereals, juices, and other highly processed foods are no longer finding their way into my cart.

Midweek found me faced with having to fix dinner after a day of taking my aunt to her appointments and for medical tests. Thank goodness, for leftovers and bagged produce veggies! I had a bag of stir-fry veggies that I sauteed quickly with some teriyaki marinade (just add some cornstarch to thicken). Add, some leftover chicken and put it over some riced cauliflower. In no time, we had a meal of stir fry and I stayed within my points.

This time when on our day of shopping, bill paying, and eating lunch out at a restaurant trip came it was on a Monday. My points had just started over the day before and I was not about to “borrow” from the bank. The interest is too high! Aka my health. However, by getting a grilled sandwich instead of a fried one and passing on the fries, I not only had a delicious lunch at Chick-fil-a but didn’t feel weighed down for the rest of the shopping that was still left to do that day. 

After a week filled with appointments and temptation, it was the moment of truth. I found my way to the scale for my weekly weigh-in. As always, I nervously stepped on the scale. I was pleased to see that I had lost 3 pounds this week! Total lost is 17.4 lbs – Way to go me! Until next week… Remember to stay positive and keep looking forward.

Where are you?

Where are you on your journey? Do you eat out often? Have I forgotten anything? I would love if you would let me know.

Share your thoughts below or on my Facebook fan page.

I am not a medical professional. The contents of this website are for educational purposes and are not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

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Weight Watchers Freestyle Journey Week 5 + A Look At Zero Point Foods