Yep. You read right. I cheated. It’s been a good two or three weeks of cheatage too. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not hiding in the closet wolfing down gallons of Mocha Cookie Dough Crunch while fighting off bouts of brain freeze, but I went off plan for at least one meal a day and didn’t lose the weight I should have. I make no excuses, except there was good food around or that we went out to eat, and I have no regrets. I enjoyed good food with good company.

The good news is that though I cheated and my weight loss is slow, I have gone down one jeans size. This is very promising and the motivation I need to see this through – however long it takes.

I created this low fat chocolate peanut butter pie recipe because my family loves the full fat version, but I’m inclined to cheat after I make it.  I decided to make a less fattening pie for regular weekend family dinners, while bringing out the full monty on holidays.

A couple of small notes. If you truly want this to be a low fat dish, you can make your own graham cracker crust substituting margerine or Brumble and Brown for butter. You can also substitute Splenda for sugar. Graham cracker crust recipes abound on the web and finding one will be no problem. You can also buy a prepared crust, but I have yet to find one that’s low fat.

I use reduced fat peanut butter on this page because that’s easiest for most people. You can also use PB2 which will greatly cut down on the fat in this recipe. I love PB2 for baking because it still gives food that peanut butter flavor but is a lot lower in fat and calories than reduced fat peanut butter.

One final note – The original recipe calls for keeping the pie in the fridge, but I find it gets too mushy that way. I like to keep in the freezer and remove 30 to 60 minutes before serving. It’s too mushy and messy otherwise.

I’ll stop talking now.

Low Fat Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 graham cracker crust
• 1 cup reduced fat peanut butter
• 8 ounces fat free cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup Splenda
• 4 1/2 cups fat free non-dairy whipped topping – which will be divided
• Fat free hot fudge sundae topping or chocolate syrup

The Nitty Gritty

1. In a medium sized bowl beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and Splenda until smooth and creamy. Gently fold in 3 cups of the whipped topping. Pour into the graham cracker crust using a spatula to even out.

2. Place pie in freezer for an hour or so to harden.

3. If using hot fudge sauce, soften in the microwave, or squeeze out chocolate syrup and use a spatula to spread over the  top of the pie.

4. Place pie in freezer until 30 to 60 minutes before serving.

5. Just before serving, spread the remaining whipped topping over the pie. Drizzle with softened peanut butter and hot fudge sauce or syrup.

Image via Kevandem’s Flickr Photostream (because my own pie didn’t look so pretty.)

I first heard about the Sensa diet several months ago during a chat among fellow beauty bloggers who received these flavor shakers as part of a swag bag during fashion week. After receiving my own beauty product swag bag containing Sensa (among other items) I decided to look it up and see what it’s all about.

Sensa Diet Basics

Sensa is a six month diet based on “flavanoid” sprinkles.  These flavanoids are actually flavor enhancement seasonings. The idea behind it is that the sprinkles enhance the flavor of your food sending the message to your brain that you had enough top eat. After a while you start eating less and your portions are smaller. Sounds simple, but does it work?

There are six different “shakers” for each different month. Since there’s nothing harmful about Sensa, I decided to try it in my food. I’ve been using it for a week so far and I don’t feel any fuller or less hungry after using it. There are plenty of testimonals on the Sensa site however, and the average weight loss appears to be thirty pounds in six months.

The Sensa diet says nothing about portion control, eating properly or even getting exercise. In fact, users are encouraged to eat whatever they want as they always do. The magic sprinkles will do all the work by making us feel as if we’re hungrier.

I’m still doing Nutrisystem and though my weight loss seems to be happening slower than the average Nustrisystem plan user, I know I’m learning good nutrition and learning to portion my food properly. I’m also being encouraged to practice proper nutrition and get daily exercise. To me, healthy eating habits and daily exercise are important tools for dieting success. I don’t see how using only magic sprinkles will control our weight loss – and help us to keep the weight off long after the six months are up.

I’ll keep you posted, but I’m not expecting big things from Sensa.

• I booked a hotel with a kitchette. This saved money for several reasons, the hotel offered a free breakfast buffet, it was across the street from the conference center so I didn’t need cabs and it allowed me to prepare many meals in my room rather than spend for an overpriced, high calorie meal elsewhere.
• I brought my Nutrisystem food with me. Instead of buying lunch at the cafeteria or a restaurant, I went across the street to my room and had my lunch there.
• A co-worker and I split meals. Neither of us wanted the huge restaurant portion, so we asked for two plates to split the meal. It worked out well for both of us. In fact, even a half portion was more than enough.

I’m not going to say I stayed on plan the whole weekend, because I didn’t. I had a dessert one night and an omelette for our team breakfast. Most of my choices were good ones though – and I’m feeling good about the whole experience.

The past couple of weeks have shown a slow weight loss. It’s not because I’m overindulging, because I’m following the plan – though I did cheat a little at a couple of weekend family dinners. It’s because of what I’m doing wrong.

I’m not expert, but I do know a bit about dieting. I followed a lot of plans over the years and most of them failed not because they were bad plans, but because I didn’t stick with them. I’m determined to follow through on Nutrisystem and lose the 50 extra pounds I put on over the past six years.

It may have taken a while to sink in but I’m learning weight loss has to be done at a slow and steady rate to be effective. I’m also learning there are no such things as miracle weight loss methods. So if I know what works, what am I doing wrong?

I’m Not Staying Up to Date with My Food Journal

It doesn’t take much to log into my food journal. Nutrisystem offers a paper journal where you can check off the foods you eat and online journal, which I like better because it calculates calories. When I log my food I see how much I’m eating. This keeps me from overdoing it. My food journal keeps me honest. I can see what I’m eating, where I stand calorie-wise and this is a good deterrent from cheating. It holds me accountable. I can also see that if I already ate plenty of food and don’t need to add more. If I want a snack and look at my food journal first, I’m more likely to make a healthier choice, or not have an extra snack at all.

I’m Not Seeking the Support of Others

Weight loss support groups and forums work. Even if you’re not going to a weight loss center, there’s plenty of free support online. The past couple of weeks have kept me away from the Nutrisytem forum and away from inspiration. When I hear that other people feel unsure of themselves it tells me I’m not alone. When I read weight loss success stories, it gives me inspiration. And when I read different healthy recipes and food choices it keeps me from getting bored with my program. The support group gives me that “You go girl!!” when I need it or the “Stop making excuses!!” when I need a reality check. A big mistake is not stopping in at least for a few minutes each day for support.

I’m Not Exercising

Let me clarify, I’m not exercising enough.  I get a dog walk or weekend hike in every week, but I’m not doing enough every day to burn calories and keep my body fit. I can tell you it’s because I’m busy with work or my family but I think the truth is I’m just lazy.

I’m Making a Lot of Excuses

I know why I’m not losing weight as quickly as I’d like and I know what I need to do to change it. The truth is, it has nothing to do with my family or my job – it has to do with me. I have to want it badly – and I do. I just have to stop making excuses.

I love peanut butter. When I was pregnant I lived on peanut butter sandwiches and chocolate milk. I’m dieting now and the peanut butter is mostly a no-no. Even “light” peanut butters are pretty fattening, though they’re high in protein. I did find a worthy alternative, however. PB2.

PB2 is a powdered peanut butter with 75% less fat and calories than regular peanut butter. Simply mix two parts PB2 to one part water and you’re rocking the PB&J, without a lot of guilt.

Now here’s the thing. I’m not going to lie to you and say it tastes just like the real thing, because it doesn’t. It tastes like peanut butter for sure, but there is something missing.  It’s good, but not as good. It’s great in baking though. If you replace you’re regular peanut butter with PB2, your eggs with egg substitute and your butter with a little Brumble and Brown you have a very good, very low fat peanut butter cookie.

So if you’re dieting, or seeking healthier alternatives, PB2 is a good alternative. It’s not the same as peanut butter, but it’s the next best thing. PB2 isn’t available in stores and can only be purchased at the Bell Plantation website. If you decide to give it a try, let me know what you think.

The recipes in the cookbook are adapted from Dr Barbara Rolls book, The Volumetrics Eating Plan. Volumetrics^® is about optimizing food choices. Choosing foods rich in water, fiber, and protein and lower in fat will “volumize” your menu and will provide more satisfying portions. Volumetrics focuses on which foods to include and enjoy in amounts that will satisfy you. 

In other words you can choose chicken – if it’s grilled you can have a bigger, healthier portion, but a smaller less healthy portion if it’s fried.  Which one will leave you more satisfied after the meal?  Probably the grilled skinless chicken will because it’s more filling and that’s because you can have more since it contains less calories.  This book gives suggestions on swapping one thing for something more filling with less calories and more fiber, so that it’s better for you overall. 

While most of this seems sensible and intuitive, it is nice to have a book to reference and help you make the correct choices.  Weightloss Wednesday (I still have a few minutes) seems like the perfect day to begin a giveaway for The Volumetrics Cookbook for Jenny Craig. 

THE RULES:

In the comments, give me a quick easy recipe that has healthy substitutions for those high fat calorie laden foods.  It doesn’t have to be intensive, just something quick you do in your own home on the fly.

The contest will end Midnight August 17th.

Here’s a recipe from  The Volumetrics Cookbook for Jenny Craig.

Poach-Roast Salmon with Yogurt and Dill Sauce

• 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tbs minced onions
• 1tbs drained capers chopped if large
• 3 tbs lemon juice
• 1 tbs chopped fresh dill
• 1 lb salmon fillet cut crosswise into 4 equal portions
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 lemon wedges

preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, stir the yogurt, garlic, onions, capers, 1tbs lemon juice, and 1/2 tbs dill until smooth.    Set the Yogurt and Dill Sauce aside.

Lightly coat an 8 by 12 in glass baking dish.  Sprinkle with 2 tbs lemon juice.  Season with salt, pepper and 1/2 tbs dill.  Cover the dish lightly with foil and bake 15 to 25 minutes until fish is flaky and no longer translucent.

Divide the salmon among 4 dinner plates and garnish with 2 tbs of the sauce and a lemon wedge.

Nutrisystem Recipes

One of the things I’m really digging is that there are recipes to make meals heartier or more attractive without overeating. For instance, the cheesy potatoes. Generally you just add water to the cup, stir and let sit. I added broccoli and fat free cheese to it as well since we need a salad or veg and dairy servings with our lunch. Then I found the recipes section of the Nutrisystem forum and learned how to make a tasty potato pancake by adding 1/4 cup of Egg Beaters to the cheesy potates and cooking in a pan using cooking spray. I also added chives, pepper, fat free cheese and broccoli. It made a great lunch and I stayed within my allotment for that meal. People who are worried about eating the same foods all the time can take comfort knowing there are things you can add to make a tastier meal.

Exercise

Exercising everyday is proving to be tricky, but I’m doing it. My son’s camp alternates mornings and afternoons so each week is different. If he has afternoon camp, I work out during my lunch hour. It’s hard working out with a six year old in the room. During morning camp weeks, I get up at 5:00 am to work out. It’ll be easier when school starts up next month because The Boy is on the bus at 7:30 – a good time to workout without interfering with my job or lunch hour.

The Nutrisystem plan came with an exercise DVD I really like. It’s a “walking” DVD though there’s a bit of kicking and knee lifting. The disc has us doing a two mile power walk and then some toning. What I like about this disc is that the women doing the exercises are real. They’re curvy with only one too skinny Minnie in the bunch. Some women can stand too lose a few pounds while others have the perfect mix of curves while not being so thin the workout is intimidating. There’s none of this “you too can look like me” crap.  The walk is easy to do though the level of intensity raises on a gradual basis. When I’m done I feel like I’ve had an awesome workout.

I also take the dog for a walk, go on weekend hikes with my family, and use the Wii Fit for working out. I try to get 45 minutes in, but at least 30. I think for me, working out is even harder than not eating. I liked to use my time for other things. After my workout though, I feel so good I’m glad I made the choice.

Water

Another problem area for me is water. Getting my eight glasses in each day is a challenge. I’d rather drink a pot of coffee. I don’t really drink soda, nor do I drink juices or other drinks. My preference is for coffee. But I cut it down to a cup in the morning and a cup in the afternoon and drink water throughout the day. I’m getting my 8 glasses in and then some.

Wine

Oh wine. I do miss you so.

My husband and I like a glass of wine in the evenings, but I don’t have 100 calories to spare. On the weekends I might skip my dessert for a glass of Chardonnay or Merlot but otherwise I sip my glass of water with lemon. Not the same at all but I’m willing to make the sacrifice.

Weight Loss

So I lost another couple of pounds this week bringing the total to seven. Average weight loss on the Nutrisystem plan is about 2.2 pound a week so I think I’m doing well. I’m trying to be realistic about my goals as I know weight loss should happen slowly. So though I’m hoping to lose more, my goal is for 25 pounds gone by Christmas and the rest of the 25 gone by summer.

Some Thoughts About Weight Loss and the Nutrisystem Plan

I’m learning diet is all about changing the way one feels about food and making good choices. I never really had anyone teach me about proper nutrition growing up. Oh sure we knew vegetables and fruits were good for us, but we never learned about portion control or balance. My five brothers and sisters and I would wolf down our dinners so we could have seconds – before all the seconds were gone. It’s for this reason my son won’t ever be a member of the clean plate club. If he says he’s not hungry, we can assess the situation, but I won’t force him to eat everything on his plate. I will make sure to give him less next time if a portion size is too much.

Because my family didn’t have much money many attractive treats and foods were out of the question. I think that’s one of the reasons I found food to be such a great reward – because I didn’t have much of the good stuff growing up. So I’m looking elsewhere for rewards. For instance, I need new clothes and once I reach the first goal of 25 pounds I can take myself shopping.

I also learned if you choose the right kinds of foods you can eat all day and not starve. A sweet juicy peach around 3:00 in the afternoon is way more satisfying than a chocolate bar or 100 calorie pack.  There’s something to be said about guilt free eating. And when I feel good about what I’m putting in my body, I feel good about many other things. This diet is starting the most amazing chain reaction.

Dieting and the Outside World

Oh and I forgot, this weekend was the ultimate challenge, diet-wise. My family had a picnic last weekend with lots and lots of good food. I knew that at this early stage if I fell off the wagon I might trash the diet. I’m prone to temptation though, so I took steps to prevent this. My contribution was a big green salad. I filled it with fresh veggies from my garden and the farmers market, a little fat free cheese and some dried cherries and cranberries. Plus I brought along my Light & Fit Yogurt, some fruit, and a Nutrisystem chicken salad lunch portion.

I’m happy to report I stayed on plan for lunch. I had my chicken salad and the green salad for the meal, and later on for snacks I had the yogurt and fruit. That night when we took my mom home she wanted to take us out for dinner, another challenge. We stopped at Applebees and I ordered a grilled chicken Caesar. I asked for fat free dressing instead of regular, gave my husband half the chicken and let my son have the croutons. It wasn’t a plan meal but it was still healthy and a good choice. The Nustrisystem book lists the best options for dining out, so you don’t have to miss out on a good time with friends and family.

So I guess this is a really long report, if you stayed with me this far, thanks. My sister (that’s Cookerati’s own Diana, if you haven’t already guessed ) asked if I would do this every week, and I think I’d like to. It’s a great way to report about a system I feel is working, share what I learned and also hold myself accountable.

See you next week!

So it’s time. After six years of steadily gaining weight I have to do something about it. I can’t blame it on the baby anymore – especially since my weight gain started before our son was born.  I’ve tried every diet in the book and it’s time to get serious. I started on the Nutrisystem Women’s Advanced Plan last week in hopes of losing 50 to 60 pounds.

I know, I know, it’s kind of drastic, but I think it’s what I need at this point. I’m really bad about measuring and portions and Nutrisystem takes care of that for me. More important, I’m learning about portion control and proper nutrition.

Here’s a typical day on the Nutrisystem plan, which allows me about 1200 calories a day:

Breakfast:

• Nutrisystem Breakfast Entree (cereal, eggs, oatmeal or breakfast bar)
• Dairy or protein serving (low or nonfat yogurt, skim milk, fat free or low fat cheese, egg, fish meat – serving sizes provided in the back of the Nutrisystem journal) I usually have Light & Fit Yogurt or 8 ounces of skim milk.
• Fruit

Lunch:

• Nustrisystem Lunch Entree (Anything from soup, to pasta, to potatoes to a lunch bar)
• Salad serving
• Fat free dressing
• Dairy or protein serving

Afternoon snack:

• Dairy or protein (I usually have a small yogurt, glass of milk or slice of cheese)
• Fruit

Dinner:

• Nustrisystem Dinner Entree (pizza, tacos, pasta, stews, lots of options here)
• Vegetable serving (I usually make green beans or broccoli and put it in my entree)
• Salad or fruit serving
• Fat serving (4 olives in my salad)

Dessert

• Nustrisystem Dessert Entree (Chocolates, bars, cookies, cake) (On the weekend I skipped dessert and had a glass of wine at 100 calories)

Some thoughts:

• The Nustrisystem plan does allow 3 servings of some “free” foods like sugar free Jell-o and a couple of teaspoons of fat free whipped topping. These foods are 20 calories or less per serving. Plus the Nutrisystem forum offer recipes for the different  foods – and I was surprised to learn I can have items like vegetarian sausage or turkey bacon as my protein as long as I follow proper serving recomendations and keep my calorie count to about 1200 each day.

• I’m not starving with this plan because (as you can see above) I eat all day. The first few days were an adjustment but now I’m starting to feel more energetic and I’m not as hungry or thinking about food all the time. My biggest food issue is how I was always hungry and nibbling throughout the day. I’m learning it’s ok to eat, just do it the right way.

• The Nutrisystem plan follows the Low Glycemic Index. It weeds out the bad carbs and gives you the good carbs.

• Some of the food makes me gassy – I’m not into that but I’m finding beano takes care of that problem.

Other than that, I really have no beef with the Nutrisystem plan so far. Now, this is an expensive plan, probably about $300 per month – plus you have to buy your add ins. Thinking back to my single days, this is probably what I spent on food each month anyway – but with a family that’s a big expense. If you have the money to spend, people are using the Nutrisystem plan with very good results. The food really isn’t bad, some of it is quite tasty. Nustrisystem does allow you to switch out the foods you don’t like with something better so you can enjoy what you eat. Plus, included in the cost of food is free weight loss counseling whenever you need it and community support. Trust me, this makes a big difference because you can share stories with others at the forum and your counselor offers suggestions and advice for making the most of your plan.

Weight Loss

Well… I think I lost about 4 pounds so far. My Wii Fit is reporting a steady increase in weight but I know that’s not right. Both my home scales are off but both appear to be reporting a weight loss of about 4 pounds. This makes me very happy. I did take a “before” picture but I am not showing you until I have an after picture, it’s too embarrassing.

See you next week!