Weight Watchers Chat #359 “Simple Swaps To Save Your Points!”

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News and Reviews

  • Today is the first day of the “What You Ate Today Photo!” Challenge hosted by Julie over on the If You Have an Egg Facebook Group. Hop in any time, it’s not a competition with anyone but yourself!
  • If you haven’t seen it yet, the 3 horizontal line menu (hamburger menu) on the app has changed…again…but this time it’s super adorable! I love the new icons and it looks so clean and easy with the little boxed areas. What do you think about that change?
  • Speaking of the app, if you didn’t get the e-mail two weeks ago an e-mail went out announcing that starting April 30th the Weight Watchers website features like food tracking, weight tracking, Connect and My day will ONLY BE AVAILABLE via the mobile apps. We will talk a little more about this as you let me know how and if that impacts you personally
  • Lastly, are you in the path of tomorrow’s total solar eclipse? I have a joke from Casey’s church this morning “How does the man on the moon cut his hair?  Eclipse it!”

 

Review Last Week: Last week was Chat #358 “A Surprising Way to Make Healthy Choices Easier!”

Netflix or Nikes?

Let’s pretend for a minute that you just finished a delicious, on plan meal and have about an hour left before you start the #MyOffSwitch plan you came up with last week. You think “hmmm I really should take a quick walk to get in the rest of my steps in, but my tennies are in the trunk of my car”.  Then you glance over and the remote is sitting within arms reach, you don’t even have to lift your tuckus off the couch to reach it. Which one do you think you’ll pick?  Netflix or Nikes?

 

Let’s put some friction on this decision:

FACT! 

The easier it is to do something the more likely you are to do it, period. It doesn’t make you broken, it makes you human.

Add some friction 

It is also a fact that the harder it is to do something the less likely you are to do it. That remote that was sitting there within easy reach? If you had to get up to get it, heck even better walk across the room to pick it up, do you think you would have still chosen Netflix or Nikes?

Fact or Friction?

You’ve got the idea now! This SUPER EASY, FREE, HACKABLE action can absolutely work for anyone, even you!  This is how you do it:

  1. Find something you’ve wanted to STOP doing – (example) I have started eating ice cream as a nightly snack instead of a treat and it’s killing my points and waistline
  2. Name one Fact that makes it so easy – I am keeping ice cream in the freezer at home
  3. Now add some Friction! – I’m still going to enjoy an occasional ice cream but instead of keeping it in the freezer I will enjoy a scoop as a treat with witnesses!

 

Your homework was #FactOrFriction. Using my model above, pick something you want to stop doing, name a fact of how it’s happening, and let’s add some friction!

Let’s see how you did:

  • Gwen has trouble when there is ice cream in the house and the Fact was, she got into it even when it was in the backup freezer. She added Friction by deciding to still enjoy an occasional ice cream but now she only does it when they are out AND with witnesses!
  • Ann says Fact: She doesn’t eat enough protein! Friction: She grilled up lots of chicken and lean steak so she can quickly add it to any meal! 
  • Jody works long hours and then has to come home and cook for one. The Fact is she was spending alot of points on easy meals she could eat for a few days made with pasta. A little Friction later and she’s not keeping pasta in the house, instead she is experimenting with several veggie pastas including the Palmini brand of noodles made with hearts of palm!

Bravo, you did it!

 

This Week’s Topic: “Simple Swaps to Save Your Points!” 

Where or where was this topic when we did Julie’s Swap It Out For Less Challenge a few weeks ago?

 

Last week in our Tuesday meeting Gwen told us a story about pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. She and her husband have a change jar and they add a little each time they have change, even the pennies. On a whim they decided to take it and see how much they had…all those little coins, gathered and saved little bit by little bit, added up to over $600!

 

Let’s put pennies to work and see how they add up:

The Power of a Penny 

If you save a penny (a point) at each meal, you’d have 21 extra points left at the end of the week!  Save a penny (a point) with things like:

  • Skipping the ketchup packet at a fast food restaurant
  • Using skim milk instead of 2% in your coffee
  • Enjoying 3 cups of Skinny Pop as your portion instead of the 3 ¾ cup suggested serving size

 

Nickel and Dime’in It 

Finding a way to shave a nickel or a dime (5-10 points) off a meal adds up FAST. Over the course of just one month you could save as many as 300 points if you just shaved off a dime a day!  Try things like:

  • Opting for salsa instead of dressing at a restaurant
  • Air frying rather than pan frying
  • Sipping on a small McD Sweet Tea rather than a large

 

Time to Cash In!

If you are easily upset you might want to sit down. This is a cash (points) deal so big you can’t afford to miss it. And for the next 30 minutes this deal is yours for the low low price of…well 30 more minutes of your time LOL.  Check these out and prepare to be shocked!

  1. Substituting ½ cup of oil in a regular cake mix with ½ cup of applesauce saves you 37 points. THIRTY SEVEN!
  2. Swapping out 1 cup of my Fat Free Cream Cheese instead of regular cream cheese in a recipe or for schmeering on bagels saves you 42 points. FORTY TWO!
  3. And finally, using 2 pounds of Jody’s Turkey Sausage Recipe from the second half of tonight’s chat instead of regular sausage saves…gulp…118, yes that’s triple digits ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN points!!!

 

This Week’s Homework: #TimeToCashIn

Your homework for this week is #TimeToCashIn. Using my model above pick a penny, a nickel, a dime or more to cash in when you swap out something simple to save those points!  Type it, snap it, tell it.   Now DO YOUR HOMEWORK because I promise there is someone who needs the idea you have already rattling around in your head. Whatever it is let us know, I promise your decision to participate this week will help you AND someone else!  Then type it, snap it, share it however you like, and then tag me for your next cool badge!

 

Don’t forget to do your homework #TimeToCashIn and tag me when you share on social media!

 

Extra Credit: ZERO Point Turkey Sausage Patties!

The same Jodi that has been using the Palmini noodles, she has also come up with this turkey sausage and is making it into patties!

 

The recipe will be an individual post (linked in the future!), but here are the ingredients:

  • 2lbs of ground turkey breast
  • 2 tsp parsley
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning (I recommend DAK’s!)
  • 1 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp fennel
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • if you want, add salt and 1/2 tsp minced onion
  • 2tsp garlic

Gather up all of your ingredients and sign up for the emails to know when the full recipe gets posted! I can confidently say you will want this recipe, it is absolutely delicious!

They are great to add to your breakfast, crumble up into a lasagna… the possibilities are endless!

 

What would you put these turkey sausage patties with? Let me know in the comments below!

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