As anyone in my family might tell you (especially my middle sis Denise), I was a HUGE fast foodie…lol. McDonald’s was definitely my fave (that’s because I didn’t know about Zaxby’s and Chik fil A growing up in NYC…lol) and I’d find those damn arches from a gazillion miles away if it meant having delicious golden nuggets and french fries in my belly. When I had a corporate job and commuted to work, I stayed in somebody’s drive thru and some days I’d have fast food for breakfast and lunch. I knew I was doing wrong but I felt like I wasn’t eating that much. SMH.
See the thing is when I gained weight after I started blogging and freelancing full time I really wasn’t eating that much. But it’s amazing how something “small” can have such an effect on your body and I’ve really learned that through doing Weight Watchers (read more about it here). Now I eat WAY more often because for the majority of the time I pick the “right” things to eat and can consciously make better nutrition decisions. For instance I’ll skip a cocktail just so I can eat those same calories (well in my case points) and then if I know I want a cocktail, I’ll ease back on the snacks that week. It’s all about balance and since keeping track of every single thing I eat gives me a constant reminder of what I’m putting in my mouth, I’m able to turn things like McDonald’s down.
Now this isn’t to say I can’t have McDonald’s if I want to on Weight Watchers—in fact I had some the other day right before a meeting because I messed up and let myself go ravenously hungry and it was the first thing I saw. Not only did I not finish the whole meal (I had a Chicken Selects meal with a bottled water and left back a majority of the fries) but I also felt disgusted…lol. When you haven’t had something like that in a long time (I haven’t even been craving McDonald’s in many, many, many months) and then you have it it’s almost like your body goes in shock…lol. I’ve been cooking WAY more and I follow recipes that are healthier versions of some of my faves that are very flavorful and filling. For the same amount of points in that McDonald’s 3 pc Chicken Selects and fries, I could have had nearly three full meals if I cooked any of my recipes at home. And this is what I’ve learned and what I believe is why I’m getting back to my normal weight. Because if I do cheat it better be something really, really worth it. A sorry cheeseburger or some “chicken” nuggets from a drive thru most times isn’t worth it.
I skipped the whole freshman 15 in undergrad and somewhere after 22 I became a SERIOUS foodie (read: eater lol with a weakness for fries) and a little while ago my deep-inhale-and-hold routine wasn’t really working in hiding a lil pudge so I’ve been on a calorie counting work out bit…my main gripe is knowing what is good that isn’t a salad so if weight watchers has a meal plan this might work.
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Haha!
What I love about Weight Watchers is there isn’t a meal plan—you pretty much eat what you want as long as you stay within your points but what’s genius is through doing that you learn what’s better for you to eat along the way. They also have SO many meal recipes that are my favorites because they find great ways to recreate my fave foods with less fat so I mostly eat from that. I prefer to cook my own meals that way I know what’s in it.