Pickles (pickled cucumber) haven’t got many calories. I find they’re the perfect antidote to my salt cravings.
I lost 60 lbs in 8 months over two years ago on a modified weight watchers point plan and I’ve kept it off since. I tended to want a full belly late at night, particularly with something sweet or starchy. A small bowl of air popped popcorn sprayed with 0 calorie I Can’t Believe Its Not Butter Spray and fat-free sugar-free Jello helped me in those situations.
I’m not familiar with the Gallagher Diet, but if “eat less” refers to reducing daily calorie intake it sounds good to me. Though when I was dieting and now that I am fit I eat far more in volume of food than I did when I was getting fat and staying overweight.
If “points” are equal to calories, then it’s just another way to say that you should watch the total calories you consume. If not, then it’s just stupid.
I find that plain old soda water helps me - the CO2 gives me a slightly full feeling a la soft drinks but it’s just water. This is the zero-sodium stuff, not tonic water or other flavored variety. Can of that and some air-popped popcorn helps with the late-night munchies. Pickled pepperoncinis are also good, tons of flavor.
Like you I’m doing an ‘eat less & eat healthy, exercise more’ routine (in my case it’s Weight Watchers core) and it’s been surprisingly easy and effective for me (lost 30lbs in 4 months and personal observations, friends’ observations and my routine checkup the other week all indicate very positive effects). I was always fairly active and ate pretty well to begin with so it’s been a matter of stepping up the aerobic activity a bit and watching out for the really egregious eating (I’ll eat a slice of pizza, not the whole pizza). No dramatic changes and staying focussed has done the trick.
This is what I’ve been telling my friends who went on various diets to lose weight (many without adding exercise to the mix) - either “fad” things (“It’s the all-bacon diet!”) or from questionable sources (one friend gets his diet advice from his acupuncturist who told him amongst other things that he is “Allergic to radiation”). Sorry, had to rant.
Good luck to you!
I’ve never done WW, so I don’t know exactly how it works. But basically, their “points” correspond with calories. However, it’s not a 1:1 correspondence. The points are calculated to encourage foods high in fiber and low in fat. And many healthy, low-calorie foods count as “zero” points in moderate portions (many vegetables, some condiments like mustard).
The weight watchers point-counting plan is basically calorie restriction for dummies. One point is roughly 50 calories, but it also takes fat and fibre grams into consideration.
Weight Watchers “points” aren’t just calories, it’s a little calculation taking into account calories, dietary fiber and fat. Because doing math every time you eat would be a hassle they make it pretty simple - you can look up lists online, they have tons of little books with “points” values for every conceivable food, both the raw materials and prepared stuff, including specific restaurants - and they give you a little slide-rule widget (cardboard, it’ll fit in your pocket) to figure it out (assuming you’ve got a nutrition label available). Very simple.
Foods with more fiber and less fat are fewer points - the same 300 calories of fudge will count as more points than 300 calories of fresh veggies. I’m not a dietician but on the face of it it certainly isn’t stupid, it encourages people to eat more whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and lower fat intake. There’s nothing about it that seems to lead the way to unhealthy eating (they specifically mention getting adequate amounts of healthy fats, for example).
For folks like me who hate bookkeeping they have an alternate plan which avoids counting points, that’s what I’ve been doing and it’s worked well for me.
ok, so basically calorie counting made easy, with a bonus to vegetables and fibre-containing stuff. Sounds pretty smart.
While not 0 cal, kimchi definitely packs quite a punch in flavor for a little amount.
As for water, consider a savory alteration: miso soup. A small tub of miso keeps forever, as does a stash of dried wakame. With some scallions, dashi, and tofu I can quickly turn a couple cups of water into a belly full of warm satifaction.
As for flavorful with no calories, what about chewing gum? That’s assuming you spit it out, of course. I don’t know about if you swallow it. But most people spit it out anyway.
Pickles! I forgot about them. I used to keep a gallon jar of whole dill pickles in my refrigerator for just that purpose.
These aren’t 0 Cal, but are all less than 100 calories - meaning these have ~the same calories as a serving of Campbell’s 98% Fat Free New England Clam Chowder …
FTR all dieters: Sedentary Women need about 1100-1300 calories per day. Active women typically need about 1400-1600 calories per day… not aimed at anyone here but perhaps a lurker searching on “0 Cal”
I know I’d certainly eat less if I sprayed my popcorn with Jell-O!
My mom always told me that would happen if I didn’t wash them…
Here’s a link to the actual formula: http://www.alanlight.com/WWPoints.htm
Since one gram of fat is generally 9 calories, the formula ends up counting calories, with extra weight given to calories from fat, and credit given for fiber.
More fiber. Most Americans don;t get enough. It fills you up, and moves your bowels.
That “orange stuff”- the various “bulk forming laxatives” is a good sorce of fiber. There are “diet” versions without added sugar. DO make sure you take it with enough water. Do NOT take other types of laxatives for “weight loss reasons”- they are dangerous and habit forming. Although they call psyllium a laxative it is really just fiber.
You do need protien, and if you are going on a severe diet take an “essential fatty acid” and a vitamin supplement.
In fact, it would be best if you did talk to your MD or at the very least the “advice nurse” depending on your medical plan.
Again, some good ideas have been presented here. Thanks!
MetroGnome, the miso soup, etc. sounds interesting. I’ll look into it. (But I’ll pass on the kimchi. 
)
Strinka, chewing gum came to my mind a few months ago…so I tried it. The only result was to have my wife ROFL as I tried to scrape the stuff off my dentures. No go, there.
The Eater In the Round, the problem here is that air-popped popcorn (which I love) seems so insipid and calorie-free without loading it up with something. One cup of it is only 31 calories…but who can just eat one cup of popcorn? Still, I’ll look into that 0 calorie spray; I just hope it’s not too much of a chemical stew.
jimmmy, one thing that always seem to be left out of estimates of the needed calorie intake for people is that such needed intake varies a great deal by age.
When I was in my twenties, I could eat 4000 or 5000 calories a day and gain nothing; I had that metabolism that burns everything off. (It drove my first wife absolutely friggin’ bonkers and was a contributing cause to our divorce.) That changed quite quickly about when I hit 40 and suddenly I had to curb my appetite. Now that I’m almost 60, I’m finding that 1200 calories daily intake with moderate exercise (about 500 calories-worth on an exerbike) is a MAINTENANCE diet and that, if I want to lose weight, I have to go to further extremes. Now you kids know what you have to look forward to. :eek:
OK, clarifications for those who have been making suggestions based on assumptions:
- I have never been extremely overweight. My high point was 187 pounds; I’m now at 167 and aiming at 154, which would give me the ideal Body Mass Index. I have the highest respect for those of you who have managed to lose 60 or 80 pounds but, thank goodness, that’s not the battle I’m fighting.
The battle I’m fighting is more one of changing 59 years of established habits of nibbling all day and into the night. I actually enjoy salads and fruits and vegetables and non-fried, healthy snacks but, still, too much of a good thing is too much.
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The Gallagher Diet is not a proprietary plan; something you can go out find a book about. Other than generic health and nutrition books. It derives from one of the comedy performances (available on VHS and DVD) of Gallagher (he of Sledge-O-Matic fame) wherein he was making fun of fad diets and said, in his forthright way: “You want to lose weight? I’ll tell you how to lose weight! Eat less. Eat smarter. Exercise more. Am I right?” and the audience, all young, slim and athletic, applauded heavily. He’s right, of course.
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I’m a cheap SOB. I’m not broke, by any means, but I’m far too miserly to spend a penny extra for something that should be cheap or free. This rules out most organic and exotic foods and it also, effectively, rules out Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, etc. I’ll supply my own self-discipline, thank you, as it costs less.
Again, thanks to everyone for making good suggestions. I suspect that this thread has been helpful to lots of people.
But I wish I could get cellulose out of my mind. Maybe a clover salad, with just vinegar and olive oil for dressing?
Grapefruit is not too bad on calories, 37-40 for 4 oz. I found it on this site which has a decent amount of calorie info. Grapefruit Calories