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I am in my 6th week of this plan and I love it. It has been almost 20 years since I have been able to eat this much (I love food) and not gain weight. My concern is that I been wavering between a 1-2 lb of my original weight. I have changed my profile settings from what I think is the big portions to the medium portions and bone structure from large to medium. Is this a good thing to do to help me lose weight instead of just maintaining?
Hi, Joyce. An exchange is a building block for a menu that contains an approximate set of nutritional values based on the corresponding food group. The exchange system is used by nutrition groups around the world to make menu planning easy and to ensure that nutritional needs are met. The following are the general nutritional values of each of the exchanges:
1 carb exchange = 15 grams of carbohydrates + up to 3 grams of protein
1 protein exchange = 7 grams of protein + up to 5 grams of fat
1 fat exchange = 5 grams of fat
1 fruit exchange = 15 grams of carbohydrates
1 vegetable exchange = 5 grams of carbohydrates + up to 2 grams of protein
1 sweet exchange = up to 15 grams of carbohydrates + up to 5 grams of fat
1 free exchange = up to 5 grams of carbohydrates or up to 2 grams of protein or fatHi, darlmac. Don’t worry too much about skipping something once in a while – it’s great that you’re in turn with your true hunger and satiety signals. As a general goal, ideally you should get at least 5 total fruit/vegetable and 3 total calcium-rich food/beverage servings each day.
Hi, cwinters. I’m glad you’re feeling well. The fact that you’re not gaining is a great sign, as is the fact that you’re not suffering from hunger.
The most reliable (and healthiest) way to give your body a boost here is through physical activity. This is not just because of the extra energy it burns, but also because it protects and strengthens your most important fat-burning asset, muscle tissue.
If you are new to exercise, please let us know, and we can assist you with resources on getting started if you wish—note that you don’t have to dive headfirst into anything strenuous, and that there are helpful exercises to fit all ability levels and time schedules. Even just walking in place in front of the TV for the length of a sitcom is great—if you feel like you’re “out of shape,” just start with 5 minutes each time, and work your way up to 30 minutes, then twice per day if you need.
If you recently started exercising, the number on the scale may not be reliable at this stage. Since you are now swapping fat for muscle, which is much heavier, you may be getting healthier while the number of pounds or kilos stays the same. In this case, pay more attention to how you’re looking and feeling, how your clothes are fitting, etc. You may be pleasantly surprised!
If you have been exercising all along, the muscles you usually use may have become complacent and don’t burn energy the way they did at the beginning. In this case, we suggest to introduce new exercises, even swapping them out for the old ones for a little while, to wake up new muscles. The best results have been reported with introducing weight training—again, it doesn’t have to be super strenuous, just something you can do on a regular basis. Even just lifting filled food cans in front of the TV counts. Another option is to mix up the rhythm by adding bursts of higher intensity movement to a steady aerobic regime. This can be something like 30 seconds of jogging or going uphill every 5 minutes during a regular walk.
Regardless of your situation, it is recommended to you discuss your plans with your health care provider to be sure any needed safety steps are taken.
Another recommendation would be to have your thyroid function tested, just to be sure that isn’t holding you back.Can we swap dinner for lunch? Some of the lunches are pretty involved and I don’t have that kind of time. I get it that I can use left overs for lunch, but sometimes reheated food is just not good.
Is it OK to use Bisquick, love the pancakes it makes. Also, I created a new menu and Monday and Tuesday are identical. I am thinking that should not be. Should I just create another new menu?
Hi, Kathy. Bisquick cocntains some raher unhealthy ingredients (including hydrogenated oil, refined flour, and aluminum), but there are good mixes out there, if you want the time-saving and taste advantages. For example, Bob’s Red Mill – see ingredients list below for an example of what we encourage:
Organic stone ground whole wheat pastry flour, buttermilk powder, wheat gluten, cane sugar, baking powder (monocalcium phosphate, bicarbonate of soda, cornstarch), sea salt.Ingredients organic stone ground whole wheat pastry flour, buttermilk powder, wheat gluten, cane sugar, baking powder (monocalcium phosphate, bicarbonate of soda, cornstarch), sea salt.Hi. I am really new here. This weeks meal planning. Says i need 5 oils each meal. I have many oils checked. Will not let me create new menu. Do not know what to do.
Hi, Kathy. Creamy grain cereals are fine, but those big brands tend to be quite processed – to begin with, the grains are refined. I would encourage you to find whole grain versions, if not whole food alternatives.
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