Very easy potroast and Activity Points

Most people (myself included) don't really know how to account for exercise when they are paying attention to what they are eating - do we subtract the calories we burned? Or maybe only subtract some of them? And how do we know how many calories we burned in the first place?

Well, since the new PointsPlus program on Weight Watchers doesn't have anything to do with calories (and it would take me a while to figure out how many calories I eat per day), it makes sense that I shouldn't just deduct the calories I burn while working out.

WW has this great table in their Pocket Guide (pp. 135-137) that helps you figure out how many Activity Points you are earning based on your weight and how intense your workout is: can you talk? sing? are you sweating after 3 minutes? after 10 minutes? I usually earn 3-4 AP for a 30-minute workout on the Wii Fit, and I earn 5 AP for every 20 minutes of jogging.

Now here's the real question: do you replace those points (or calories, or whatever system you would like to use) with food, or just let them stockpile?

I usually tick them off if I go over my daily allowance (like Saturday night, when I went to Johnny Rockets and had a BLT on rye, mayo on the side, a side salad and a kid size chocolate milkshake!). However, I haven't had to use any Weekly Points for like 3 weeks. For the week ending last night, I still had 10 AP remaining - 28 total for the week!!! :)

I suppose that the best way to think about exercise and replacing calories is to eat when you're hungry and try not to eat when you aren't. Of course, this is like saying "I think that the best way to get a PhD is to spend every day in the library and clean your professors' amazing chalets on the weekend" - sometimes, we need a little help!

So what do you do about exercise and nutrition? I would love to hear from some readers who are marathon runners, swimmers, and gym goers! Thanks!

Tonight is weigh in, and I am hoping to have lost at least 0.5 pounds to hit my 5% total weight loss goal! I will keep you posted. :) (Please, Activity Points, help me!!!)

And for a great, healthy, easy, and inexpensive pot roast meal, I tweaked a recipe from the Weight Watchers Points Plus Cookbook (page 124).

This is one serving!!! ONE serving! So big :)
(By the way, I threw in about 1 serving of leftover veggies that I had just made for dinner. That's why you see peas and baby corn!)

This recipe was very, very easy!

In a large pot sprayed with Pam, brown 1lb lean bottom round (I used top round because the lovely grocery didn't have bottom round), sprinkled with salt and pepper, for 3 minutes on each side.

Remove the beef and add 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken stock and scrape the brown bits from the beef off the pan. Return beef to pan and add 1.5 more cups chicken stock and a bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add: a bunch of carrots that have been sliced (or 1/2 c baby carrots), 2 turnips (peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes), 1/2 lb red potatoes (cut into 1" chunks) and 1 tsp dried thyme.

Cut a medium cabbage head into 8 equal wedges, and lay the wedges on top of the pot roast mixture. Cover and simmer for 35 minutes, or until cabbage is tender.

Remove the beef to a plate, let it rest for 10 minutes, and then cut into 6-8 slices.

According to the book, each serving (2 slices beef, 1 cup veggies, plus 1 tbsp sauce that I didn't make) is 8PP, but I think it's closer to 6PP based on this recipe.

Enjoy!