We ALL know I am a huge fan...(no pun intended..:)) of Weight Watchers. But, it is also no secret, that I am not doing the "Points Plus Program" I am sure it works for some, BUT.. the "Free" idea of fruits and veggies are not for this gal~NOTHING is free, at least for me. IN MODERATION is not what got me to 309 pds. I could get fat on fruits and veggies. I need accountability! I did not do well with points plus, so I went back (thank God I kept my books) to momentum, the previous plan that I lost my weight on. This is what works for me. I have had enough interest lately about this topic, so I thought I would share this! hugs el

Weight Watcher's Points Plus not working well for all

Weight Watchers is best known for its Points System, which assigns specific values to different foods and permits each member a daily allotment. The Points System has been a very successful way to lose weight. I can personally attest to that.

The latest Weight Watchers system, is called Points Plus. It apparently was intended to” steer people toward more healthy food choices, encouraging people to eat more fresh fruits by giving them zero points, as most vegetables already were”. The problem is that many people going to Weight Watchers programs are having difficulty losing weight with the Points Plus system.Weight Watchers tried in December 2011 to address the concerns by recommending that” all members consider reducing their daily food intake, or points allotment, by 10 percent, not counting fruits and vegetables”)

On the Points Plus plan, dieters can have as much fruit as they want without counting any points for fruits.

Marjorie Nolan, speaking on behalf of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is quoted as saying “No single dietitian I know would count fruit as a ‘free’ food if someone is on a diet and trying to lose weight. You have to account for it,”…that is something we all would surely agree with. Weight Watchers defends its action saying that consumption of fruits is low in this country (talk about being on another planet)! In New York City that is definitely not so. I am not certain what the situation is in other parts of the country.

         This recipe is a very simple recipe for pinto beans. They will finish off nice and creamy and the vegetables will almost have completely dissolved. You can easily switch out the ingredients or leave out the Poblano if you don’t want any heat. Next time I would also probably add in some tomato paste or a diced fresh tomato as well.


Weight Watchers Simple Crock Pot Pinto Beans
Points: 3 weight watchers pointsplus
Servings: 12
Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Nutritional Information: 130 calories, .5 g of fat, 24 g of carbohydrates, 9.5 g of fiber, 7.5 g of protein
Ingredients
1 pound pinto beans, rinsed
1 onion, diced
4 gloves of garlic, diced
1-2 poblanos, seeded and diced
1/2 tbsp of cumin
1 tsp of salt
1-2 bay leaves
Chicken or vegetable broth
Instructions
1. Start by rinsing your pinto beans and removing any sand or rocks.
2. Add the beans, onions, garlic, poblano, cumin, salt, and bay leaves to the crock pot. Cover with chicken broth until there is an inch of broth above the beans.

3. Cook for 8-10 hours until beans are soft.


http://www.slenderkitchen.com/simple-crock-pot-pinto-beans/
http://www.presentdiabetes.com/etalk/Weight-Watchers-Points-Plus-t5468.html#-1

http://dashingdish.com/recipe/no-noohttp:

No Noodles About It – The Best Low Carb Lasagna!

View online: http://dashingdish.com/recipe/no-noodles-about-it-the-best-low-carb-lasagna-ever/

Method

The estimated time to make this recipe is 30 - 45 Minutes.

1

For the noodle layer: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray, arrange zucchini slices and season with salt and pepper. Bake zucchini slices for 5 minutes on each side, then remove from oven. Set zucchini slices aside and lower oven temperature to 375 degrees.

2

For the meat sauce layer: In a large non-stick skillet, cook meat until it’s browned. To the skillet, add the veggies, seasonings, and the entire jar of spaghetti sauce. Simmer for about 10 minutes, (or until veggies are de-thawed/begin to soften), stirring occasionally.

3

For the cheesy layer: Mix the cottage cheese and parmesan cheese together, ( this can be done right in the cottage cheese container!)

4

Put it all together: Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Begin by spreading 1/3 of the meat sauce in the bottom of the pan.

5

Follow meat sauce with a layer of zucchini slices, followed by a layer of cottage cheese. Repeat the layers until casserole dish is full.

6

Finish it off: Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the top. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.

7

Remove foil and bake or broil another 5-10 minutes until cheese is browned. Remove from oven and let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing, and serve warm!

Ingredients

For the Noodles:
6 large	Zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/8 inch strips1
For the Meat Sauce:
1.25 lb	Lean ground turkey meat
1 large	Onion, diced
2 cups	Fresh or frozen broccoli
2 cups	Fresh or frozen cauliflower
2 cups	Fresh or frozen chopped spinach
1	25oz jar of spaghetti sauce
1 tbs	Garlic powder or 1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch	Salt and pepper, or to taste
Optional	Seasoning: 2 tbs of Italian Seasoning
For the Cheese Layer:
1	16oz container light cottage cheese or light ricotta cheese
1/2 cup	Grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup	Shredded mozzarella cheese
Note:	If you don’t want to use zucchini for the ‘noodles’, you could also use a large eggplant, cut lengthwise into 1/8 inch strips, or 1 box no-boil lasagna noodles!
7	WWP+*

Tracking...aka~ self monitoring

 As a Life time member of Weight Watchers, it is easy to think...we know it all...we have this whooped. Well, that is the member who needs HELP. I will say, yes, that is me from time to time.  This week we are to track...diligently, then bring back our trackers for other members to view.
 We all know that ongoing recording of what you eat and how much you exercise has been linked with greater success in weight loss. But, tracking, or self monitoring  are a key to maintaining your weight.  Studies show, on going tracking increases weight loss to 75%....did you read that? 75%. Doing this does take time...uh...like a few seconds....so, just do it already. It takes 28 days to make something a habit. So, start NOW! Over time making these strategies part of your daily life becomes easier and requires less attention.

Weight Watches provides several useful tools to help in your journey, the paper tracker is my method. The online tracker also is awesome way to keep track of everything from good health guidelines, exercise, points plus values, and activity points.  Then your weekly weigh in will be greeted with joy!

Weight Watchers Pumpkin Rice Crispy Treats
Points: 4 Weight Watchers Points plus
Servings: 6
Serving Size: 1/6 recipe
Nutritional Info: 124.2 calories, 2.1 g of fat, 25.7 g carbohydrates, .2 g dietary fiber, 1.2 g of protein
Ingredients
1 tbsp butter
1/8 cup pumpkin
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
5 oz marshmallows
3 cups Rice Crispy cereal
Instructions
1. In a medium sauce pan melt the tablespoon of butter. Add the pumpkin and whisk until the pumpkin begins to melt. Stir in the pumpkin pie spice and salt.
2. Add the marshmallows and continue to stir until they are completely melted.
3. Add the rice crispy cereal and mix together. Press into an 8 X 8 dish sprayed with cooking spray. Let set for at least 30 minutes. Best served the day you make them as they can get stale fairly quickly.
http://www.slenderkitchen.com/pumpkin-rice-crispy-treats/