Weight Watchers survival kit

July 23, 2008 2:50 PM

Weight Watchers start-up survival kit?

I'm joining a few colleagues at work for Weight Watchers. I did the plan about six years ago and was pretty successful in dropping about 20 pounds. I was in law school then and had a very set schedule, some regular workout buddies and well, no full-time job.
I don't remember exactly how the first few weeks went but it seems that I had some go-to foods to get me through the day and still leave me full enough to hit the gym after work.

Any Mefites have suggestions on things I should stock up on at the grocery this evening? (outside of the obvious fruits and vegetables, of course.) Oh .... and I'll be counting points. I don't like that core stuff too much.

Thanks

posted by notjustfoxybrown to food & drink (21 comments total)

Random comment that may or may not apply to your case. I recall I had a favorite sandwich that fitted in well with WW (low # of points), and filled me up well too. I believe it was swiss on rye with Russian, or something like that. Find a sandwich or other dish you like well enough to eat often, and buy lots of ingredients to make that dish. Congratulations on your decision.
posted by JimN2TAW at 3:14 PM on July 23, 2008

I use Wasa Multigrain crackers to fill me up. About 40 calories each and relatively healthy.
posted by sharkfu at 3:48 PM on July 23, 2008

My favorite snack food on WW was Fiber One Chewy Granola Bars. As I recall the chocolate flavored ones were only 2 points for me because they had so much fiber. They're surprisingly filling. Plus they really satisfy that "MUST HAVE CHOCOLATE" urge.
posted by beandip at 3:54 PM on July 23, 2008

I loved both the Fiber One and Kashi granola/snack bars - both are two points each with lots of fiber - until I figured out that the fiber [chickory] was causing some rather unpleasant gastro effects. But they were both yummy and very filling and I wish I could add them back into my diet.

My go-to lunch is a high-fiber wrap (Mission) with lots of turkey or beans, and just enough cheese to melt and make it interesting. Added bonus if I have enough time in the morning to pre-cook the filling, but that's a rare treat.

Baby carrots, pretzel sticks (you can have 48 for two points), Frosted Mini-Wheats (8 for one point), lots of water.

I found it helpful to plan out my entire day so there was fewer chances to cheat/slip. I carried a lunch box the size of a small television.

I need to go back on WW.
posted by Sweetie Darling at 3:55 PM on July 23, 2008

I carried a lunch box the size of a small television.

This made me laugh. I was known on campus as the girl with the lunch briefcase.
posted by notjustfoxybrown at 4:05 PM on July 23, 2008 [1 favorite]

My go-to meal spanner is 1 oz (1 "serving") of Blue Diamond Smokehouse Almonds.

16g fat / 6g protein / 3g fiber / 1g carbs = 170 kcal

will keep the hunger away for an hour or three, goes great with a big cuppa water, salty enough that one serving is 'enough' (unlike say Honey Roasted Cashews, where maybe half a can is 'enough').
posted by yort at 4:17 PM on July 23, 2008

Mini popcorn bags. I get the low-fat 100-calorie-per-bag bags and they're 1 point each. The 100-calorie hostess chocolate cupcakes are 1 point per package (but not all of the flavors are, so be careful). And hot cereal. A serving of regular Oatmeal or Cream of Wheat with a pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons (!) of brown sugar is 4 points and carries me straight through to lunch with no need to snack. Obviously you could use less sugar and have less points.
posted by dogmom at 4:32 PM on July 23, 2008

I've been buying so many baby carrots it's insane. And you can make a HUGE egg white omelette with spinach and salsa that's really great and low points. Salsa has been very, very helpful. Good luck! I've lost 20 lbs in about 2 1/2 months, and that was really just counting points for the first few weeks. Oh, and seltzer -- I've turned my orange juice addiction into a selzter-with-a-splash-of-juice addiction and I don't miss it.

I do, however, dream of cheese.
posted by armacy at 4:53 PM on July 23, 2008

Single serving string cheese sticks have enough fat/protein in a small package to be satisfying. I have ones from Black Diamond in the fridge right now that are 60 calories (with 6 g of protein and 4 g of fat) for one stick. Pair it with some fruit or high-fibre crackers and you have a very filling snack.
posted by kate blank at 5:16 PM on July 23, 2008

Cool Whip is a good low points desert, but that is assuming you are like me and like cool whip by itself.
posted by amery2008 at 5:30 PM on July 23, 2008

Laughing Cow light cheese wedges, the ones in the round cardboard. There are different flavors and they're spreadable, so they're good on Wasa Crisps, apple slices or in a tortilla with some lunchmeat. 1 point each, by themselves.

Not food, but I have a food scale, and I use it a lot. If I'm going to have cheese, I want to make sure that I have exactly an ounce, no more or less. I've seen them at Ross, TJ Maxx, Home Goods and the like for cheap. I also use my measuring cups and spoons, so I don't have to guess about food amounts.
posted by lemonwheel at 5:44 PM on July 23, 2008

Jello instant sugar-free pudding made with skim milk and sugar-free jello with light cool whip pulled me through some sweet cravings. Also, vowing not to eat after 7pm or so, and getting to bed earlier really helped.
posted by maloon at 6:12 PM on July 23, 2008

P = (calories + fat * 4 - fiber * 10) / 50.
posted by smackfu at 6:12 PM on July 23, 2008

Oh! and egg drop soup!!!!
posted by maloon at 6:13 PM on July 23, 2008

Thank you all for great suggestions! Please keep them coming. I need all the encouragement I can get.
posted by notjustfoxybrown at 10:37 PM on July 23, 2008

Actually smackfu, P = (calories/50) + (fiber * -0.2) + (fat/12).

The points targets on WW are only slightly below your body's caloric balance point. If you cut the target by a point or two you lose weight much faster.
Sarah Lee Delightful White bread is 1 point for two slices. A Boca burger sandwich with this bread is 2 points total, and combined with a glass of water is insanely filling. I lost 40 pounds in 6 months, which got me to my ideal weight.
posted by w0mbat at 2:15 AM on July 24, 2008 [1 favorite]

a dozen eggs, hardboiled. I snack on one a few hours after lunch to get me thru the workout after work. that protein goes a long way
nonfat yogurt (I like activia vanilla lite and it comes in 4oz cups)
progresso "0" pts soups
fat free feta for salads, olive oil
I get radishes, cukes, carrots celery, cut up and store in tupperware for the week. I get big carrots, after I realized the baby ones just don't seem to taste good to me
spaghetti squash for fake pasta
salsa and ff cottage cheese
whole wheat pita bread
ff hot dogs if you dare. I like them more than I thought I would
no pudge brownie mix, for the chocolate fix. you can bake one at a time!
if you have the option of having ww online access, grab it. makes it sooo easy to add up points.
good luck!
posted by culberjo at 2:29 AM on July 24, 2008

string cheese (esp the lowfat kind)
spicy blackbean burgers (forget who makes them) with a light hamburger bun
cottage cheese on a baked potato (or baked sweet potato)
nonfat plain yogurt, strained through a coffee filter is a great sub for sour cream
the campbells "soup at hand" were good - chicken with stars and classic tomato, if i recall
quaker multigrain cakes (i think that's what they are - like rice cakes)
laughing cow light
baby carrots and light ranch dressing
apple slices and lowfat caramel dressing
corn tortillas and low-fat cheddar and vegs of choice - easy and yummy quesadilla

i'm so glad you posted this. i lost 50ish lbs on WW a few years back before i got married, and after the birth of my triplets, i've gained it all back, plus some. this post will really come in handy to lose the baby weight. it's fun to remember those old favorites!

and i tried core for a while and ended up gaining. oops.
posted by pyjammy at 9:03 AM on July 24, 2008

Oh, and regarding the Fiber One bars - DO NOT EAT MORE THAN ONE A DAY. Believe me. Oh man. The pain! ha ha!
posted by pyjammy at 9:04 AM on July 24, 2008

mini bags of smart pop popcorn
dr praeger's veggie burgers
hard-boiled eggs, discarding the yolks, you can have 3 for one point
various rolls made with brown rice...cucumber and avacado, california, spicy tuna (no mayo) are nice for dinner out

also WW now has so many snacks and treats and they are all really good.

Good luck!
posted by agentwills at 11:13 AM on July 24, 2008

Cup-a-noodle packets are generally 1 point and do the job if you're really craving something.

Mustard is 0 points so it's the perfect sandwich spread. So are pickles. Salsa (0)and baked scoop Tostitos (2 pts) is a nice snack too.

Canned corn is low in fat and high in fiber so it will have low points values unless there's added sugar or something.

The points targets on WW are only slightly below your body's caloric balance point.

This really depends where you are in the range, since they use the same range for people who are 25 pounds different in weight, which could easily be 3 pts diff in BMR.
posted by smackfu at 1:06 PM on July 24, 2008