Without wishing to be immodest, I have known a lot about nutrition and healthy eating since my earliest days as a women’s interest writer, later as a woman’s page editor and through research for my book, “Girl: A Complete Guide To Looking and Feeling Good,” which was published in 1982 and was a guide to fashion, beauty and health for young girls.
In the course of researching that book, (There was, of course, no Google or Internet back then, I had to painstakingly pore over text books and academic papers at libraries, and go out to interview doctors and medical and scientific professionals), I learned a lot about healthy eating.
But while I understand nutrition, and understand all about the hidden as well as the not-so-hidden calories, and know well how to eat so that I was able to maintain my weight over very many decades, what I didn’t know was how to tap into my body’s fat store without starving myself. Oh, yes, I could have done that efficiently enough. I definitely knew how to starve myself thin – I had done fast days and juice days and 300 calories-a-day days; I had days when my daughters (now adults) were little and I had baby-weight to shift, when I would be so hungry I could have gnawed off my own arm. Oh yes, I remember those ultra-low calorie diets well.
The really excellent thing about WeightWatchers is that it shows you how to tap into the body’s fat store without totally starving yourself. Yes, you cut down dramatically on calorie intake but there are so many pointless – sorry, point-free – things to eat, which are also healthy, that you never experience that really acute hunger.
As well as the delicious, no-points vegetable soups I have mentioned previously WeightWatchers, I have evolved some other point-free meals, such as roasted Portobello mushrooms which, with a crunchy green salad, makes a yummy no-points lunch.
INGREDIENTS
4 Portobello or other large, fleshy mushrooms
¼ teaspoon olive oil in a ramekin OR 1 Calorie spray
Salt, pepper, a pinch of dried Herbes de Provence or other dried herbs
METHOD
Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees electric circotherm (Gas mark 9). Wash and dry the mushrooms. Trim the stalks. Place mushrooms flat side down on an oven-proof dish or foil tray. Using a pastry brush, very lightly brush each mushroom with olive oil OR mist with the spray. Season and sprinkle the dried herbs over the mushrooms. Place in pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes. They should be sizzling and tender when prodded with a pointed knife. Turn the mushrooms and return them to oven for 10-15 mins. Serve hot or cold with a crunchy green salad
On the subject of salad, it goes without saying, of course, that mayo is strictly a no-no, so no creamy coleslaw.
A good tip is that crunchy real lettuce, such as an iceberg or those Little Gem lettuces are better in every way than a salad bag. Because real lettuces have “bite” they make you chew which makes eating them more satisfying. Also, although even real lettuce has only a little nutritional value (Vitamin C if it’s fresh and some trace elements), a salad bag is a nutrition-free zone. If you like the variety of leaves, ideally mix torn real lettuce with a few leaves from the salad bag and add some diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes and grated carrot. I add some finely chopped red onion to give the salad more taste. I dress the salad with lemon juice, a pinch of salt, black pepper and dried herbs which I keep mixed in the fridge, ready to use.
One not-so-successful experiment in mayo avoidance was mixing tuna with natural fat-free yogurt. Even with seasoning and a desperate last-ditch splash of Worcester sauce, this was completely disgusting and inedible, though the mixed salad was excellent.
Another thing that makes WeightWatchers more bearable, is there are also treats to be enjoyed if you save some points. For instance, a two-finger Kit-Kat is just 2 points and a Skinny Cow ice cream (my fave is Caramel Shortcake) is also just 2 points, while for a mid-evening sugar fix, 4 wine gums are also just 2 points.
After three weigh-ins (i.e. 4 weeks of WeightWatchers), I have lost 5 pounds – it doesn’t feel a lot, but I am here for the long haul, so I guess, I will have to be satisfied…
Do let me know if you have any point-free recipes you’ve discovered – sharing is caring! All you have to do is start the discussion in the comment box below and sign in with your email address just so that the software knows you are a real person – your email address is not shared or shown with any one else!
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2 Comments
Hi Jan, I read your posts often and love SoSensational, I am in ora of your journey and your so Brave to voice your battle, I am a weight watchers member on line only, since March and have lost 2 stone so far with 1.5 stone to go, I have battled with my weight for years and lack I suppose a little confidence, 10 years ago I worked for WW and did loose 4 stone so yes WW does really work where I went wrong was I didn’t like the scales once I reached my goal , I left WW to concentrate on family, and help my dear husband with his business, the scales well got left behind. I have never been happy putting most of my weight back on it was my 17 year old son that said join WW on line and he would help me …. True to his word the fist few weeks he sorted my points out even came shopping with me, with his help and my dear husband I was losing between 1-2 lbs a week I’ve not had a good couple of months as my husband had to have an operation he had testicular cancer ( but it was caught very early) and it hadn’t spread. I buy the WW magazine The receipes are good don’t no if these are helpful but for breakfast I have fruit whole mango ( zero points) a banana( zero points) any berries ( zero points) then top of with 1tbs of Yeo valley half fat creme fraiche total breakfast 1 pt and it’s really filling , lunch at the moment I’m into little pot of hommus (m&s) 4 pro points with carrots celery peppers or any veg zero points dinners chicken which can vary in points but with veg or salad it brings the points down, Curley wurley from the fridge 3 pro point and it takes ages to eat also if chocolate is a real must go for the options or Cadbury drinking chocolate at 1 pro point per little packet really helps . Hope some of these help ?
Hi Janet, Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and for your very kind words and encouragement. It sounds as if you have had a pretty tough few years, too. Hope all is now good with your husband. It sounds as though your son is being brilliant… you just have to keep on keeping on. Thanks for the tip re Curly-Wurley; my daughters also mentioned them. I’ll put them on the shopping list! Lots of luck and success to you, too. Best wishes, Jan