Newbies

Hi, wserrano. You can learn about food groups (and portion sizes) through this link here: https://www.trimdownclub.com/exchanges-lists/. The first page is the “Carbohydrate” group, which contains the starchy carbohydrates. You can click on the colored category bars to switch groups.

Hi, wserrano. To deal with cravings, try swapping out reaching for tempting foods with a non-food hobby that you like as much or nearly as much, or with sipping on a hot beverage sweetened with a good-quality no-carbohydrate sweetener like Stevia+erythritol. Keeping tempting sweets out of house and your work area can also be a big help. You may opt to budget sweets into your day, by selecting those items in the Menu Planner food lists so that they appear in your menu.

Hi, d.hazelgrove. Absolutely! Salad is always welcome.

Hi, Jodisim, and welcome! To designate your dietary needs, go to “My Activity” to the far upper right of this page, and click on “My Profile.” In the bottom right area of that page is where you can click “Gluten-Free.”

Hi, GeorgeErickson. The keto plan is separate from the Menu Planner application. If you are interested in keto, then hopefully you would have received a set of keto menus based on your nutritional needs. If not, you can request it from Customer Service through the “Contact Us” link below.

Hi, Maggie. The keto program is separate from the Menu Planner application. If you and your husband are interested in keto, let Customer service know (through the “Contact Us” link at the bottom of the page), and they will send you a set of keto menus.
If you would rather have menus that reflect the specific foods you like, you can make your Menu Planner menus keto-compliant. Start by clicking on the circular arrow icon on the right side of each meal header. Once in that area, select foods of your choice to match the food group exchanges listed, but making the following substitutions:
1. Two fats for each carbohydrate exchange
2. Non-starchy vegetables instead of fruits, one exchange for one exchange
3. No sweet exchange
4. Talk to your health care provider about multivitamin/mineral and calcium supplements.

Hi, wserrano. Your body’s reaction is quite normal in this program, because it is focused on meeting your nutritional needs. Your body is adjusting to changes in your metabolism, and will ultimately experience an overall weight loss that may not be consistent each week – no worries.
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.
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.
If you have additional questions or concerns, or if none of these scenarios appear to apply to you—and/or you are noticing that the food amounts are exceeding your physical comfort level—please do repost, and we will work with you to right-size both aspects of your plan.

Hi, wserrano. You can get a “dry” weight estimate at a clinic or hospital, but at home, it is a matter of eyeballing. Signs of water retention include swelling or puffiness of the tissue directly under your skin, especially in the legs or arms (too little difference between your calf and ankle size is a major one), smooth round hills on your feet, and round hard belly; stretched or shiny skin; skin that retains a dimple (pits) after being pressed for several seconds.