Weight Loss/Maintenance Tool Box

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Have you ever stopped to think about the tools you keep in your weight loss/maintenance tool box?  No, well, take a minute to think about it, we'll wait...  Ok, done thinking?  What'd you come up with?

While listening to the discussion at a few meetings this week the obvious ones were thrown out.  Tools like measuring and tracking, planning menus/shopping lists, and using the recipe builder were hot topics.  A few other ideas included the weeklies, cookbooks and eTools.

How about considering your internal tools?  Sometimes we forget that only we can hold ourselves accountable for what we eat and what we do.  For example, have a really bad meal and feel like not tracking it?  Sure, it's probably not the most idea situation but your very next choice could put you back on track.  So maybe instead of feeling like you've blown it so you might as well give up on weight loss how about learning from the situation.  Try to learn that no matter how big of a mistake the meal was you're still healthier than you were before.  I think it's also helpful to remember that it'll never be easier to get back on track than if you start as soon as possible.

On the flip side are you also prepared to celebrate your accomplishments?  Realizing how far you've come, whether you are new to weight loss or whether you've been maintaining your weight loss for years you have to celebrate your accomplishments in a healthy way.  Maybe we should spend some time thinking about this as well!

What kind of tools do you rely on?  How about ways to celebrate your accomplishments?

Halloween Alternatives

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When I was a kid I liked Halloween because I'd get to go trick or treating but living in the country meant a limited candy haul.  As I got older and had my own apartment/house I enjoyed Halloween because it meant I got to buy the candy and would stock up.  I mean STOCK. UP.  I hate to think how much candy I bought let alone how much I bought that never made it into the hands of kids.

The first year I was on Weight Watchers, back in 2010, I still bought candy but tried to limit it to things I didn't like but we ended up with a huge amount of candy left over.  This became a major temptation so after that first year I stopped buying candy for Halloween.  Instead, I bought small trinkets to hand out.  I'd buy a Halloween themed pencils, toys, notepads or activity books.  So, if you're looking for a few alternative ideas here you go:

Halloween Whistles
Bat Wing Clappers
Bouncing Ball Assortment
Glow in the Dark Necklaces
Halloween Stickers
Glow in the Dark Pumpkin Face Stickers

If you're still considering stocking up on candy you can use this list as a handy guide to PointsPlus values.

Snack/Candy Name	Serving Size	PointsPlus Value
100 Grand Fun Size	2 Bars	5
3 Musketeers Candy Bars, Fun Size	3 Bars	5
3 Musketeers Candy Bars, Mini Size	7 Pieces	5
Almond Joy Milk Chocolate Bar Snack Size	1 Bar	2
Baby Ruth, Fun Size	1 Bar	2
Bit-O-Honey	1 Piece	1
Brach's Candy Corn	20 pieces	4
Butterfinger Candy, Fun Size	2 Pouches	4
Butterfinger, Fun Size	1 Bar	3
Butterfingers Candy crème Fun Size	2 Bars	6
Butterfingers Wafers Fun Size	2 Bars	6
Charms Blow Pop	1 Piece	2
Cheetos Crunchy Halloween Treat Size	1 Pouch	3
Crunch Bar, Fun Size	1 Bar	2
Crunch Crispy Wafers, Chocolate crème, Fun Size	2 Bars	5
Dots, Fun Size	1 Box	2
Goldfish Baked Snacks Brownie Grahams OR Cheddar Crackers	1 Pouch	1
Heath Candy Bar, Snack Size	3 Pieces	7
Hershey's Bliss, Caramel OR Milk Chocolate	6 Pieces	6
Hershey's Cookies & Cream, Snack Size	3 Bars	5
Hershey's Kisses (any flavor)	9 Pieces	6
Hershey's Milk Chocolate	3 Pieces	6
Hershey's Miniatures (any flavor)	5 Pieces	6
Jolly Rancher Caramel Apple Lollipops	1 Piece	1
Jolly Rancher Lollipops, Original Flavors	1 Piece	2
Junior Mints Caramels, Snack Size	2 Boxes	4
Junior Mints Creamy Mints, in Pure Chocolate, Snack Size	1 Box	2
Kit Kat Crisp Wafers	3 Items	6
Kit Kat, Snack Size	3 – 2 Piece Bars	6
Lemonheads, Fun Size	1 Pouch	1
Lifesavers Big Ring Gummies	4 Pieces	3
M&M's Chocolate Candies – Milk Chocolate, Fun Size	1 Pouch	2
M&M's Chocolate Candies – Peanut Butter, Fun Size	2 Packs	5
M&M's Chocolate Candies – Peanut, Fun Size	1 Pouch	3
Milk Duds Candy, Snack Size	3 Boxes	4
Milky Way Candy Bars, Mini, Caramel Apple	5 Pieces	5
Milky Way Candy Bars, Simply Caramel, Fun Size	1 Bar	3
Mounds Bars, Fun Size	1 Bar	3
Mounds Bars, Snack Size	1 Bar	2
PayDay, Fun Size	1 Bar	3
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups	2 Cups	6
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Miniatures	5 Pieces	6
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Minis	2 Packages	5
Reese's Pieces	51 Pieces	5
Reese's Pieces, Snack Size	1 Pouch	3
Skittles (Original Fruit), Fun Size	1 Pouch	2
Snicker's Candies Peanut Butter Squared, Fun Size	1 Bar	4
Snicker's Candy Bar Pumpkins	1 Pumpkin	4
Snicker's Candy Bar, Fun Size	2 Bars	5
Snyder's of Hanover Pretzels Snack Sack	1 Packet	1
Spooky Nerds	1 Box	1
Starburst FaveReds	8 pieces	4
Take 5 Candy, Snack Size	2 Pieces	6
Tootsie Fruit Rolls	8 pieces	4
Tootsie Roll Midgees	13 pieces	4
Tootsie Roll Snack Bars	2 Bars	3
Twix Cookie Bars Fun Size	1 Cookie	2
Twizzler's Candies Snack Size	5 Pieces	4
Whoppers Malted Milk Balls, Snack Size	1 Pouch	3
York Peppermint Patties Snack Size	1 Piece	2
If you want to donate leftover Halloween candy: http://www.halloweencandybuyback.com/
Compiled October 2013 @ http://suchafunnyfat.blogspot.com

How are you planning on handling Halloween to stay on plan?