Healthy Lifestyle Plan

Most of you guys know that I've struggled with food issues and my weight for my whole adult life (well probably even longer with food issues). I have yo-yoed for the past 10 years within 100 pounds. My goal was to start healthier and thinner before my last pregnancy but I didn't. I did my best to not gain too much weight during the pregnancy and lost the babies' weight in a couple of weeks. The problem for the past 5 ½ months has been being overwhelmed with a newborn baby and grieving the loss of Alexis. I got caught up in the amazing meals people brought for 6 weeks straight (lots of hearty meals, breads, and desserts), snacking all the time, and the holidays, and unfortunately used food for comfort, so I am still quite overweight. I have roughly 60 pounds to lose to be at a healthy weight, so I am starting April 1^st (this Friday). I have started a support group through Facebook and have come up with my plan to eat better. I am still hammering out the plans for exercise.

I am planning to follow the Weight Watchers Simply Filling plan. It encourages healthy eating from all food groups, 9 good health guidelines, and leaves a little wiggle room for treats. It's more about listening to your body and hunger cues and eating what you need rather than counting every little bite. I think it will be easier than having to write it all down and worry that I'll run out of POINTS by dinner.

Here is the rundown of what I can eat (of course I get 49 POINTS to play with for things not on the list and can earn more through exercise):

Lean Proteins
Meats
- Beef
- Chicken
- Pork
- Turkey
Eggs
Fish
Ham
Lunchmeat, fat-free

Non-Fat Dairy Products
Fat-free cheeses
Fat-free milk
Fat-free, plain yogurts
Fat-free sour cream

Fruits
Apples
Applesauce
Bananas
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cherries
Clementines
Cranberries
Grapes
Kiwi
Mandarin Oranges
Oranges
Peaches
Pears
Pineapple
Raspberries
Strawberries
Watermelon

Vegetables
Asparagus
Beans, Black
Beans, Garbanzo
Beans, Green
Beans, Kidney
Beans, Lima
Beans, Pinto
Beans, Refried
Beans, Soy
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Celery
Corn
Cucumber
Edamame
Eggplant
Kale
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Okra
Onions
Peas, Black-eyed
Peas, Chickpeas
Peas, Green
Peas, Snow
Peppers
Pickles
Potatoes, Red
Potatoes, Sweet
Potatoes, White
Pumpkin
Spinach
Squash
Tomatoes

Whole Grains
Cereals
- 100% bran
- Cream of rice
- Cream of wheat
- Grits
- Oatmeal
- Whole-grain, no added sugar, 4g fiber
Pastas, Whole Wheat
Popcorn, air popped or 94% fat free
Rice, Brown or Wild
Other Whole Grains
- Barley
- Cornmeal
- Whole wheat couscous
- Quinoa

Breads
Light breads
Light English muffins
Light hamburger buns
Light hot dog buns


Soups
Broths

Desserts
Sugar-free gelatin
Sugar-free pudding (make with FF milk)

Beverages
Tea, unsweetened
Diet soda
Water

Seasonings/Condiments
Baking powder
Baking soda
Cocktail sauce
Extracts
Fat-free salad dressings
Fat-free margarine
Fat-free mayonnaise
Flavorings
Herbs
Hot sauce
Ketchup
Lemon juice
Lime juice
Mustard
Nonstick cooking spray
Salsa
Soy sauce
Spices
Steak sauce
Sugar substitutes
Taco sauce
Teriyaki sauce
Vinegar
Worcestershire sauce

Healthy Oils
Olive oil
Canola oil

I don't know if any of you would be interested in this food plan, but I thought that I would share. I will be putting more healthy recipes on here and will update about my progress from time to time. My first goal is to start eating better and slowly add in some exercise. I would like to get to where I exercise 5-6 times a week like I did when I was in my best shape. I am hoping to lose 5-10 pounds a month. I would love to hear what you do for healthy eating, diet, and/or exercise. J