WW (Weight Watchers) Chat #157: Set Up for Success

Last week WW reminds us to refamiliarize ourselves with some basics of the SmartPoints system… SmartPoints 101. I picked my three faves: Know Before You Go, The Tools are in your hands, and #bulkitup. Your homework for the week was to make a Smart Swap. Let’s see how you did with your homework!

• Teresa wanted to lighten up her chili by using turkey but she grew up in an area of the country where adding spaghetti was the norm. She considered zoodles and couldn’t do it. Her chili was blah, naked even. And then she made a second smart swap that pleased her palate and her eyes – she added corn!
• Sylvia chose steamed veggies instead of fried rice at a Chinese restaurant (I didn’t know you could do that!) Her String Bean Chicken was only 3 points – smart!
• Kelli swapped out turkey bacon for pork, she made a smart swap for her points and her health!
• Sandra traded cauliflower rice as her side but she didn’t stop there. She doctored it up by adding diced onion, peppers, garlic, diced tomatoes, and seasonings – yum!

Bravo ladies, you nailed it!

This Week’s Topic: Set Up for Success

Yogi Berra once said, “You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I’m not hungry enough for six.” Our journey and the success on that journey is more about mindset than willpower, and setting yourself up for success is key! It takes zero willpower to avoid a midnight snack of a bag of chips if that bag of chips isn’t in your house to start with. Know what I mean?

My Top 3 Set Up for Success Tips

1. Now You See It, Now You Don’t. Opaque containers are great for things that you don’t need to see every time you pass the pantry. Hide nuts, cookies, or other hard to resist items in containers that you can’t see through. Make sure veggies, precut fruit, snack cheeses, and things you should reach for first are in clear containers and up front and center.
2. #pursecheck. Don’t leave the house without something WW friendly to snack on in your bag. Some personal favorites are clementines (I’ve had them make it more than a week!), bananas or apples if you are gentle. string cheese or Babybels (which will last several hours), protein bars, or jerky are all great ideas.
3. Pencil to Paper. Sometimes you just need to write it down. I am a firm believer that writing down how you felt, something good that happened, an NSV, notes about your day and what you ate makes it stick. There is just something about the physical writing – I love it! Pretty pens, a simple notepad, and some downloadable EggLady Bravo Stickers and tada! You have a fun reflection you can flip back to on a day you need an idea or just a smile.

Tag me in your #pursecheck photos – let’s see what’s in your purse, gym bag, backpack, or diaper bag!

• Instagram tag @ifyouhaveanegg
• Facebook page tag @ifyouhaveanegg
• Facebook group tag @Kelly Green Milligan
• WW Connect tag @scrapnstamp2

Extra Credit

In the second half of tonight’s chat we finished up our 3 part series reviewing Weight Watchers over the last six decades. This week we traveled through the 1990s and on into 2020.

• 1995 Weight Watchers introduced Fat & Fiber. I started on this program – talk about a quick start weight loss, you were always in the bathroom! 🙂
• 2008/2009 Flexpoints and that handy dandy slider added more focus on less fat, lower calories, and more fiber
• 2011 was my personal favorite addition to the weight watching arsenal – Points Plus! I lost 50 pounds, made it to goal, hit lifetime, and was my lowest weight since my 20s on this plan. But I was also my least healthy because I lived out of boxes, cans, and fast food windows. For those of you eating real food, Core or Simply Filling made no counting a reality.
• Next came Smart Points, the predecessor to WW Freestyle and a continued move towards overall health and not just weight loss. Oprah became a shareholder and the technology went through the roof! Still no zero points designation for the only non-starchy fruit to be picked on… the lonely avocado.
• Fast forward to today and WW My Way! The best of Points Plus, Simply Filling, and Freestyle. Your lifestyle, your food, your health – you decide what’s best for you!

Which program was your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!

Quick Links

Kelly’s nails tonight are ColorStreet Harvest Blooms

Don’t forget to celebrate your Bravos without downloadable stickers!

Here is the Air Fryer Baked Apple recipe I mentioned during the chat. These are literally a “set it and forget it” recipe that I often start before I jump in the shower so they will be ready when I get out. They were PERFECT after two months frozen in the Meal Prep Haven containers!

Interested in learning more about meal prep? Here is Chat #150 where it was mentioned with a review of the Meal Prep Haven containers. We’ve been putting them to the test and so far all passing grades: easy to wash, stack for small storage space (including the lids!), 2 month freezer test was a success, microwavable, fairly watertight (I wouldn’t pack soup in it, but still), and held up well in my lunch bag!