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Weight Watchers

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• 402881461b354453011b3852157601f0 40288146199b140a01199b15fb700007 true discussion

  Lynn S.

  How do you typically handle going out to eat? I find that I sit there staring at the menu attempting to figure out how many points dishes may be....typically give up and go for what I really want.
  
  BTW...I go out to eat mostly on the weekend after being good all week. Even though I allow myself to indulge a bit on the weekend, I don't want to necessarily pig out.
  
  Just curious at to how you folks do it? Kinda things you order? (please dont tell me salad...lol...)

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  • 402881461b354453011b3852157601f0

    Kata G.

    I usually order an appetizer and a dessert. Almost never a meal, because appetizers get done faster thus you get it sooner. It also gives you time to wait for the dessert, in case if you have second thoughts on ordering one. And by appetizer, I don't mean salad. I usually order anything that looks yummy. And of course choose anything for the dessert!
    
    But sometimes I'm not interested in the appetizers or don't eat much of it, so I order from the meals they have listed. Again I choose whatever looks good. No matter what I order, my dish is always filled with so much food! So I use this well known tip. DIVIDE IT IN HALF. So I eat half of the dish for then and bring the other half home to eat another time, like the next day as dinner. This could apply to anything.

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  • 402881461b354453011b3852157601f0

    Bill S.

    My tips, worth every penny you paid <grin>:
    
    First, I look up the menu online, so that I can decide in advance what would be best.
    
    Second, I remind myself that the purpose of the evening is not the food, but the people. I don't have to eat everything in sight. I should be able to enjoy a nice chat with friends and relations.
    
    Third, I always make sure that I've got some sort of special treat (low-fat ice cream over a warm VitaBrownie, e.g.) at home for later, so that I don't start feeling deprived. (Poor, poor pitiful me!)
    
    Fourth, I try and impress upon the server the need to prepare my food with as little superfluous fat as possible. It's amazing how much butter restaurants use. I once ordered a favorite vegetable - brussels sprouts - only to have it arrive quite literally... swimming in molten butter.
    
    Fifth, I don't starve myself beforehand so as to save the points for a restaurant pig-out. That way lies disaster. I have little enough willpower as it is!
    
    Sixth, if all else fails, so what? Tomorrow is another day. I don't get fat on a single dinner, I get fat on all the Last Suppers (you know the drill: I screwed up bad last night, I might as well have that double bacon cheeseburger for lunch and start my diet again next week...)
    
    
    
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  • 402881461b354453011b3852157601f0

    Terri J.

    I usually stick to anything that that is grilled with a side of vegtables, no bread and a diet drink. But if is I good all week and stuck to the diet I do eat what I want when I go out on the weekends.

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  • 402881461b354453011b3852157601f0

    Shannon H.

    I don't eat out a lot so I do not kill myself trying to order the best option, but instead just try to avoid the worst options. Order wisely, something that you will not regret the next day and enjoy your meal. It has worked for myself and my wife with great success. The key is to make sustainable changes ans decisions. I managed to take 80lbs off over 8 months sticking with this strategy. We Eat out probably twice a month, so it is not real often. I have been maintaining at 155llbs for nearly two months with no real difficulty. Just remember YMMV

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  • 402881461b354453011b3852157601f0

    Brad S.

    First, I always try to plan ahead. I look up the menu (if possible) and usually know what I am going to eat before I arrive at the location. Then I am not tempted with "specials" or not-so-healthy options. I am also a snob when it comes to eating out. I will pick the restaurant most of the time and will usually not go if the choice is a restaurant with limited or no healthy options.
    
    Second, you can always find salad options (with no dressing or fat free options), but that's not always filling. If I can't find nutritional information, I can usually find grilled chicken with steamed vegetables. I don't eat bread or dessert.
    
    Third, and most important to me, is to not arrive at the restaurant hungry. That's the worst mistake! I will always be sure to have a snack (Fiber One bar,... piece of fruit, cottage cheese, etc) about an hour before I get to the restaurant. That way I can focus on chatting with friends and/or family rather than eating anything that is placed on the table.
     (show more)

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  • 402881461b354453011b3852157601f0

    Lynne D.

    There are a few resturants in my area that we frequent the most. I've made note of the things on their menu that are of the most resonable points values. Have a list with at least two different meals from each resturant.
    
    Before you go out to eat you can already have picked out what is within your points value for the day and/or week.

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  • 402881461b354453011b3852157601f0

    Patricia H.

    There's a great book called "Eat This, Not That!" that shows you photos of restaurant dishes and tells you which dishes are better to order, also which restaurants do a better job of serving healthy food. This has helped me a lot in making good decisions when I am at a restaurant, even McDonalds.
    
    Also, there are some restaurants where it is just impossible to eat healthy (or at least impossible with my willpower). I will go back to them when I can afford the calories, but for now I don't even tempt myself. There are plenty of other restaurants; I don't want to waste my calories (and my money) on food that isn't tasty AND healthy (well, healthier). I would rather go to a restaurant where I can choose many things off the menu, than go to one where I can choose only a couple of (healthy)... dishes.
    
    
    
     (show more)

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• 8a79fd3d1ff1904a0120bfb5df5b455c 40288146199b140a01199b15fb700007 true discussion

  Andrea R.

  Mix 1 drinks has a orange carrot drink that has 9 servings of fruit/veggies 8 grams of whey protein and 8 grams of fiber. 115 calories a 11oz serving. Mix 1 is the brand, ask any store near you that carries natural foods and thy should be able to order it in for you. I just started carrying it because it has a really good shelf life (dates) unlike Naked Juice/Odwalla. Just an FYI because the local WW tipped me off on why they buy them!

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• 402881461d5c83b6011d744520750a23 40288146199b140a01199b15fb700007 true discussion

  April L.

  Where do you go for new and creative recipes you can trust? I have been using weightwatchers.com etools there for some time (and WOW, there are a lot of recipes there), but would be really interested to find more go-to recipe sites, magazines, books, etc.

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  • 402881461d5c83b6011d744520750a23

    Emma B.

    Sometimes I find some good recipes on Google!

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  • 402881461d5c83b6011d744520750a23

    Valerie T.

    i love allrecipes.com

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  • 402881461d5c83b6011d744520750a23

    Brad S.

    I am a big fan of www.hungry-girl.com. She has some great recipe swaps to make those things you CRAVE into a healthier option.

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  • 402881461d5c83b6011d744520750a23

    Jennifer S.

    Kraft Healthy Living is good and convenient: http://www.kraftfoods.com/KF/HEALTHYLIVING/HealthyLivingLandingPage.aspx
    
    Also, if you have an iPhone, check out the healthy recipes category in Kraft's iFood Assistant app (not sure what it's titled - "healthy," I think).
    
    http://www.epicurious.com/recipesmenus/healthy/recipes
    
    Most major recipe sites have a healthy section.

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  • 402881461d5c83b6011d744520750a23

    Jennifer S.

    Also check to see if there are any recipe relevant areas on:
    Inspire.com, WellSphere, Healthdiscovery.net, SparkPeople and The Daily Plate...
    

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  • 402881461d5c83b6011d744520750a23

    Jennifer S.

    http://community.cookinglight.com/

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• 4028814519b9cf010119bbed8ac40158 40288146199b140a01199b15fb700007 true discussion

  Carey M.

  So how many points are you allowed in a day?

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  • 4028814519b9cf010119bbed8ac40158

    Shannon H.

    I am on a ten year point plan. I am supposed to be between 20 and 25. I come in around 18 points on most days. And before anyone flames me....yes I eat plenty. A lot of free veggies and low point items like Boca Burgers, lean luncheon meats, baked chips, high fiber fat free bread and plenty of chicken recipes. That and I stay away from convenience foods.

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  • 4028814519b9cf010119bbed8ac40158

    April L.

    it really depends on the person. theres an actual formula to calculate what you should personally be eating (its all addition, dont worry). then it depends on what your goal is. right now, i'm working to maintain (5 months strong!), which means eating more points that i was when I was trying to lose (around 25-26 for me). but I figured that calculation out through expirence -what matches my gym habits and keeps my weight stable, etc.

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  • 4028814519b9cf010119bbed8ac40158

    Mandy H.

    I'm on core, so I don't count points. I just have to make sure my diet is mostly lean meats, fruits, veggies, and grains though. If I have anything outside of that category, I have to count. I love morning toast, which is 2.5 points for two slices, so I coun that and make sure to consider that value when going to the gym.

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  • 4028814519b9cf010119bbed8ac40158

    Susan W.

    I have 24 daily points. I try to eat more core plan foods since it lets me eat more. I like to cook, so I use the recipe builder on the WW website - it makes things really easy. I do try to stay away from pre-packaged and convenience foods.

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  • 4028814519b9cf010119bbed8ac40158

    Emma B.

    The amount of points you are allowed depends on your height and weight. The best thing about weight watchers is unlike other diets I have been on, I am not starving all the time. I highly recommend it. My friend helped me come up with a daily meal plan and I have already lost 4lbs in 2 weeks (and I have definately cheated on occasion!)

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  • 4028814519b9cf010119bbed8ac40158

    Valerie T.

    I'm nursing, and that gives me 10 extra points per day for a total of 33.

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• 40288145199c29b40119a0d7b05e0319 40288146199b140a01199b15fb700007 true discussion

  Mike P.

  Have you noticed that you can see Weight Watchers points on Zeer? Just join the Weight Watchers community, go to the product you are interested, and under infobits on the right side of the page, you'll see points!
  
  Some products don't have all of the nutritional info needed to calculate points, but many do. We'd love your feedback on how this works.

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  • 40288145199c29b40119a0d7b05e0319

    Shannon H.

    I did notice the points. That is a great feature.

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  • 40288145199c29b40119a0d7b05e0319

    Lynn S.

    That is an AWESOME feature! This site is great!

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