Grocery shopping is a chore and I normally tend to avoid it at all costs but because of my determination to lose weight on Weight Watchers I thought it would be a good idea to head over to the grocery store. I brought my pocket guide with me, which lists almost every food imaginable and the points value associated with it and a copy of the Canadian food guide.
Fruits and Vegetables
Like most people I started off in the produce section. It was relatively easy to make healthy point choices here and most uncooked fruits and vegetables have a point value of 1. I decided to get only one or two of each item so that I could have a variety and not worry about it going bad before I could eat it. It was becoming obvious that if I was going to stick to the program I would have to visit the grocery store more often to get fresh produce.
Milk and Alternatives
I am lactose intolerant, so when I shop for dairy I have to be careful as to how much I purchase. I can eat cheese and yogurt in small amounts. Cheese is higher in point’s values; I grab the fat-free. Yogurt is also high in points; I get the low calorie fruit kind. Soy milk has a relatively low point value per cup, I take a carton. Like the produce section I don’t want to buy too much and have it go bad. I think smaller, frequent trips will benefit me and my weight loss goals.
Grain products
At a weight watchers meeting we learnt about choosing whole grain products because of the lower point value. I normally choose whole grains anyway because of the nutritional benefits. I decided during this trip to the grocery store to buy the Weight Watchers whole grain bread. The slices are smaller so I could have two instead of one. I am hoping that this mind game works and I will feel like I have eaten more and therefore feel satisfied. I am a pasta lover but when I eat it I eat too much, so today I do not buy any. I don’t want to tempt myself. I already have brown rice at home, so I pass this, taking a mental note of what I could cook with it for a dinner meal.
Meat and Alternatives
I discovered Kraft peanut butter that was whipped. It was lower calories and fat then the creamy version and because it was whipped it spread more easily and less was needed. When it comes to meat choices I normally love ribs and wings and sausage, but on this lifestyle plan I will have to limit my consumption of those as they are fatty. Instead I get lean ground beef and skinless boneless chicken breast. Fish would be a great choice, but because of my fish allergy I have to stay away from all fish products. Lean ham has a low point value. I’ll get this during my next visit to the supermarket.
The hardest part about this experience was staying away from frozen meals. They typically have high point values and although they are easier to prepare, I am willing to take the time to use fresh ingredients to ensure I will see the most success on the Weight Watchers program. For treats I have some reduced fat popcorn, almonds and graham crackers. I am going to make some trail mix out of it using Cajun spice to flavour it.
I plan to grocery shop again in four days. I will schedule it in. This way I have no excuse not to and can not eat junk or fast food if I don’t have anything else available. Weight Watchers is a lifestyle change and this is the first step, making time to do things that keep me healthy is important. It’s going to take time and practice but I have the determination necessary to succeed.
A Weight Watchers Adventure 
Grocery shopping I find is also the worst chore, maybe even worse than having to do school work. Trying to find time to go there, and trying to bring it all home is hard as well. I also feel that when purchasing foods, the whole idea of buying foods to consume before they go bad is a big burden! Most foods that are better for us, and as seen with your weight watchers diet, are fruits and vegetables, but these are the foods that go bad the fastest. But like you said, Weight Watchers is a lifestyle change, and in general most diets are trying to reach the goal of weight loss and maintenance, but doing so requires a lot of work, even if it does include having to go get fresh foods every week.