Jen, glad to help if we can. Do you get Weight Watchers magazine in your area? library? I weigh 145 pounds at present, started at 157 pounds. I use about 18 points a day which works for me. I don't miss meals, I actually eat when I am hungry during the day but I annotate what/how much I eat in a diary so I don't forget. I know I am hungry mainly in the afternoon so that is when I 'graze' on healthy foods - fruit salads, low fat yogurts, low fat chips (small portions) and I count everything. At night I am more tired than hungry so I usually have a nice veggie/broth soup, some fish/meat (about the size of the palm of your hand and fruit or veggies. Some nights I just have soup and a slice of toast. Most of my food is in the afternoon. Do check the link above. Someone on one of these threads has posted a points calculator link online. Start reading food packages - avoid hydrogenated oils of any type. There is a lot on WW website but I can post more info for you. Please feel free to join us on the Diet Pals thread. Later on I will start posting more info on portions and points. If you can tell me a basic list of foods you enjoy eating, I can give you the points for them from my books. I have a family funeral today, so I may not be posting again until tomorrow. I will start a new thread about Weight Watchers basics. Cheers, McPeg

Thank you, Dr. Henry, for that paper on toxic GM-effects on goats. Corn & soybean & canola & cottonseed are genetically modified, the Republic Magazine stated that other grains are safe: "Other than corn, no GM grains are sold on the market. Look for 100-percent wheat pasta, couscous, rice, quinoa, oats, barley, sorghum, and dried beans (except soybeans). Most GM ingredients are products made from the “Big Four:” corn, soybeans, canola, and cottonseed. Sugar beets and 50% of Hawaii papaya are genetically modified." **** from Straw: That's why I buy sugar-cane products, rather than sugar made from beets. I fed my kid those Pepperidge Farm cookies (made from cottonseed oil) and she broke out in rashes and scratched herself bloody. I ate those cookies and had the worst hayfever: runny nose & sneezing. Went shopping yesterday: They had strawberries for $2.50 versus organic strawberries for $3.45. I sniffed both: the organic strawberries was more fragrant, versus the regular with a slight chemical scent. After sniffing both for several times, my nose was in pain (I stuck my nose too close). I realized that it's the pesticides sprayed on that inflamed my nose. My nose burned for hours afterwards Two years ago I tasted grape at the store, and had a tummy ache. Strawberries is known for the most pesticides I'm very sadden by UK’s Daily Mail report that an estimated 125,000 farmers in India have committed suicide because of crop failure and massive debt since planting GM seeds. Recent Center for Human Rights and Global Justice report: "Indian farmers bought genetically modified Bollgard Bt cotton seeds from the Gates Foundation-backed Monsanto corporation ... 85 percent of cotton grown in India being Monsanto-controlled Bt cotton by 2009. However, the seeds were expensive, and spiralling prices (coupled with planting restrictions from the multinationals selling the seeds) led farmers to hefty loans. Almost 300,000 cotton workers have committed suicide to date, some of them by drinking the same insecticides they were sold by multinationals." From Straw: Years ago I watched a documentary film "Seeds of deception" where Mexican agriculture scientists voiced concern with GM seeds corrupting the bio-diversity of local seeds, which are well-adapted to drought and adverse local conditions. Dr. Frank Lipman, from http://www.drfranklipman.com/basic-questions-on-gmos/ stated, "The major benefit of all commercial GMO’s is that they are bred to either tolerate direct application of herbicides and/or have the ability to produce their own pesticides. They have not been bred to increase yield, become drought tolerant, improve nutrition or to have any other benefit to the consumer. So at present they have no health benefit, their benefits are purely economic." *** From Straw: It's about power, money, and control. Politics and economic factors are factors, besides ill health. The vindictive dirt-throwing, defamation attacks against international scientists, and bullying tactics of big corporations made me more sick than the ill-effects of GM-foods. We are saved from our wheat being genetically-modified, thanks to the farmers voicing concerns that our wheat can't be exported, if genetically modified. More from Dr. Lipman: "In Europe, over 175 regions and over 4500 municipalities have declared themselves GM-free zones. And in 2009, Germany along with France, Hungary, Italy, Greece, Austria, Poland and Romania banned Monsanto’s MON 810 GM corn because of its documented dangers to biodiversity and human health. Additionally, states in Australia, regions in New Zealand and Brazil and the countries like Venezuela, Zambia, Sudan, Angola and others, all want to be GM-free.The balanced reporting of the press in Europe of the dangers of GMO’s made a significant contribution to the decision to reject GMO’s. Below link is a detailed list from Republic Magazine on which foods are GM-tainted: Here is a link that might be useful: List of GM foods vs. non-GM This post was edited by Strawberryhill on Sat, Mar 1, 14 at 15:06

Interesting reading, all of this. I think as long as people approaching middle age and beyond look for a diet regimen that can essentially reverse the aging process--- more energy, fewer to no health problems--- preventing any new illnesses and reversing the lifetime effects of what they've eaten up to that point, there will be studies, books, and food products to satisfy the market. Today's wonder diet or food is usually tomorrow's carcinogen. But alternative (this free, that free) and organic---- if a universal standard is ever adopted--- markets are the fastest sectors of the food industry, so at the least all this specialization is growing the economy :-) Don't you wonder, though, if this will be the next human rights issue.....if the affluent are sure that certain foodstuffs are dangerous long term to human health, how can we allow the poor to consume them with no protections?

I've been following a GF diet for over 11 years now. I remember how daunting the transition into this new world was. It does get easier as time goes by and we adjust to a new way of doing things! It's only been my husband and I in the house, but Mom just moved in. My rules are: colander for GF first, then regular pasta, then to the DW, on the days I don't drag out two colanders. I am the only one who can use the wooden spoons (for my GF cooking). I also keep separate spoon rests set up when I'm cooking "both ways". I've adapted many recipes to be GF, so unless it's pasta, all meals are GF. I generally roast poultry unstuffed now, and bake separate stuffings. We have separate toasters; I keep a separate shelf in the pantry for my pastas, flours, etc, but that's only because I can't find things unless they're organized. LOL We use the same pots and pans and cutting boards and just wash them well with hot water and soap or the DW. I've always been conscientious (ok, a bit excessive) about wiping down countertops, so crumbs aren't usually a problem. My husband has been wonderful about no "double dipping" butter, jelly, PB and the like, but now we're going to have to keep containers of "mine" and "theirs". Having more people in the house does make things a bit more complicated. I love the color coding idea. I follow it at work and will have to move it home. My husband also suggested using a label maker to mark things. I have a Zojirushi bread machine, bought in the "early days" that is working fine. I love the Bread from Anna mix. It tastes good, has some whole grains, holds up well, and acts like wheated bread in sandwiches. Welcome to the club! You're going to feel better and gain a new lease on life. :-)