The Weighty Issue of Taking Control

"Tell me, Baby, How'd we ever get this way..." Oh. Yeah, I'm talking about our waistlines. My husband and I recently decided it was time to take control, and we joined Weight Watchers. Since then, I have noticed a few things. For one thing, I am a lot hungrier than I used to be. Then I noticed that I was holding a carrot stick instead of a cheese stick. That's when it dawned on me. This is how I used to live! Somehow we let ourselves get out of control, and we had plenty of excuses to "explain" it away, but Weight Watchers is what we chose to put things right again. Since this is my first week, I am still dealing with occasional hunger, but it's settling down a bit. While I am tempted to complain about the program fee (I think of it as a fine for letting myself get fat), I have noticed that I am spending less for groceries now. While watching portions, and buying more fresh produce, my monthly food expenses may well end up half of what they were before. That makes me feel better about the program fee. After all, it will probably pay for itself in a few weeks by making me eat 3 oz portions of meat instead of a half pound.

I have more good news. I don't have to give up one food that I really love --polenta.
Maybe you've seen this in a specialty store, premade, and costing about $4 for a little roll. It might be good, but you don't have to be that proud of it. You can make it yourself by melting together 1 Tablespoon of Smart Balance (or other good-for-you fat), 1 cup of 1% milk, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of sugar. Then gradually stir in 1/3 cup of cornmeal, and cook it until it's thick. Let it cool slightly before serving. Makes two servings, 3 Weight Watchers points each serving (about 155 calories). It's creamy, rich, and filling. It's a great baby and toddler food, too. You can experiment with other seasonings and flavors as well. Parmesan cheese is good.
Enjoy!