What is the serving size for each - some recipes, that claim to be low fat or low sodium have such ridiculously small serving sizes that no one could possibly eat that small amount of food and be at all satisfied. One quarter teaspoon of salt has between 500mg and 550mg of sodium - if you divide the above recipe into 4 (very small servings with a lot of rice), that's about 137mg sodium per serving, if you divide it into 3 servings - that's about 183 mg per serving. As far as fat, it depends on the cut of meat and how much fat is cooked off and drained - maybe they are starting with different cuts of meat. The difference between 125mg and 143mg is really negligible - since the amount of sodium listed in a recipe is usually an average, not an exact amount. You should be doing the same with your husband - averaging his sodium and fat intake over the entire week. There may be meals when he has very little of either one, and there may be meals where he has a little more (or even a lot more), but on balance, he should keep his sodium and fat intake to a reasonable level. Be aware that the food has to be tasty and satisfying - too little salt and fat makes food taste pretty awful - since salt and fat are what give food it's satisfying taste and texture. When food is routinely awful, people snack and it's not always healthy snacking - since healthy snacks can be hard to come by. It's pretty easy for a physician or dietitian to say you should eat a very low fat low sodium diet, but very few of them have ever had to try it, day after day, week after week for years and years. Some of these recommended diets are so extreme that no one can follow them, and so they completely give up trying - rather than finding a more moderate approach that they can live with and still eat healthy. Good luck.

Found this from the WBAL TV site under their diet and fitness articles - thought you might like to check this out. Very similar to WW but FREE. You can tell what web surfing I'm doing right now - motivational! Here is a link that might be useful: Sparkpeople

Hi Everyone, Enjoyed a lovely dinner last night and cards with our dear friends. I ate Shepherd's pie (crustless type), biscuits and ice cream. Yes I went over my daily limit but I am not worried. I do the WW program and actually just used up my weekly freebie points or calories. Today and tomorrow I am in recovery mode to compensate. So what does my day look like? Cottage cheese 1%, home made barley soup loaded with veggies for lunch, apple for snack and dinner will be a full plate of steamed zucchini, squash, onion and a cooked egg. I will literally load that plate and put a spoon of margarine, salt & pepper. Of course water, water, water today. Why am I telling you this? Because you can deal with a meal event. I faithfully logged how much I had last night and noted the points/calorie values. I know where I stand. I am not deterred at all. I continue. Did I have a large serving? Yes, honestly and honestly two biscuits. Today I am quite happily puttering away at little jobs around the house and enjoying my healthy food choices. So don't despair when you have these moments. You dust yourself off and carry on. If you know a meal event is coming - plan a head. Reduce your calories a day or two ahead and then a day or two afterwards. Don't beat yourself up. Don't regret, feel bad - just do your best and keeping putting one foot in front of the other. You can do this. You can persevere through these moments in life. That is part of living a healthy lifestyle. Just be honest with yourself. Over the coming weeks I want to talk about planning ahead and then staying the course. There is a major meal event/weekend coming up in November for those of you in the US and I'd like to open the communication lines on how to deal successfully with it so you can enjoy your friends and family. Focus on the joy of the fall season. We'll get through that time together I promise and you will continue with your goals. That's what I wanted to say today to everyone, even those silent friends we have out there reading but not posting. I'm reaching out to invite you to come back and read our posts, share our journey. You don't have to share on here to be a part of our journey together. Just come back. If we can help you stay true to your dream then that is all I'm trying to achieve. Lets have a wonderful day today and tomorrow. Cheers, Peggy

As many have said - you've got to be serious about it ... and you're the only one that can do it. One of life's important guidelines is to get more bang for your buck ... so why help fatten WW's coffers? What about putting together a group yourself recruited among folks in various agencies or groups in which you participate, e.g. social, political, religious or sport, etc. and agreeing to meet regularly, and to do your weighing yourselves? Dare I say, "religiously"? The benefit? No fees ... or you could collect some and send the money through some agencies which feed hungry kids in various areas of the world, for thousands die there daily due to lack of food - or poor health, with minimal medical service available. 5%? 10%? of the world is worried/obsesses about being overweight ... while over 50% is hungry. If there's a God ... how do you think that S/He may feel about such a situation? Or about so many of the people who claim to follow Him/Her not doing a great deal more than collecting for food hampers for local needy at Christmas (e.g. massive re-arrangments of the world's economy with a view to greater fairness, more people getting a decent diet)? This issue of overweight, and bad diet (with many more of our kids being overweight than in earlier generations, and more suffering from diabetes) can be potentially life-restricting (even -threatening) for many in our society ... ... but it's immediately life-threatening for millions in many parts of the world ... especially in areas where they've been suffering for several successive years of drought recently. Surplus food hurts us - the lack of it kills them. This is a major part of the reason that our world is as sick as it is. I am sorry that I feel the need to rain on your parade, ladies. ole joyful