It's funny, but people get offended by all sorts of things. Or, maybe instead of funny, it's just sad. scrolling through one of my Facebook Weight Watchers groups, I often see the same questions or variations of them asked again and again.
"I just started WW, and I love bread. What can I have instead?"
"I really like fried foods. How can I substitute them?"
"Chocolate is my favorite sweet treat. How can I fit it in?"
Those are some examples. One post caught my eye. An angry one, lashing out at folks for asking that question. The more I read of the OP's words, the more incensed I got. They stated unequivocally that WW is about a lifestyle change and asking what to substitute things with was defeating the purpose. That people needed to do their research instead of asking the same questions over and over. I was totally floored. Then came the venomous support of the OP's post. It got downright ugly. I was speechless and hurting for the new folks that may have been pushed away from the group, afraid to ask basic questions at the risk of being filleted by an over zealous WW follower that appeared to have zero patience, tolerance, or understanding. I mean, if you have nothing to offer to someone that is asking a question, regardless of the fact they are asking the same one you've seen a hundred times, why is it so hard to just scroll on?
I do a lot of research, and I also ask a lot of questions. I try to stay away from toxic people that would rather cut people than help them. I guess that's because I have the tolerance and the patience to answer other people's questions, or the wisdom to simply keep scrolling. I would rather see someone do WW badly with support than to push them away from it completely.
Anyone that asks a question is willing to learn something. Learning
that their questions are not welcome is a bitter blow to someone just
starting out on WW, or any weight loss plan, actually. Support is
critical for success. It may be amusing to be a smart-ass, but those are
real people with very real feelings asking a question that they'd
really like to know the answer to. If you happen to be a member of any
WW group, and you see someone being toxic, it's a nice thing to answer
their questions without even batting an eye at how rude some people can
be. Just because some people (yes I am using that word a lot - people)
including myself view this as a way of eating for life, it's not like
that for everyone. For some, it's simply a stepping stone to feeling
healthier, or they'd like to fit into that perfect wedding dress, or
even lose some weight prior to a major event in their life.
I tend to do much thinking and plodding alone on my own. It would be a lot more fun with a group of folks that can feel free in asking whatever the heck they want without fearing a tongue-lashing. Anyway, enough of that.
Last night, while working, I came to a realization. It struck me hard. Without intending to, I am changing my mindset in a very interesting way that will help me make this stick pretty much for life. Instead of trying to find substitutes for my favorite foods, I am searching for new ones. New recipes, spices, dressings, and regional cuisines. I am not trying to find a healthier way to eat food that resembles fried chicken, for example, but I am trying to find healthy, easy to cook meals that I won't mind throwing together again and again.
One such recipe by far is Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad. Out of six weeks of being on the plan, I've made it at least five times, each time making four jars. I've made a variation of Taco Soup for five of those six weeks, relearning to love beans. I've also made the best chicken soup I have ever tasted: Avgolemono Soup.
I am the least picky eater in my house, but I am picky to a degree. I've started avoiding beef and pork, preferring chicken, turkey, and fish instead, as they are on the WW Zero Points List. Do I miss beef and pork? Of course I do! I don't intend to never eat them. I just plan to eat them very rarely. My mind is always ticking when I come across a particularly interesting meal, thinking on ways to lighten it up and make it healthier, as well as pondering on if I would enjoy eating it for several days in a row.
Portion control is also becoming a bigger deal to me. Sure, fruit is considered to be free, but if I eat all I want, the natural sugars will add up, hitting my calorie count hard. Beans, too, one of my major staples at the moment, can also pack a huge punch in calories if I eat too many. Therefore, I have started paying attention to having only a scoop of Taco Soup rather than a soup bowl full. Have you ever considered the size of one of those deeply rounded soup bowls? Generally, I stick to a cup to a cup and a half now. I carefully portion my fat free yogurt, which is something I eat nearly every day, either by itself, mixed into a simple dessert, or as a great alternative to sour cream. (It also makes a totally delicious salad dressing when mixed with a bit of salsa or Rotel Tomatoes with Chilies!) I also carefully eyeball that snack bag of grapes, and limit myself to an apple and maybe two mandarin oranges a day rather than eating all I would like to.
I am not the me I would like to be in a year. I am, however, learning to eat healthier, make better choices, and break the narrow minded view of a diet that I have always had. It's a terrific start, if I do say so myself!
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