Conference rocks::weight_control

    Hi Sue,
    
    Welcome to WW.  It is the best weight loss progam I have ever used.
    I 
    just lost 30 lbs.
    One suggestion.  Get the book Weight Watchers Quick Start II cookbook.
     It is really great because every receipt tells you what week you
    can eat it on.  Since I have no imagination when it came to cooking,
    I found it to be a God sent of creativity.
    
    Also try doing it with a friend at work.  Have the person also get
    the book and every week make lunches for each other trying a different
    receipt from the book.  I had three people doing the program with
    me so I only had to "cook" every fourth day.  It was such a treat
    to know that my lunch was going to be served three times a week.
    
    We actually had several otherr people "jealous" of all the great
    things we could eat.
    
    Good luck!
    
    Mary Ann  Life Time Member of Weight Watchers

    
    
    
    	Hi all...
    
    		I'm Laurie Gariepy and I work in Hudson Ma. (third shift).
    I have been following this notes file for about a year now, and
    tonight was the first note that I entered.  So I thought that it
    was about time that I introduced myself.  I have about 15 lbs. that
    I would like to loose.  Thanks for alot of ideas that I've already
    used and lets keep it up....
    
    
    			laurie

    Need toll free number for subscribing to weight watcher. I think
    it is mention in one of the note files but I don't remember which
    one.
    
    Thanks 
        LJ
    

    Been a while since this string had a reply, but it seems the most
    appropriate place for my question.  I think I've asked this before, but
    not in this file.  I have a bread maker, and I hate to give up my nice
    fresh bread.  Does anyone have any clue how to count that as a WW bread
    exchange?  The leader at the meeting suggested by ounce; one ounce
    equals one bread exchange.  Does this sound right?  Since the bread is
    hand cut, it is never the same twice.

    Also, does anyone know what reduces the calories in reduced calorie
    bread?  Is it just the fat content?  Or maybe the sugar too?  Since the
    yeast needs to feed on the sugar, I doubt that artificial sweetener
    could be used.

	I agree with your leader, count one ounce as one exchange.

	I just started using that tip to calculate my bagels, as I buy them
	from store bakeries more often than buying a brand name, so I never
	know the fat/calorie count.

	I now weigh my bagels on my food scale, and multiply the number
	of ounces by 70 calories and 1 gram of fat (equivalent to one
	slice of bread).  My Stop and Shop bagels average 4 ounces,
	so they are 280 Calories, 4 grams of fat.

	As for reduced calories, I'm not sure.  I would guess it's
	a reduction in fat, but don't know that for a fact.  It could
	be that they just slice it thinner.

	Karen

    yes, 1 oz bread = 1 bread exchange (unless there is something really
    unusual about the bread, like it's cheese bread, or has lots of extra
    fat or whatever.)
    
    reducing the sugar you use to feed the yeast would not reduce calories;
    sugar is a carbohydrate and as such has the same amount of calories as
    flour.  however, it is a misconception that you need sugar to make
    bread.  the yeast needs to eat something and sugar works the fastest,
    but flour works too.  when i make bread, i use apple juice concentrate. 
    there isn't enough to adversely affect the flavor of the bread, and 2T
    of the stuff works quite well with 1 pkg yeast.  (be sure to heat the
    AJ to the right temperature with the water, of course. )
    
    reducing the amount of fat too much results in bread with a
    poor consistency.  commercial lowcal breads add extra non-digestable
    substances - cellulose f'rinstance - and extra fiber.  the slices are
    also sometimes just plain lighter than regular bread. my attempts at
    reducing calories in bread have always resulted in inedible bread.
    
    D!

	Thanks D!

	When I get back into bread making mode, I think I'll forego
	the efforts to cut the calories and fat.  Bread is lowfat as
	it is, and the calorie count is not outrageous anyway.

	Karen

    Thanks from me too.  Much nicer knowing you're on the right track.

    Another question:  Is the superstart program lower in calories than
    what comes next?  Is that why they say two weeks only?  When I tried WW
    a few years back they called it the personal choice program.  It's
    level 1 seems similar to the superstart.

    I know I should ask that at the meeting tonight, but I may not get the
    chance.  It looks like I will have to bring my 5 and 7 year olds with
    me, and after a day at camp, they're going to be off the wall.  So I
    may have to leave early so that everyone else can have a normal
    meeting.  I certainly like the results of superstart.  I haven't
    stepped on a scale, but my belt is looser.  But I have made a few
    substitutions, for various reasons, and I wonder if I would results of
    a second week on superstart by following whatever their standard
    program

    Thanks
    Debby

    Well, I chose to start week one, even though they said it was higher by
    1 portion per day of bread and protein.  I just like the comfort of
    having a better idea of what I'm doing when I make a substitution.
    
    Another question:  when I got my sandwich in the caf today I asked how
    many ounces it was and was told all the meat is weighted out at 2.5
    ounces per serving.  I had turkey.  Is that poultry (1 ounce = 1
    protein) or processed meat (1 ounce = 1 protein) or lean processed meat
    (1.5 ounce = 1 protein)?
    
    Thanks again
    Debby

    turkey is lean meat, even when in lunch meat form.  in fact, when in
    lunch meat, they add water so it's got fewer calories per ounce.
    
    (this rfers to plain turkey, not turkey ham etc, which all vary from
    type to type.  also doesn't refer to turkey salad and the like.)
    
    D!
    
    ps;  i haven't done WW in years, i just know a lot about nutrional
    contents etc, and i understand the ww theory.
    

    And another question....  

    Which are hard cheeses and which are soft?  I would guess that Parmesan
    is hard, and Montery Jack is soft, but what about Mozzarella, Cheddar
    and Swiss?

    Thanks
    Debby

    sorry for the late answer; I've in out for a while.
    
    I don't know what weight watchers considers hard and soft but generally
    hard cheeses are things like parmesan and Romano, semi-hard are things
    like cheddar, mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Swiss, etc. soft cheeses are
    things like brie, cream cheese, etc.
    
    
    D!

    Thanks!

    I have a Weight Watcher's question, which I couldn't find the answer to
    anywhere in this conference.  Somewhere (one of the first few notes) I
    read that the Milk exchanges could be used as Protein exchanges.  Is
    there any truth to this?  The reason I'm interested, is because I don't
    tolerate milk very well, unless it's cooked in something, so will have
    a hard time using 2M exhanges each day, but I'm so hungry all the time
    following the plan I was on 6 years ago, and would like to have an 
    additional Bread or Protein (but I don't want to just start
    rearranging, because then I won't lose weight!).  I take Calcium
    supplements to make up for the problem with milk (and cheese, if I eat
    very much).  
    
    Thanks for any advice you can give me!
    TIna
    

    I have hearda couple of leaders say that you can use one bread and 
    one protein selection in place of the two milk selections.  The way
    it has been presented is that this is a temporary substitution, not
    something to be used all the time.
    
    But, if you review the WW program outline for vegetarians that eat no
    animal products, I believe that this substitution is part of that
    regular food plan.
    
    

    Thanks!  That's what I needed to know!
    
    Tina