Weight Watchers is a diet program that focuses on weight-loss through healthy eating habits, exercise and a supportive environment. The program does not restrict any types of foods; rather, it encourages dieters to make smarter choices by adhering to a daily points value that keeps calories in check. In addition to group meetings, Weight Watchers has a strong online presence in which dieters can sign up for a fee to get a step-by-step weight-loss plan that includes meal options. However, there are other sample meal plans available both online and in the program's published cookbooks.
Breakfast
Weight Watchers encourages eating a healthy breakfast to start your day by increasing your metabolism. According to WeightWatchers.ca, research studies have shown that breakfast eaters tend to weigh less than breakfast skippers. Eating a meal in the morning helps to regulate appetite and prevent increased hunger during the day that often leads to over-eating. A high protein and fiber meal provides essential nutrients and stabilizes blood sugar levels, contributing to feelings of satiety. Nutritious breakfast meals include whole-grain cereal with skim milk and a piece of fruit or whole-grain toast spread with a tablespoon of peanut butter and served alongside scrambled eggs.
Lunch and Dinner
Lunch and dinner meals often end up as a dieting downfall for dieters. Busy, long workdays combined with family duties makes it difficult to stick to a healthy meal plan. Weight Watchers provides myriad quick and easy options in its 2004 "Cook It Quick!: Speedy Recipes With Low Points Values In 30 Minutes Or Less" cookbook. Suitable meal ideas include chicken with rice and beans, chicken curry or beef and noodles. Lighter options that can be easily packed and eaten on the go or at work include leafy green salads, soups and wraps.
Snacks
Snacks are encouraged on the Weight Watchers meal plan as long as they fall within a dieter's daily calorie total. Karen Miller-Kovach, M.S, R.D., who is Weight Watcher's chief scientist, says on the website that snacking may be beneficial to people who allocate their points carefully and use them to avoid binging at meals or at the end of the day. Appropriate snack options include low-fat yogurts, a serving of nuts, or an apple with peanut butter. Keep portions sizes small and select options that will satisfy you.
Planning Ahead
Meal Planning can be difficult for people with busy family and work schedules. There are tips provided on the Weight Watchers website, WeightWatchers.ca, that help dieters get organized and avoid reaching for unhealthy foods during and at the end of a busy workday. In particular, stocking up on groceries ahead of time ensures healthy ingredients are on hand to prepare meals. Consider buying a pre-roasted whole chicken and carving off slices to eat with steamed vegetables and brown rice. Leftovers can be tucked into a whole-grain sandwich for the next day's lunch and added to a vegetable stir-fry for another dinner.
References
- WeightWatchers.ca: Meals For A Week
- WeightWatchers.ca: Food & Recipes
- WeightWatchers.ca: Taming A Snack Attack
- Cook It Quick!: Speedy Recipes With Low Points Values In 30 Minutes Or Less; Weight Watchers; Fireside (Publisher); 2004
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