irisinnia
Transcendent Member
233/211/160
Posts: 1,222
|
Post by irisinnia on Oct 25, 2019 21:47:35 GMT
Hello! I feel like a lot of us "know" each other but just wanted to get us started with some talking points.
What do you love about the PointsPlus plan? Where are you on your weight loss journey? Do you have any favorite on plan foods? What would you love to see on our fabulous new PointsPlus board?
|
|
irisinnia
Transcendent Member
233/211/160
Posts: 1,222
|
Post by irisinnia on Oct 25, 2019 22:04:01 GMT
I'll start since I asked the questions. lol I love the PointsPlus plan because it makes the most sense to me. (1) It's close to calories, about 40 cal per point, which makes it really easy to guess points out in the "real world", (2) It has the GHG's which are amazing guidelines for eating healthy, and they are 'guidelines' not 'rules', so I don't feel like I failed if I can't do it all on any given day (3) free fruits and vegetables which I desperately need, because I'm terrible at eating them I lost 50 lbs after my first baby then gained 30 back after my second baby and have been struggling. I've never made it to goal, but I'm really thinking that this could be my year. I'd love to have some PointsPlus friends with me on this journey! My favorite on plan foods are (aside from being able to fit anything into the plan) "ice cream" from my Yonana machine (0 PP + Toppings) , Yoplait yogurt (2PP), Fudgsicles (1 PP), and apparently I'm only thinking about ice cream right now so I'll have to come back later when I'm thinking about other snacks/foods. I would love to post a "Weekly Meeting" where we work on one of the 16 routines (ex. fruit or veg with every meal and snack) and have a topic (we could even do the great plate near thanksgiving if anyone is interested), maybe even a recipe to try? Then people could comment and post as often as they want but it would be the "official" topic. Mostly, I would just love it if people were checking in talking about how it's going on plan, GHG's, etc. And can we please talk point values? I feel like an alien when I see SP after something. lol
|
|
|
Post by limefan on Oct 26, 2019 0:47:15 GMT
Hello.
What I like about Points Plus is that the calorie and points values are fairly consistent. I can eat 26 points and know that the calorie count will be pretty much the same every day unlike Smart Points which can be all over the place. I like that I am not penalized for eating sweets.
I lost 106 pounds following the original points plan, Momentum and Points Plus. I reached goal by following Simply Filling with Points Plus. Once the plan changed to Smart Points formula, I gained 20 pounds and have been fighting to get it off for the last 2 years. I finally went back to Points Plus and started to lose again. I lose very slowly. It took me 7 years to reach Lifetime status.
Some of my go to foods are low fat string cheese (1), Weight Watchers snack size fudge bars (1PP), PB2 (1PP) and Joseph's pita (1PP) - I use this as my base to make pizza (yum).
I like your idea of a "weekly meeting" with a different topic.
I could really use some ideas on Points Plus friendly meals. I get stuck in a rut and eat the same thing because I cannot think of anything new. I think sometimes that is what slows my loss is because I am eating the same foods. I used to shake up my menu from time to time, but I have not done that in a while.
I look forward to having sharing ideas. Thanks for asking for the thread.
|
|
|
Post by zazzles on Oct 26, 2019 2:54:30 GMT
|
|
|
Post by cathygeha on Oct 26, 2019 7:24:34 GMT
I lost on exchanges in 1984 and then 1998/9 did the 123 points program. I may have received the points+ program at one point but never really used it for weight loss. I am trying to remember how it worked...looked online for the differences and THINK Points+ took protein into the slide rule equation, increased some points and lowered others, increased weeklies to 49 from 35 and might have been the one with lower daily points (like 21?) Anyway...will be checking in here (probably) from time to time after WW reveals its new "program(s)"
|
|
irisinnia
Transcendent Member
233/211/160
Posts: 1,222
|
Post by irisinnia on Oct 26, 2019 13:45:45 GMT
limefan, Thank you for sharing! Great stuff! I posted a huge pdf in the "resources" thread. It had a lot of recipes in it, if that helps. I forgot about the string cheese, so I will definitely be adding that to my shopping list. cathygeha, Good to see you! It will be great to have you join us. I posted some calculators in the resources so you can get your daily points. I don't think it drops below 26 though. And yes, 49 weeklies.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2019 14:58:47 GMT
Hey all!
I lost almost everything on core, way back then. Right now, I am using the points plus plan mostly because I have found a Facebook group of Italian women that are using this plan. It was the plan being used at the time when WW closed their doors here in Italy. This makes it so much easier for me, the woman that started the group has a blog with lots of recipes already pointed. So much of what is shared on connect, regarding freestyle on Instagram and Facebook uses products I can't get like Kodiak cakes, pizzelle, etc. I find this frustrating.
And, Italian recipes and style of eating to boot. As they say" when in Rome...."
I am at the last 5-6 pounds. I have been losing and gaining the same 3- 4 pounds for ages now. What I'm hoping to get out of coming back to points plus is learning how to eat balanced without being punished for certain choices.
|
|
|
Post by limefan on Oct 26, 2019 15:52:55 GMT
Thanks, Zazzles. I will check them out. I like recipes that do not have a lot of ingredients or that which include items I already have, but I do need to shake things up a bit so maybe I need to venture from my usual foods.
|
|
|
Post by zazzles on Oct 26, 2019 16:30:58 GMT
Thanks, Zazzles. I will check them out. I like recipes that do not have a lot of ingredients or that which include items I already have, but I do need to shake things up a bit so maybe I need to venture from my usual foods. I believe the Just 5 cookbook is 5-ingredient recipes…should be perfect!
|
|
|
Post by zazzles on Oct 26, 2019 16:55:31 GMT
For anyone interested in the Just 5 cookbook, 5-ingredient recipes, here’s a list of the chapters and recipes:
LIGHT MEALS Soups, Salads, Sandwiches, and More Chinese Egg-Flower Soup Creamy Borscht with Tarragon Pea Soup with Smoked Salmon Soba-Noodle Soup with Miso Parsnip Soup with Smoked Paprika Curried Chicken Salad Napa-Beef Slaw with Ginger Dressing Nigoise-Style Tuna and Rice Salad Baby Greens with Gorgonzola and Almonds Tex-Mex Salmon Salad Pan-Toasted Reubens Chicken, Cheddar, and Apple Panini Smoked-Chicken and Mango Wraps Caribbean Shrimp Tacos Artichoke and Garlic Bruschetta Stuffed Clams with Shallots and Lemon
MARVELOUS MEATS Beef, Pork, and Lamb Filet MIgnon with Garlic Cream Sauce Hoisin-Marinated London Broil Grilled Flank Steak with Sweet Onions Spicy Teriyaki Skirt Steak Beefy Chili Verde with Poblanos Braised Beef Shanks with Wine and Shallots Beef and Ricotta Lasagna Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Orange and Rosemary Simmered Italian-Style Pork Ohops Loin of Pork Stuffed with Cherries Pork Medallions with Marsala and Mushrooms Ham Steaks with Apples and Cranberries Crepes with Ham, Spinach, and Leek Coriander-Mint Lamb Chops Butterflied Lamb with Couscous Salad Rigatoni with Spicy Sausage and Beans
PERFECT POULTRY Chicken, Turkey, and Duck Sweet-and-Spicy Roast Chicken Chicken Breasts with Garlic and Orange Pesto-and-Feta-Stuffed Chicken Breasts Crispy Pecan-Crusted Chicken Breasts Chicken Roulades with Prosciutto and Sage Chicken Kebabs with Lime and Pineapple Chicken with Black Bean Sauce Oven-Fried Ohicken with Buttermilk Brine Braised Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes and Green Olives Hearty Ohicken-Barley Stew Sweet Chipotle Drumsticks Tortellini with Chicken and Watercress Chicken-Chili Cobbler with Polenta Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Artichokes Coconut Turkey Fingers with Peach Sauce Pan-Glazed Turkey Tenderloin Spicy Blue Cheese Turkey Burgers Kielbasa with Cabbage and Caraway Duck with Cherry-Tarragon Glaze
FROM THE SEA Fabulous Fish and Shellfish Poached Salmon with Wasabi Mayonnaise Roast Salmon with Cilantro and Lime Honey-Glazed Arctic Char Pan-Grilled Tuna and Lemons over Arugula Baked Whole Sea Bass with Fennel Swordfish Steaks with Caramelized Onions Crispy Cornmeal-Coated Flounder Catfish Amandine Mahimahi with Coconut Curry Sauce Striped Bass with Warm Sherry Vinaigrette Pan-Fried Shrimp in Red Pepper Sauce Lobster Ravioli with Plum Tomato Sauce Mussels in Spicy Garlic Broth Scallop-Broccoli Stir-Fry Seafood Salad with Lemon and Crzo
MEATLESS MAINS Great Vegetarian Entrees Spaghetti "Bolognese" Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms Tofu and Shiitake Stir-Fry Egg and Broccoli Strudel Vegetable-Cheese Frittata Vegetarian Avgolemono with Dill Smoky Greens and Beans with Polenta Red Lentil-and-Black Bean Masala Roasted Eggplant and Cauliflower Curry Eggplant-Goat Cheese Rolls Penne with Blue Cheese and Squash Beet Salad with Pecan-Cheese Wedges Two-Tomato French Bread Pizzas
READY IN 20 MINUTES OR LESS Easy Weeknight Wonders Ginger-Sesame Steak Kebabs Rosemary-Balsamic Pork Chops Grilled Pork and Veggie Skewers Mediterranean Lamb Chops Chicken Cutlets with Lemon-Caper Sauce Quick Chicken and Black Bean Burritos Grilled Turkey with Plums and Greens Tuna Teriyaki Burgers Souvlaki-Style Fish Kebabs Catfish Po' Boys Lemon-Cumin Halibut Steaks Beer-Braised Mussels Lime-and-Chili-Crilled Shrimp Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Pizza Fried Rice with Snow Peas
THREE-INGREDIENT SIDES Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Parsnips, and Onion Buttermilk-Scallion Mashed Potatoes Cardamom-Coconut Rice Wild Rice Pilaf with Raisins and Orange Couscous with Dried Fruit and Pine Nuts Ginger Beets Sauteed Sweet Plantains Maple-Glazed Butternut Squash Sauteed Escarole with Sun-Dried Tomatoes Oven-Roasted Kale Broccolini with Walnuts and Shallots Roast Tomatoes with Thyme and Olive Oil
SHORT & SWEET Simple, Scrumptious Desserts Raspberry-Nectarine Terrine Cinnamon-Poached Pears Chilled Pear Soup with Almonds Cherry Fool Pineapple Upside-Down Shortcakes Apricot-Oatmeal Crisp Cinnamon-Apple Phyllo Purses Blueberry-Buttermilk Cobbler Spiced Brandy Custards Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta Chocolate Mousse with Sliced Strawberries Chocolate-Ricotta Mousse Silky Almond Flans Chocolate-Coconut Truffles Berries with White Chocolate-Caramel Sauce Frozen Coffee-Hazelnut Tarts Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Sorbet Cantaloupe-Lime Granita Lemon-Scented Macaroons
|
|
|
Post by limefan on Oct 26, 2019 18:22:33 GMT
Thanks, Zazzles. I will check them out. I like recipes that do not have a lot of ingredients or that which include items I already have, but I do need to shake things up a bit so maybe I need to venture from my usual foods. I believe the Just 5 cookbook is 5-ingredient recipes…should be perfect! I ordered the Just 5 cookbook and the other Points Plus cookbook that you listed. I already have the Power Foods book. Yes, the 5-ingredient recipes seems perfect.
|
|
|
Post by lavonm on Oct 26, 2019 20:04:13 GMT
I'm happy to see we're starting a board just for PP. I joined WW during PP & got to goal on PP. I got completely off-track with SP. Tried FS but I wasn't able to lose on it without double tracking. I finally quit tracking & we know how well that went. I'm not back up to where I started but i need to get back on track. I recently purchased the Skinnytaste planner & have been tracking the past 2 weeks. The past 2 weeks have been a bit of a challenge but I've tracked everything (the good, the bad & the ugly). That's the first step & I can get back on program from there. One of the issues I'm having is the fact that I can't eat sweeteners anymore. My body decided it no longer liked them. Unfortunately that eliminated a lot of my go-to foods that handled my sweet tooth. <grumble> irisinnia, Thanks for the suggestion & for posting all the resources. Lots of great info in the links. limefan, If you have a Half Price books near you, check them out occasionally. Sometimes you'll get lucky & find WW books at a great price. Even if they're not specifically PP books, it's easy to calculate the points. I built up a nice collection of books using Half Price. Another suggestion is your library. Check out books by Marlene Koch & Ellie Krieger. I just picked up Ellie's new book & plan on trying some new recipes before deciding if I want to buy the book. The 1st recipe I'm going to try is a pork tenderloin with brussels sprouts & delicata squash. Waving to everyone else!!
|
|
|
Post by limefan on Oct 27, 2019 19:05:02 GMT
lavonm Thanks for the tip on where to find some good cookbooks. I do not have a Half Price Books close by, but there is a Big Lots that occasionally has a lot of healthy cookbooks (and some not so healthy). I will look into the Ellie Krieger book. The pork tenderloin with brussels sprouts and delicate squash sounds interesting.
|
|
|
Post by sunshinep396 on Oct 29, 2019 5:12:01 GMT
What do you love about the PointsPlus plan? It is the plan that fits my lifestyle. I can eat the foods I like and am used to, enjoy the occasional dessert splurge without breaking the point bank and have a glass of wine now and then. It's livable. Where are you on your weight loss journey? I reached goal on PP in July 2012 and maintained well for several years until SP came out and I began to struggle. By mid-2018 I had gained 6 lbs. and by mid-2019 I was up another 8 lbs. FreeStyle did not work for me. Today, I am 15 lbs. over goal and determined NOT to add another 10 lbs. of holiday gain. I have alternated between PP on iTrackBites and calorie-counting on MFP the past year or so. I will join this group in using PP (I find having to track calories for EVERYTHING exhausting) and really try hard to get back to goal. Do you have any favorite on plan foods? I love most fruits and vegetables, Dannon Greek Yogurt and Dave's Killer Bread. What would you love to see on our fabulous new PointsPlus board? I like the exchange of ideas and recipes, struggles and successes and new food finds that are low in PP. FYI - Better World Books has several WW cookbooks, with some as low as $4.48 + shipping. lavonm, can you use stevia, which is plant-based? I don't care for Truvia and most of the other brands have a very nasty after-taste, but I do like and use NuStevia by NuNaturals. Usually, 1/2 - 1 pkt. is enough for a bowl of cereal or a mug of coffee. It also comes in liquid. Once I tried it and liked it, I started buying the 1000 pkt. bag every 8-9 months.
|
|
|
Post by lavonm on Oct 29, 2019 10:09:07 GMT
Your library might have Ellie's new book. It's called Whole in One. The pork tenderloin has a herb garlic rub & was very tasty. I'd definitely make it again. I loved the squash but the sprouts were a little too brown so I'll have to adjust the timing for my oven.
|
|