5% Star

On Tuesday after Christmas Betty calls me after work, “what are you doing”? 

 “Getting ready to make some dinner and have a glass of wine.  What are you doing”? 

 “I just signed up and joined Weight Watchers.  Why don’t you come down and join also.  I’ll wait for you.”  What the hell, I figure.

Today is 3 weeks into it and I got (2) 5 # stickers and a 5% star in by log book that confirms that I lost 12 Lbs.  and 5% of my body weight.  

I have this weight watchers thing all figured out.  Just stick to the free foods.  Counting points makes me aware of how much I was eating – of the wrong stuff.  I feel great.  I’m looking better.  I’m using notches on my belt that have never been used.  And I’m not hungry, much.  So below are some Ideas and short stories that have really helped.

After our weigh-in on the sign up night, we went to Great Castle for dinner.  We ordered Wor Wan Ton soup, “Almost Free”.  That is now my new slogan, taken from the beach vendors in Mexico.  Although the hot and spicy eggplant was cooked in lots of oil, it is so rich that it doesn’t take eating a lot to be satisfied.  And we had a light poached fish dish, also “almost free”.    We took most of the food home for future light meals.

Vegetables are free.  So one night I made a pot of soup from a big head of cabbage, carrots, onions and mushrooms.  Basically I cleaned out the fridge of most of the vegetables.  I use a tomato Chicken bouillon and added some salsa (also free) and ended up with a great dinner for basically no points.  It takes a lot of mustard to make it taste good, but mustard is free also. 

I went to lunch with some guys that wanted to go the Woolgrowers Basque restaurant.  This is going to be a challenge, I thought.   I see everyone eating garlic fried chicken, grilled lamb chops, burgers, French dip sandwiches and fries.  I ordered the diet plate with a “petite” filet mignon.  It came with salad and cottage cheese.  So I’m really enjoying the salad with marinated tomatoes.   I resisted the bread and butter.  I know there is oil on the salad but the lettuce and tomatoes are free foods.  Then the “petite” filet mignon came on a plate with cottage cheese and more tomatoes.  It was at least a 10-12 oz. filet.  I cut it in half and covered it in salsa and really devoured half the steak. 

My after-dinner-sweet-tooth is not much problem.  A piece of Sees is only 2 points and satisfies most of the time.  But that is gone now.  For a bigger sweet hunger, I make super cookies:

Using the basic oatmeal cookie recipe, I make oat flour out of rolled oats instead of using white flour.  I Use the brown sugar only and substitute agave sweetener for the white sugar.    I use Yogurt margarine and flax substitute for butter.  Eggs are great.  This makes a nice consistency with the eggs.  Don’t forget the baking soda and double the vanilla.  Add another 2 cups of rolled oats, a cup of raisins, a cup of nuts, a cup of organic coconut, a cup of chocolate chips and anything else that sounds good, like dried cranberries. This makes Super Cookies.  Limit 2 per day, 4-6 points depending on how many points I have left. 

I even went to Hooters with the funny guys from work and instead of having the chicken sandwich, I had the salad with grilled chicken.  The big point buster is the dressing, so I have the vinegrette instead of the blue cheese dressing that I used to love so much.  The little bit of chicken is only about 6 points and the salad is free.  The hot sauce on the table is no points and adds tons of flavor.

For my Noriega Hotel Basque restaurant fix, I go to lunch instead of dinner.  The soup and salad is almost free and I stay away from the fries and blue cheese.  A Regular portion of the entrée is all that I need and a bowl of cabbage soup for dinner keeps my point allocation in check.

I haven’t forgotten about the exercise.  I’ve been on the elliptical trainer or bike riding almost every day.  I love the bike rides on the bike trail west of Allen Rd. and along the Kern River bed and recharge basin.  But it’s too dark or too cold most days.  So for this winter season, it’s a weekend thing.

Anyone want to get a weight watchers group started with Betty and me?   I’m not interested in the meetings with all the strange women.