Weirdness

Things are weird - I feel manic and in denial and calm all at the same time.  May has been a weird month for me, for all of us I am sure.  But for me, I found myself hospitalized and isolated from family and friends for a full week.  Then I was part of a reduction in force at work, which has left me scrambling to update my resume and reach out to my professional network.

I've been making lists about what I need to do to hit the job search running.  All the while it feels like it's not real and I'm just on vacation.  Sadness creeps in when I think about how much I loved that job.  Then I feel like things are kind of okay because people are already reaching out with possible job opportunities in the same field.  And then I feel a bit of panic around paying bills and what the future will bring for medications.  

I keep having dreams that I'm late for work, so it doesn't feel real yet.  I've been trying to stay positive and find silver linings where I can.  Today's non-scale victory, as weight watchers calls it, was fitting into a size 12 again.  The Barbie dress I bought and wanted to wear to the work party in December finally zips up and isn't tainted with a bittersweet memory.  It's waiting for an event.

It makes me worried about my next flair up though - if the diagnosis is correct, I'll be dealing with this for a long time.  I'd been bitching about how I'd lost 25 pounds and not dropped a dress size and I think what must have happened was that my belly was so distended I didn't notice a difference.  Since I've been home, I've lost another 5 pounds and the change in my body is significant.  So I must have been accepting bloating and pain as normal when it clearly was not.  I did the same thing when my disc herniated in my neck - kept ignoring the red flags my body was sending out until it reached a critical state.  So how do I recognize the warning signs for the next time?

Weight Watchers - Day#1

Daily Points:32/30
Daily Calories: 1,338/1500
Weight: 215.7lbs
Age: 36.66 years

Starting with Weight Watchers again.  Last time I was not as committed to losing weight so, even though I've had my greatest success with WW, I did not achieve my goals.  I have to remember the 50 pounds I lost when I first joined and how I was so motivated to get to my goal.  I was 28 and didn't want to be overweight at 30.  I did so well keeping it off until I went back to school and the job got more stressful.  Now, I want to be in a healthy place when I'm ready to have a kid and I don't want to be overweight at 40.  So I need to hold onto that motivation - or at the very least, I need to track everyday regardless of whether it's good or bad.

I need to consider that I might be attempting to do too much this month with starting weight watchers right before the holidays AND National Novel Writing Month.  But so far, I'm feeling positive about the experience.  Estimated my dinner points and discovered I have more than half to use at lunch time.  I've scheduled a work out time with a co-worker for tomorrow and we're committing to going at least twice a week.  Last time I only focused on changing eating habits and not on working out.  So that is also another item on my plate that could prove to be overwhelming.

Overall, I am pleased with my first day even though I dipped into my weekly points a little bit.  When I compare it with calories, I am definitely below the goal I'd set My Fitness Pal.  I'm curious to see how points compare to calories but have the feeling I'll find tracking in two apps tedious.

Weight Loss V.2 2017

In February, my doctor called my bluff and said he wanted to see me in six months to check on my weight loss goals.  It was definitely the kick in the pants I needed to start taking my 2017 new year's goal of "be healthier" seriously.  I spent about two weeks trying to track and watch my macro nutrients on My Fitness Pal.  This is an excellent app and I will definitely use it again in the future but I just didn't have the will power to manage calories and watch the fat, sugars, sodium, etc.

So two weeks ago, I took advantage of the Weight Watchers online sale and used some of my work bonus to sign up for 3 months.  I have been more conscious of tracking and the items I'm tracking since I started back.  There have been a few changes - the 0 point smoothies I used to love now have to be calculated differently - but so far it's been an easier transition than I remembered from my first membership in 2010.

The website itself has lost some functionality but still covers the basic necessities.  I don't find it as easy to research a particular restaurant or view my list of favorites when making last minute decisions.  But having to plan a little more in advance forces me to make better decisions in the long run. On the positive side, they put a lot of effort into making sure the online customers get the same support one would in a face to face meeting.  So I am confident that this will be the extra bit I need to be successful.

Weight Watchers - Week#6

Official Weigh-in: 203.7 lbs.
Starting Weight: 207.2
Change since last week: +0.5 lbs.
Overall change:-3.6 lbs.
Goal Weight: 145-155 range
Last Week's Weekly Goal:  Track more carefully
This Week's Weekly Goal: Track more carefully

I'm keeping the same goal again for this week.  I started off strong this week, but then slacked off again towards the end.  There's a gain of .5 to show for it, though it's actually down from the official Weight Watchers weigh in I did at a meeting on Saturday.  So there's improvement, but I can definitely do better.

I've been dealing with a lot of negative head space lately.  I know we all deal with it from time to time and especially when we're working on something as personal as weight loss/healthy lifestyle changes.  This journey is not like any other goal in our lives.  Because everyone has an opinion on it and will offer it unsolicited.  

Even if people don't know that you're dealing with it, you still hear their opinions.  At work the other day, there was a conversation about how easy it is to lose weight and don't people realize that it's just a simple matter of calories in and calories out.  But it's not that simple.  It's not like smoking or drinking or biting your nails where it's something you struggle to abstain from completely.  Food is something you need to survive.  Yes we should abstain from the things that aren't healthy for us, but it's not always that easy and it can feel like all food is your enemy when we reduce it to calories in.  Just as exercise can feel like a punishment when we look at it as simply calories out.

Many of us struggle with the journey because of our relationships with food.    Advertising is constantly telling us about our cravings and how their product is the only one that will satisfy said craving.  Time out with friends is usually around drinking or a restaurant meal.  Free lunches at work meetings where Pizza is always the quickest and easiest option to feed a crowd.  In our society, food is a reward, a stress reliever, a social outing, and a comfort.  It's easier to stop at a fast food joint on the way to this appointment or between obligations than to cook something at home.

I love the new Oprah commercial where she talks about bread.  Because I share her love of bread and completely relate to what she says.  But I've learned this week that, unlike Oprah, I can't manage it yet.  If I'm presented with rolls I'm not going to eat just one and then I don't have points for real food.  So maybe I will focus on that while I'm tracking this week.  

I'm going to try and budget points not just for a single day but for each meal within that day. So 10 points per meal and if I consume fewer points for breakfast the remaining points will be evenly distributed to the remaining meals.   Meaning, instead of seeing 30 points for the day (12 of which are taken up by garlic knots) I will see 14 points for lunch after my yogurt breakfast.  Maybe this will help me to weigh my options more carefully.  Because 12 out of 14 sounds a lot more wasteful than 12 out of 30.  Hopefully, this way I won't trash the whole day with free garlic knots at work.

Good luck this week!

Weight Watchers - Week#5

Official Weigh-in: 203.2 lbs.
Starting Weight: 207.2
Change since last week: +2.8 lbs.
Overall change:-4.1 lbs.
Goal Weight: 145-155 range
Last Week's Weekly Goal:  Track more carefully
This Week's Weekly Goal: Track more carefully

As predicted last week, my lax habits have gotten worse and it clearly shows on the scale.  But it's okay, I went back to a meeting last night and did an official weigh in.  I wanted to stay home and slink under the covers, eating red velvet Oreos and promising myself that I'd do better next week.  Which is exactly what I did last week and, hence, no week#4 entry.  I faced the music, though, and picked up some helpful tips in the process.

For this week, I'm keeping the same goal.  I do need to focus on tracking more than ever.

I purchased the set of two plates from Weight Watchers and I intend to use them to help with portion control at dinner.  The wine glasses were not yet available and that's okay.  I need to stray away from alcohol for a while.  The snow storm this last week as not helpful at all.

I took extra walks...to the bar.  While everyone else was watching the snow fall on Saturday, I was walking to the local bar for Irish Coffee.  Yes, with whip cream.  But it was the first snow storm of the year and these are traditions I absolutely love.  I'm willing to indulge as long as I can reign myself back in afterwards.

I also purchased the new starter kit that comes complete with a collapsible salad bowl and a cutting board with built in measuring cups.  It also comes with the new tracking journal - a lovely hardbound book, though lacking in some tracking areas - and a recipe book.The cutting board will probably get the most use because it's incredibly functional.

I intend to fully report on these items in the coming weeks.  As I previously mentioned, I've noticed the tracking journal is pared down from the older style spiral bound journals.  This will be my first week using it, so I'll have more on that in week#6.


Helpful meeting tips:

• Try an appetizer or small plate, or see if you can get away with ordering from the kids’ menu instead of a full size entree.
• Once you’ve decided on a restaurant, try to look at an online menu so you can narrow down your options.
• Pre-track if at all possible
• Look back at how the meal went. Were there any unexpected hurdles—that basket of cheese rolls, say, or your boss urging you to try her fried calamari? How did you handle them? If you're not happy with any of your choices, what could you do differently? A post-prandial post-mortem can help set you up for success next time.
• Ask how things are prepared if the menu is unclear
• Ask for a box and put half of the meal into it before you start eating.  This will prevent you from overeating and then you have lunch for the next day.
• Using the hand measurements to gauge serving sizes.

Good luck this week!

Weight Watchers - Week#3

Official Weigh-in: 200.4 lbs.
Starting Weight: 207.2
Change since last week: -2.4 lbs.
Overall change:-6.9 lbs.
Goal Weight: 145-155 range
Last Week's Weekly Goal:  Drink more water
This Week's Weekly Goal: Track more carefully

Even though I saw a loss this week, I've noticed I'm already getting lax in my not yet habits.  I had one or two days where I didn't track at all until evening or the following day.  This resulted in a huge surprise when an item I frequently ate under the old plan increased by 8 points under the new plan.  I need to treat this as if I am starting as a Weight Watcher's Novice and not assume that I know the points values from the previous years I failed to follow the plan.

I need to get back on track and take this seriously if I'm really going to see progress past the same 10 pounds I've gained and lost over the last year.  A great time to remind myself of why I'm doing this in the first place.

• I want to be healthier this year and twenty years from now
• I want to develop healthy habits that I can teach to my children so they don't have the struggles I have had with weight and health
• I want to look good in Danielle's wedding photos
• I want to look good in all my photos
• I want to lower my bad cholesterol levels

I have not yet added in exercise consistently, though I am trying to walk at lunch if at all possible.  I think this will be next week's goal.

Check back with me next week!

Weight Watchers - Week#2

Official Weigh-in: 202.8 lbs.
Starting Weight: 207.2
Change since last week: -4.5 lbs.
Goal Weight: 145-155 range
Last Week's Weekly Goal:  To start eating breakfast
This Week's Weekly Goal: Drink more water

Overall, I'm very pleased with the first week.  I stuck to eating breakfast every day and only eating the lunch I brought.  I haven't gone back to working out yet, just focusing on my eating habits at the moment.

I did let myself indulge over the weekend with some fresh made pizza at a restaurant that uses locally sourced and organic ingredients.  I was incredibly surprised at my body's reaction.  I know that I ate too much of the pizza because I felt full in the middle of the second slice and still finished off a third piece.  So it's good to know that I'm eating smaller portions during the week and my body is adjusting to this.  But then, within an hour after eating, I was so groggy that I took a nap.  After I woke up I felt like I had a hangover, even though I didn't consume any alcohol.  So lesson learned, listen to my body signals.

This week I'm going to focus on drinking more water.  It's not my beverage of choice but I know there are so many benefits.

• Aids in Digestion
• Helps Maintain a Healthy Weight
• Assists in the removal of waste
• Thins the Blood
• Improves Kidney Function
• Transports Nutrients in the Body

Just to name a few.  I haven't consumed Sodas in many years, but I transitioned to Ice Tea.  While this is significantly better than drinking 3 cans of soda a day, water is still the best possible beverage for humans to consume.  Our bodies are mostly water after all.

Here's a couple starting pictures to help track my progress.  They're not the best pictures of me, but they're ones that made me realize I needed to get back on track.

Good luck with this week!

2016 Goals

1. Trip to Spain with my sestra
2. Graduate from B School
3.  Decide about the CPA/CMA Exams and then, if yes, take at least one part
4. Sestra's Wedding
5. Healthier version of me
6. Attend Write Club more often
7. Plan 5 year anniversary for Scotch Group
8. Build my Etsy Shop Business
9.  Decide about Career path - Fulfillment to Operations Director or take a step back and go 100% Accounting
10. Create and Stick to a Budget
11. Pay down Debt and prepare finances for student loan repayment

Weight Watchers - Week #1

The first time I went through the Weight Watcher's program, I didn't blog about it at all.  In fact, I didn't even have a blog at that time in my life.  It was only afterwards that I thought it might be a motivating series for someone else who might be struggling with the same issues.

Thankfully, or unfortunately depending on how I feel on a particular day, I have gained all the weight back during my time in Business School.  Something about not having any free time for friends, family, or a social life means you're also not focusing on other healthy things as well.  My final semester is coming up this Spring and I don't want my graduation pictures to reflect this stressed out version of me.

So I'm starting back and there's a brand new program rolling out at the same time.  Sounds like the perfect opportunity to write in my blog - which has been sorely neglected - and capture my progress (and struggles) for anyone who might be experiencing the same thing.  It also provides a certain accountability for me.

I'm going to give perfectly honest information and share my beginning weight.  As many of you know, this is not an easy thing to divulge even to one's closest friends so please be courteous in any responses you may leave.  I have not yet decided if I will share progress photos.

Starting Weight: 207.2
Goal Weight: 145-155 range
Combat Tools:

• Weight Watchers Beyond the Scale (New SmartPoints System)
• Samsung Gear Fit Watch
• Gym Membership at Planet Fitness Equivalent
• Journaling/Blogging
• Les Mills Combat DVDs
• T25 Workout DVDs
• Standard size, walk-demanding, Dachshund who saves nothing for the walk back
• FAB Support group on Facebook
• A Romantic Partner equally as concerned about Health and Wellness

Weekly Goal:  To start eating breakfast - I've never been a breakfast eater and I think my metabolism suffers for it.

I'm going to go a little Bridget Jones in this and start out with my current weight on entries.  But I'm also going to try and blog about some of the meeting topics - which should be a great motivator to actually go to my weekly meetings.

Looking forward to completing this journey with all of you!

K

Healthy Living - Again

I'm trying to get back on the wagon with taking care of myself.  This means, eating properly and exercising regularly.  Not to mention getting enough sleep, wearing sunscreen, and using sulfate free shampoos on my hair.  It's not easy to do on a regular basis while keeping up with the other demands of life, aka work and school.

6 years ago I lost over 40 pounds on weight watchers, in the last 3 years I've gained it all back.  2 years ago, I didn't lose any weight but I converted the fat into muscle and dropped several inches from my waistline.  The problems that led to ending up back where I started haven't gone away.  I have one year left of school and work is still a stressful environment.  But with only a year left of school and several special events coming up after that, I want to get back into my healthy habits.  Life only gets more difficult from here on out and I need to actually nail this down now so I can carry it through.

As you may have read, I lost my grandmother last month.  She had diabetes and other health problems that could have been avoided with simple steps in her youth.  I want to make sure that I am doing those things now and not taking my health for granted.  I'm already noticing parts of me deteriorating and I need to halt as much as I can for as long as I can.  This takes discipline and hard work.

I want to create healthy habits that will be passed down to my children, eventually, and I don't want them to struggle with this the way that I have.  I want to be a good example for them and show them how life can be lived to the fullest while not indulging in every single impulse that comes along.

2014 Goals

Long ago, I decided not to have resolutions at New Year's - I felt that it set up for failure and disappointment.  Part I my yearly ritual, after Danielle leaves for home and I start to feel the melancholy that inevitably follows, is to look forward to the new year and set a list of goals I'd like to achieve.  Some of them fit in with a larger plan, i.e. Graduate School, and some are purely for the immediate future.

Even though I did not write them down in a formal blog post, there were several things that I mentioned throughout the year.  So, to begin, let's take a look back at last year's 2013 goals:

1. Buy a House - this was most definitely achieved in 2013!
2. Quit Hallmark - an ongoing goal for several years, but finally achieved in July of 2013.
3. More creative writing - I have one story I've been working on this year.  Mostly when I'm in an airplane and have nothing else I can do for 2 hours.
4. Europe Trip with Danielle - we made it to London, Cardiff, and Dublin with Andrea in May/June of 2013.
5. Pay off Credit Card Debt - refinanced with some student loan money and then wracked it up again  :(
6. More contact with friends who live out of state- didn't do so well on this.  Because of goal#1 I didn't even make it down for my annual visit with J & H.

All in all, not a bad year for my goals.  There were so many things that happened it's difficult to remember it all now.  Dad was able to legally wed Stepdaddy M in Maryland.  My sister graduated from business school and we took our youngest cousin to the ceremony in Atlanta.

2014 has some big shoes to fill, but I think it will be just as fantastic as this year.  New Goals:

1. Focus more on experiences and less on things
2. Writing more during breaks from school.
3. Plan one additional monthly event for the Scotch Sippers meetup.
4. Go to the gym 3 times a week during breaks and at least 1 time a week during the semester.
5. Paint the living room and/or master bedroom before the start of the fall semester.
6. Have a housewarming party/birthday party.
7. Listen more and complain less
8. Apply to jobs in the accounting field
9. Budget more effectively
10. Plan a big trip for end of 2014, possibly early 2015.

Some of these are very practical and some are pie in the sky.  Really curious to see where the new year leads and what I will be able to accomplish for myself.

A Summer Break

I realized I haven't posted anything in about six months, largely due to the demands of school and work.  A lot has happened in that time frame and I'm taking a break from school this summer to catch up on things.  I'm trying to get myself in order and ready to attack the fall semester.

Major Events:
Purchased My First Home
Traveled to the UK with my sister
Dad and his Partner were legally married 

Important, but not so major, events:
Gained back 30 of the 40 pounds I lost in the last year
Recommitted to Weight Watchers
Joined a Gym

Weight Watchers - February Update

Just came back from my weight watchers meeting and I am down 1 lb.! Which means I am back to my pre-holiday weight and ready to continue my momentum to make my lifetime goal this year. I had originally wanted to reach my goal by my birthday and lifetime soon thereafter, but I have to be a bit more realistic. "Man, I LOVE cake!"

New Year, New Entry

I started to read back through the posts I put up at the start of last year and I had to stop myself.  I have found myself so melancholy at the turning of this new year and reading through how happy I was at the beginning of the last isn't helping me that much.  Though, I don't want this entry to turn into a poor me kind of thing.  I wanted to write about how exciting it is to put up a fresh calendar with all the possibilities of it still looming ahead of me, because that's terribly exciting to me.  Or to compare my goals for this year vs. how I did on my goals for last year, less exciting when I realized I didn't complete several of them as originally hoped.   But, of course, I start off with the melancholy because it seems to be infecting everything right now.  It could be due mostly to the weather, or Danielle returning to Atlanta - nothing seems to feel right after she leaves, but it's just a general sense of blah.

So the best way to overcome these Doldrums, as told me to by Tock the Watch Dog, is to think.  So let's get on with these 2012 goals and plans for my life.

School Timeline:

• January 2012
• Write two entrance essays for University of Maryland Application
• Contact people for recommendation letters to include with applications
• February 2012
• Submit University of Maryland Application
• March 2012
• April 2012
• May 2012
• June 2012
• July 2012
• August 2012
• Submit Towson University Application
• September 2012
• Start Classes

Obviously, this will need some major work.  For instance, I can't possibly start classes in September without first deciding to which school I will attend.  So perhaps I should move up my Towson Submission date, even though they have rolling admissions, so I can have complete choices.  I will also have to look up the decision deadline for all the colleges, the program length, and the average cost per year.

Goals for 2012:

• Make more of an effort to contact friends, i.e J and G whom I don't get to see that often and really should call more frequently.
• Adhere to budgets set for myself
• Adhere to Credit Card payoff budget I set for myself.
• Continue working with the Weight Watchers Program and attain goal weight by (or reasonably close to) my birthday.

I think that's a good start for now.  Oh, hey, the Lethargians are running scared now....on to the Land of Expectations!

Weight Watchers New Daily Points - Week#2

I won't be going for an official weigh-in today as we're having a "Team Christmas Lunch."   (I've looked at the menu for the place we're going and the Monte Cristo is calling my name.)  However, I did do a weigh-in, at home, this morning and I was pleased with the results.  I always weigh myself naked at home on weigh-in days just so I know what to expect.  With clothes, I'm usually about 2 pounds heavier at my official noon weigh-in.  So I'm estimating that I've lost .6 pounds this week.

I have to say that I am excited about that!  I had two Christmas parties this week and I definitely dipped into my exercise points to cover the Dunkin Donuts I had at my second job last night.  I am not ashamed that I indulged in the donuts as I was able to fully resist the Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake at my office party earlier that day. 

So this puts me at 3 pounds down since I started the new Daily Points with Weight Watchers.  If I can stick within my point limits through the holidays, I am confident that I could see another loss at the scale next week.  This definitely makes me feel that I can reach my lifetime goal by my birthday in 68 days, or at least get really, really close to it.

It's the prospect of maintenance that scares me.  Can I really maintain my weight, within 2 pounds, for six weeks once I switch to the maintenance phase and have more daily points?  And what about after that?  I do like that lifetime membership now comes with free e-tools.  I don't know how I would be able to maintain my weight loss without it and I didn't relish the idea of paying the $12.95  a month to keep it up.

Weight Watchers New Daily Points - Week#1

I had my weigh-in this week and I have to say that I was really pleased.  I am officially down 2.4 pounds from my previous weigh-in.  According to Weight Watchers this is about .4 pounds too much and they are concerned I'm losing too much too quickly.  (The average weight loss should be no more than 2 pounds a week for healthy weight loss.)   I see it as a perfect storm kind of thing; my cycle has finally ended thus shedding some water weight, I've adhered to the new point plus system as closely as possible, and I'm finally getting better from this cold.  So I'm not concerned about the extra .4.

Points Plus 2012

We just got our new Points Plus 2012 packets today!  I'm kind of excited about the changes, though they aren't nearly as tumultuous as last year's presentation of the Points Plus program.  I've been struggling with losing weight for the past six months or so.  It could be emotional, laziness, or some other factor. Thankfully, Weight Watchers has made a few tweaks to the Points Plus Program and they're challenging me to get back on track.

Here's what I've learned so far:

1. Weight Watchers has recalculated daily points values for a lot of the people who were at low end of that spectrum.
2. Wine is now 3 points plus for 4 oz, instead of the 4 I've been calculating.
3. Beer is now 5 points plus for 12 oz, instead of the 4 I've been calculating.  (sad face)
4. There will now be activity goals.

I will return with updates as soon as I've lived with this newish plan a little bit.

First Sunburn of the year

Last day in Atlanta and we went over to my friend, K's place to soak up some sun by her community pool.  These are the things I have learned from that event:

1) SPF 30 is the only acceptable Sunblock level to use on my face. - I have a reverse Raccoon effect going on from wearing my sunglasses the entire time.
2) Adult swim exists for a reason.
3) SPF 30 should be used when first exposing areas of skin that have been covered by a one piece bathing suit for years.

Now I'm just hoping my nose and chest don't start peeling. 

Back on Track - WW edition

I went for my weigh-in today.  First one since my trip to NC and my eating of an entire box of Krispy Kreme Cheerwine donuts.  I know there is a reason I gained 2.8 pounds last week and thy name is Krispy Kreme.  The good news is that I lost 3.4 pounds this week.  So not only did I reverse the damage I did with my trip to NC, but I have made a little headway.  As of this week, I am back to where I was before I took my Ireland trip.

Shhh, I know that was 4 months ago but I am ready to get back to business with this.  I have about 15-20 pounds more to go and I am already happy with the way I look.  I think this is part of the problem, however.  Because there is such a marked difference from when I started and I am so much more comfortable in my own skin I have gotten lazy about the program.  I am not losing, but on the positive side of things I am not gaining a lot either.  I have been waivering between the same 5 pounds for the last 4 months and that's not a terrible thing.  If I were truly off the diet, it would be a lot worse.  This just proves to me that I have learned a lot in the last year and I am making healthy choices even if I am not doing them consciously.

So, Yay me!

USDA's My Plate



When I was in elementary school, we were taught the four food groups: Meats, Milk & Dairy, Cereals & Breads, and Fruits & Vegetables.  Then things got a little complicated with the introduction of the Food Pyramid.  Now there were recommended portions and six different sections, breads were the solid base  and fruits and vegetables each had their own section.  In 2005, the pyramid was changed to give a smaller role to breads & cereals, but it stayed equally as confusing.  This week, the USDA has released the new dietary guidelines and their new good health graphic.  They've gone with a plate this time, which makes a little more sense to me.

USDA My Plate


Now, it seems like Fruits & Vegetables are the base of healthy nutrition.  (To those following the new Weight Watchers Points Plus Program, this isn't a huge surprise.)  Half of the plate is taken up with these two important food groups.

The Grains still take up a sizable portion of the plate, but the USDA is quick to state that half of these grains should be whole grains and not refined grains like white flour.  (The refined grains tend to be over processed and lacking in fiber.)  Again, this is nothing new to the WW people.

Then there is the Protein section.  Which is pretty self-explanatory, but feel free to follow the link for further information.

Dairy rounds it all out, though be careful to read the information link because the dairy section only refers to those items that are rich in calcium.  This does not include cream cheese, cream, or butter I regret to say.  Not pictured on the plate, but certainly included in the Weight Watchers Daily Healthy checks and on the USDA website, are Oils. 

I find it incredibly interesting to see a lot of the Weight Watchers program reflected in these new guidelines, especially the emphasis on fruit.  As you may or may not be aware, Weight Watchers recently declared all fruits to be 0 points.  This has been tremendously helpful on days where all my points are gone and I am still hungry.  Most vegetables are also 0, but it depends on how they might be prepared.

I am glad to see that I am making healthy choices in my day to day food choices.  Even if it's because of the Weight Watcher's Guidelines and not because I figured it all out on my own.  It's nice to have the USDA research to back up my Weight Loss Program, too.  Reminds me that it's not a crazy fad diet, that's it's an actual lifestyle change.