Weight Watchers Points Plus

Weight Watchers have overhauled their points system and come up with a completely new program - called Points Plus (or Pro Points in the UK).

The previous Points formula (started in 1997) took into account Calories, Fiber grams and Fat grams. The PointsPlus formula uses Protein, Carbohydrate, Fiber, and Fat grams.

Weight Watchers have spent a number of years testing the new program (at the Medical University of South Carolina among other places). According to Weight Watchers the trials resulted in "an improvement in behaviors that help people maintain weight loss and a reduction in the desire to eat when there's no physical hunger or need for food." (src).

Critics of the previous Points formula claimed that it did not accurately differentiate between more nutritionally dense foods, and "empty calories". This is due to the heavy weighting of Calories over other nutrient measures.

When we have a 100-calorie apple in one hand and a 100-calorie pack of cookies in the other, and we view them as being "the same" because the calories are the same, it says everything that needs to be said about the limitations of just using calories in guiding food choices.

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Mall Food Courts Are Crawling With Roaches

Compared to a greasy truck stop, the food court at the mall is four-star dining, but that isn't saying much. It turns out food courts are just as disgusting.

An MSNBC investigation revealed many food court hotspots are oozing with E. coli and littered with mouse poop.

Investigators visited malls in Boston, Minnesota, and New York City, and found all sorts of health code violations and unsafe practices.

Inspection reports show that since 2009 at Boston's Faneuil Hall, 43% of food vendors had critical violations, 68% at the Mall of America in Minnesota, and 84% at the Seaport Mall in New York.

Places like Megumi of Japan in Faneuil Hall were cited for mouse droppings in its storage area. So was the Charcoal Grill in the Seaport Mall. Megumi also had an unsightly roach problem.

Other violations included storing raw meat at improper temperatures, keeping cooked food too far from heat, or not keeping sliced fruit cold enough - both these infractions can cause E. coli bacteria to grow on food.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Listen, you get what you pay for. Sorry, but they don't wedge Zagat rated restaurants in between Foot Locker and Build-A-Bear Workshop. It's crap food, put there to keep you going so you can buy more crap.

More restaurants should be like my uncles' pizzeria in New Jersey. Its clean, the food is fresh, and they always pass inspection. Then again, they own a judge.

Image credit: sickboyfilms

Food Weird fast food food safety 7 Comments O. on 30 Nov 2010

I'll say I am a little shocked as someone who worked at malls for 10 years.

Here in the Los Angeles area we do have the health inspection grades given to all restaurants, eateries, and places that sell food.

I've never been sick or seen anything disgusting.

I also heard that it is a good sign if the kitchen is visable to the customers and isn't closed off from public view, which is usually how food court stations work.

Reply O. on 30 Nov 2010

I will say that food courts are seductive.

My first job was just four doors down from the food court and my boss was a tyrant and a perfectionist.

So that's where my emotional eating started.

Reply Melanie Thomassian R.D. on 30 Nov 2010

Bring some nuts, fruit and a bottle of water... that should keep you going while you shop, so you don't have to be subjected to this.

Reply Spectra on 30 Nov 2010

I never eat at a mall food court. I'm never there long enough to need sustinence while I'm shopping. I'll sometimes bring an apple or something to nosh on, but I never eat at those fast food places. I guess I have a good reason not to eat there now.

Reply O. on 30 Nov 2010

I wouldn't call it crap food. It's quite competative. I actually want to be a Mrs. Field's franchisee.

There is a reason why free standing fast food restaurant chains for the most part aren't a fixture in malls.

Malls go easy on the leases for department stores because they are the "draw" that get people to the mall.

For instance how many mall stores, with the exception of department stores, do you see regularly advertise on tv? Victoria's Secret sometimes, Footlocker, but mostly they just feed of department store traffic.

The high leases are passed on to every other space for lease other than the department stores.

So McDonalds does real well in malls, and maybe a couple others chains, but Burger King closed most of it's mall locations and most other traditionally free standing fast food restaurants have limited mall exposure. Rent is too high, and they have to compete with food court exclusive brands.

Reply O. on 30 Nov 2010

ooops...

I meant to say that the mall rent is too high for a fast food company that does most of it's business with lower rent free standing or strip mall stores.

Reply Mazhar on 3 Dec 2010

thanks for post

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Poll: The Fresh Diet Fires Carnie Wilson

It is no secret that singer Carnie Wilson has had a very public struggle with her weight.

She even underwent gastric bypass surgery 1999 but gained some of the weight back.

Earlier this year became spokesperson for The Fresh Diet, but they recently fired her for not losing weight and cheating on the plan by eating cheesecake.

The Fresh Diet is a diet delivery company that delivers a days worth of gourmet, portion controlled meals and snacks to your door fresh daily. A plan for a women averages around 1200 to 1300 Calories per day.

According to The Fresh Diet, Carnie Wilson (as a side business) was making and selling cheesecakes and instead of losing weight on their plan, she actually gained weight. She did lose 19 pounds on The Fresh Diet before starting her cheesecake company but then gained it all back and more.

Do diet companies place too high of expectations on celebrities and set them up for failure? I wonder if The Fresh Diet kicks customers out of their program if they fall off the wagon or if they help them regain their focus?

Maybe The Fresh Diet could have handled this differently? What do you think? Participate in the poll and comments below.

Source: Blogging With the Stars

Was it right for The Fresh Diet to fire Carnie Wilson?

Yes No View results

Celebrities diet delivery Diet Marketing 15 Comments Spectra on 30 Nov 2010

While I do think some of those diet companies are a little bit restrictive (especially all of them that require you to purchase food from them and eat only what they tell you to), if they hire a spokesperson to follow the plan, I think the spokesperson SHOULD be following the plan and not be starting a cheesecake company and gaining the weight back. It portrays the company in a bad light and they don't want that, so I think it's fair for them to hire/fire whoever they want.

Reply jessialba7 on 30 Nov 2010

u r right

Reply O. on 30 Nov 2010

You have a point. Would this company kick a customer out? I read on AOL that a woman wasn't allowed to work for Weight Watchers because of her BMI. It didn't matter that she went from a dress size 24 to 12 on THEIR diet.

I will say that I am a big fan of diet meal delivery companies or companies that can provide most of your food.

Reply Berzerker on 30 Nov 2010

Serves her right; I can't feel sympathy for her when I and so many people I know struggle to find work, and it sounds like everything was perfectly set up for her, yet she threw it all away.

Reply Duane on 1 Dec 2010

I'm not a fan of any of these diets, just money grabs as far as I'm concerned, but she was the face of the company and it was her job to represent them well. She did not so they turfed her. Good for them.

Customers though? No way! Do you really think they care if a regular customer loses weight? What makes them any different from the others? As long as the money keeps rolling in and people are gullible enough to keep paying. Weight loss shouldn't cost hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Reply Spectra on 1 Dec 2010

Yeah, I'm fairly sure most meal-delivery companies actually RELY on their customers being non-compliant with the diet. That way, they keep getting people's money because the people don't think the diet is failing; they figure THEY are failing because they cheat by eating ice cream or cheesecake that isn't on the plan.

Reply O. on 1 Dec 2010

As someone who has dealt with emotional eating for over a decade....

I started Jenny Craig meal delivery two months before what ended up being the most trying time of my life... my mom's cancer battle...

And I came out of it 28 pounds lighter.

Without good tasting and convenient meal deliver to take care of most of my food for me...given my history... I would have gained 28 pounds this year.

Reply Duane on 2 Dec 2010

Sorry about your mom, I've lost people to cancer too.
Delivered meals or not, it still came down to you. As an emotional eater myself, I know it doesn't matter if you have good foods in your home or delivered to you, you still have to make the choice to eat them and nothing else. Granted, having the meals delivered made it easier for you as far as less preparation goes (I'm sure time was a factor), but you still had to decide to eat them instead of stopping by a fast food place or chowing down on candy bars or chips.
Whether people use a store bought diet or do it themselves, what it comes down to is the person. No diet can make you stick to it. You have to make you stick to it. Glad to hear you had success though! Good stuff!

Reply O. on 2 Dec 2010

Thanks, she is alive and doing ok so far.

I think people are getting "meal replacement" and "meal delivery" mixed up.

Yes I would call meal replacements a gimmick because they have you consuming special shakes or bars all day long instead of real food.

Meal delivery is more like having a combination of your own personal nutritionist and chef.

It is for the most part real food. Some plans do have a shake or a bar as an option. But it is real food specially portioned or engineered for weight loss. The dieter doesn't have to cook or figure out menu plans or measure.

I was in no mood to deal with all that planning and often couldn't as I was running off to hospitals and nursing homes all the time.

When the dieter is on their own thats another story. My advice would be to pay attention to the portions they are giving you because that is what things will look like when you make your own food.

Reply Duane on 3 Dec 2010

No confusion between meal replacement and meal delivery. I think you misunderstood me.

You can have your meals delivered and they're a nice portion size and whatnot, but its up to the person to eat that and only that. That's where its up to the person to make the decision about what they eat. You can eat your delivered meal but who's stopping you from snacking on something else later? Or from stopping by a fast food restaurant?

What I'm saying is that in the end, it comes down to the person themself. They either stick with their store bought diet (Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, etc.) and follow it religiously or they do it themselves. It isn't hard to eat better at home or less for that matter. After all, you have to do it eventually don't you? Whether you originally use a diet plan or created your own, at some point its up to you to maintain your weight loss. I don't see why people would pay hundreds and thousands of dollars on a store bought diet unless they have lots of disposable income and have bought into the illusion of these diet plans, which sadly so many have.

Reply Ann on 1 Dec 2010

Obviously it's ridiculous to compare this to them kicking out a customer who doesn't lose weight. They can't make the customer follow the program, but they were PAYING her to do it, and she didn't. Which means they can stop paying her. I'm sure they would still welcome her as a customer, but they shouldn't have to pay her for a service she isn't performing.

Reply Cate Jones on 1 Dec 2010

When committing to a diet company, you have to commit to the plan for a proper expectation to be set. It makes absolutely no sense for anyone to gain weight on a program that has them publicly representing a weight loss program.

Reply NEMO on 1 Dec 2010

They contracted with her to do a job - the job was to follow the program and lose weight....she failed to do her job, thus was fired. What's the problem?

A paying customer - the company won't kick out of a program for non-compliance, the customer is paying, it's their dime and if they don't follow the program, their loss of their money for not following the program - but as long as they're paying, I don't see why the company would kick them out...you're not comparing apples to apples.

Reply Dennis Blair Fort Collins Personal Trainer on 4 Dec 2010

What? Ugh. Just another "diet" company trying to gain traction in a crowded market.

Reply Mizzj on 7 Dec 2010

Carnie Wilson made a commitment to this company and should have stuck to it. This was a career boost but at the same time she should have took it as an incenative to help her loose and/or maintain her weight.

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7 Surprising Secrets of Successful Weight Loss

Ever wanted to know the techniques and tricks used by those who successfully lost weight, and kept it off?

Thanks to a scintillating survey conducted by popular weight loss site SparkPeople - we've now got some road-tested tips to give you the best chance at managing weight.

As part of an updated paperback version of the bestselling book The Spark, (new edition here), the authors at Sparkpeople undertook a comprehensive survey of over 2,000 members. Why do 50% of people report losing momentum within 2 weeks of starting a diet? And why do 18% fizz out within just 3 days?

The answer is the 'strong start'. These strong starters lost twice as much weight in the first two weeks, and were five times more likely to reach goals than the false starters.

Secrets of the Strong StartTrack Food and Calories
Both strong and false starters ranked "food tracking" as the one action that made the biggest difference in their programs. 82% of strong starters tracked food every day vs. 65% of false starters, and strong starters were twice as likely to track their calories.Don't put certain foods off limits
Strong starters were less likely to label foods "good" or "bad" and forsake certain foods, and were three times more likely to use portion control techniques that supported consumption of unhealthier foods in moderation.Spend LESS time exercising
On average, strong starters exercised for 30 minutes during the first two weeks; false starters for 60 minutes, suggesting that false starters burned themselves out.Focus on both diet and exercise
74 percent of false starters made both fitness and dietary changes from the outset, compared to 50 percent offalse starters.Engage more with others/have a support network
Strong starters were more than twice as likely to communicate with other members online.Weigh yourself weekly, not daily
Most strong starters weighed themselves weekly, while the majority of false starters did so daily.Focus first and foremost on developing healthy habits, not losing weight
Most strong starters viewed their #1 goal as "building a strong foundation of healthy habits." A majority of false starters made losing 3-4 pounds in their first two weeks their #1 goal, which backfired.Note that these methods worked for many people - but we are all individuals and is it important to find out what works for you.

A big thanks to Sparkpeople and the folks and DailySpark for allowing us to publish this. Diets Tips and Tools Weight Loss Tips 19 Comments Spectra on 1 Dec 2010

I was a "strong starter" when I lost weight and I am a "success story", having kept off 90 lbs for almost 10 years now. Some of the habits that I got into were: food tracking (you'd be surprised at how much food you "forget" you ate), weighing every two weeks (sometimes only once a month, actually), not working out a whole lot at the beginning (I started with walking, then I worked my way up from there), and focusing on diet AND exercise. I basically followed the WW plan, but I didn't go to the "weigh ins" and figured that if I followed the program for a month, I'd probably lose weight because I was not eating all the junk I had been eating before. I went a whole month without weighing at the beginning and I lost something like 15 lbs that first month. That was a great motivation to keep going, even though that wasn't my primary goal.

Reply ecardsfun9 on 1 Dec 2010

I like it

Reply Yuji Tai on 1 Dec 2010

Hi

No.4 should be '74 percent of strong starters made both fitness and dietary changes from the outset, compared to 50 percent of false starters.'?

Please erase this comment after it is emended.

Reply O. on 1 Dec 2010

One thing that has helped me stay on track is making things seem as "normal" as possible.

I was never good at tip #1, food journaling, because I wouldn't normally do that in my daily life. I could never even stick to using a daily planner.

So instead, I made a "blueprint" of what a typical day on my diet was supposed to look like. How many calories to eat when, when to add a protein or a dairy product, etc.

Then I stuck it on my fridge. So when it is meal time, instead of taking the time to writing things down at every meal everyday, I glance up at the fridge to make sure I am on track, and that's all the effort it takes!

Reply Andrea on 7 Dec 2010

I really like this approach 0. I was a food diary tracker in the beginning, but I think your approach is really smart!

Reply Kori on 7 Dec 2010

I have to agree-that is an awesome way of looking at it-keeping things normal is good in our minds and good tends to stick

Reply Melanie Thomassian R.D. on 2 Dec 2010

This is excellent. I really like the balanced approach to weight loss that's being highlighted here.

Reply Family Help on 2 Dec 2010

Hi Jim,

Something you said about spending less time exercise really got me. I definitely have to agree with you on that. You just to commit yourself to start a little then eventually move to a higher level. Spending a dramatic time during first days of exercise are just not very effective.

Reply Tom on 2 Dec 2010

Yes, combining exercise with dieting is great advice. However, I think it's wise to first determine the real goal. Are trying to just lose weight, or is your goal a lean, trim, and toned body? Losing weight does not guarantee a fit body, only less weight. True, for some, that might be all that is needed. For others, losing weight means to curb intake while working your body to tone your muscles. So, if you first determine exactly what your goal is, you will likely increase your chances of success.

Reply bijou on 2 Dec 2010

All good points, except I disagree with #3. When I first decided to lose weight, I went to the gym 5-6 times a week, for 2 hours at a time. This helped me tremendously because it made such a difference in how I felt and results were definitely palpable. However, I also had the benefit of being in my last semester of college with a light course load. Now I only go to the gym 3 times a week.

I still track calories religiously and I stay away from weighing myself mainly because any 3-digit number freaks me out and I don't need the mental distress. As long as my clothes fit comfortably, I know I'm doing okay.

Reply Spectra on 2 Dec 2010

3 digit numbers freak you out on the scale? You must be really really small if you're used to weighing less than 100 lbs.

Reply bijou on 3 Dec 2010

I'm not used to it...I just like the idea of maintaining my lowest weight, which I think was 98 lbs. I hover between that and 103.

Reply Jim F. on 2 Dec 2010

12 hours per week at the gym is a large amount of time, and for many of us, many other things in life are far more important than exercise.

I think the study determined that many who started off with great intentions tended to fall off the wagon quickly, rather than those who start with exercise times that were far more likely to be sustainable over the long term.

Reply bijou on 3 Dec 2010

I agree that many times, slow and steady wins the race.

Reply http://claudia12841.eliteweightlosspackage.com on 2 Dec 2010

I like it, I think is great to switch from diets and work out just to have a mentaly positive and work everyday with out thoughts and that always help me to improve my energy level.

Reply Dan on 3 Dec 2010

I really didn't really lose weight that well until I started to ride my bike to work everyday. I was riding sporadically, and maybe losing some weight, but then I would plateau and then gain the weight back. Possibly exercising everyday doesn't work if someone is cutting their caloric intake down too much at the same time. It is probably better just to temper caloric intake and then increase exercise. I lost about twenty additional pounds by exercising without doing a food journal, but once I did both, I lost weight rather quickly, even though I seldom ate fewer than 2000 calories. I also weigh myself everyday and realize that fluctuations can be because of water weight loss. Also, I don't deprive myself of treats, but try to eat these only after I eat all the nutritious foods, as well as budgeting for them within the calorie budget. I also try to eat sweets that have nutritional value, such as Clif bars and dark chocolate. Putting healthy habits first is also important.

Reply Dr. Thomas L Halton on 3 Dec 2010

Great article!
I use a lot of these principles with my weight loss clients.
The one I don't agree with is #3. I have found that daily exercise of 30 minutes or less has not resulted in significant weight loss. My clients shoot for a bit more each day, just around 40 minutes. The rest are pretty much spot on!

Reply Yeast Free Living on 6 Dec 2010

This is a great list. I think number 4 and 7 are the most important. I know so many people that have been on a "diet" forever but don't lose the weight they want to lose because they don't exercise. I have been most successful dropping pounds when I made the goal healthy lifestyle change and not just losing weight.

Reply Doug on 6 Dec 2010

These 7 points are absolutely SPOT-ON.

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Video Exposes Horrible Conditions at Embattled Egg Farm

Earlier this month, Jackson, Mississippi-based Cal-Maine Foods Inc., recalled 24,000 dozen eggs purchased from Ohio Fresh Eggs LLC, of Croton, Ohio, over possible salmonella contamination.

After routine sampling, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notified Cal-Maine that eggs tested positive for salmonella, spurring the immediate recall.

And now, a Humane Society video taken by an undercover investigator working at the Cal-Maine farm in Waelder, Texas, reveals rampant animal abuse and food-safety violations.

The video is very graphic; lots of dead birds, overcrowded cages, eggs covered in blood, poop, and broken eggs, and - as you can see in the screen capture - a dead bird lying on the conveyor belt as eggs roll by.

The Humane Society says Cal-Maine is the biggest egg producer in North America, and is been cited for infractions before. Previously Cal-Maine recalled 288,000 eggs after the FDA found salmonella enteritidis on test samples.

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U.S. Sweet Potatoes All the Rage in Europe

Great Britain gave us Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, and John Lennon, so now we're returning the favor... sending the Brits all our sweet potatoes.

While the U.S. dollar sinks deeper into the toilet, American sweet potato exports, between 2005 and 2009, have more than doubled, reaching $51.4 million. Great Britain is the major buyer.

Wow, I can't picture our sophisticated tea-sipping neighbors to the east, cooking up those disgusting sweet potatoes with the marshmallows on top. My word!

American sweet potatoes are becoming very popular in Europe. In Ireland - yes, Ireland, the holy land for spuds - sweet potato imports from the United States are up $125,000. Not a lot? It was zero in 2005.

People from the South are going to laugh at this, but for a long time supermarkets in Europe branded sweet potatoes as in "exotic" vegetable. So, why is sweet potato mania now taking Europe by storm? One answer is kind of funny.

Food safety is a big deal in Europe, and size matters. Luckily new equipment has helped American farmers grow more uniform looking sweet potatoes, making them more acceptable by European standards. Just like the Brits, so concerned with keeping up appearances.

The North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission - no really, there's actually a potato commission - says increased marketing efforts and promotions in European supermarkets have also increased demand overseas.

I'm happy to see this. I think good trade relations between countries is necessary for global prosperity. Plus, sweet potatoes are so good, they're one of my favorite foods; baked, roasted, French fried, whatever! Just not with marshmallows, that way wreaks of mental illness. Sorry.

Now, if you want to add some class to your holiday meal, and not the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, try Mama Pugliese's sweet potato recipe.

Sweet Potatoes With Maple Syrup

3 to 4 sweet potatoes, cut into 1 inch thick slices
1/4 cup natural maple syrup
2 tbsp soy or almond milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice
Sprinkle of salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a shallow baking dish with non-stick spray. Add all of the ingredients on to a baking dish. Toss well to mix and coat potatoes. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Uncover, turn gently, and continue cooking for an additional 20 minutes, or until fork-tender.

Image credit: DisneyLiving

Food potatoes recipes 12 Comments Anya on 4 Dec 2010

Well I can tell you that your neighbours look on the American sweet potatoes with marshmallows with a kind of awed horrer...

We love sweet potato & prawn cakes with a soy dressing and a salad on the side. Not a hint of sweetener in the whole dish. Or plain old mash with a dash of nutmeg. One thing we often do is make a curry dish without meat using sweet potato - a sweet potato rendang is heavenly - cuts the calorie count of the dish and tastes oh so good!! I'm currently trying to grow my own :)

btw its "reeks havoc" not "wreaks havoc" ...

Reply Berzerker on 4 Dec 2010

It's funny, I've always had my sweet potatoes boiled, with a bit of cinnamon - That's it. And about a year ago someone told me people put all of this syrup and marshmallows and crap on them and I thought "Why would you ruin perfectly good food like that?" I've been looking into growing my own, but the Okinawa kind - Much better flavor.

Reply lana on 5 Dec 2010

Same. Cinnamon was something new for me. I always had it baked with the skin on. Never had it with sugar syrups or marshmallows. That just seems gross to me.

Reply Mehitabel on 4 Dec 2010

Uh no, it's "wreaks" havoc, not "reeks".

Reply O. on 4 Dec 2010

My parents are from the South and I never liked sweet potatoes!

All my life I have seen them covet the groceries from back home that they missed. Bringing tons with them back to California after a visit and later being able to find items here.

They grww up eating sugar cane syrup on their pancakes instead of maple or maple flavored syrup. The stuff looks like motor oil and smells gross. Out here they sometimes resort to buying dark corn syrup but won't eat maple unless it is at a restaurant.

Other favorites like grits and cornmeal are easy to find everywhere now. And of course there is the current national obsession with the southern favorite red velvet cake.

It's nice to know that the love for southern food has spread to other countries. They need to watch their waistlines though!.

Reply juliamako3 on 4 Dec 2010

u r right

Reply mehitabel on 4 Dec 2010

Sweet potatoes? Europe can have them.

Reply dwayneyao3 on 5 Dec 2010

is it sweet potate

Reply Alexie on 5 Dec 2010

I live in Germany and I use sweet potatoes a lot - either mashed up with some curry powder, or as a roasted vegetable. It's a really good food.

Never, never, never with marshmallows.

Yech.

Reply Spectra on 5 Dec 2010

I love sweet potatoes! I don't like them with a ton of sugar and other garbage on them; I prefer mine to be just baked with a little salt and pepper and olive oil on them. Mmmm :)

Reply richardb10 on 5 Dec 2010

this is good

Reply bijou on 6 Dec 2010

I love sweet potatoes! I too don't understand why you would sweeten a naturally sweet food. Marshmallows on sweet potatoes (yuck!), sugar on strawberries, etc. The sweetness of sweet potatoes is palpable even when you put salt on them! They're delicious.

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Roni's 100 Pound Weight Loss

Success stories always brighten my day and boost my own motivation. It's great to hear about people achieving their health and fitness goals.

Roni Yonka, a 30-year old woman from North Carolina, used the free diet service SparkPeople (which has been featured on Diet Blog before) to get off to a really strong start, losing 6lbs in just two weeks.

At the start of her dieting journey, Roni weighed 220 lbs. She had poor eating habits, confessing that: "I was accustomed to skipping breakfast and eating one huge meal a day."

So how did she lose almost half her starting body weight?

If you're worried that this kind of achievement involves boot camps, fad diets or dangerous slimming pills, then read on. Because Roni didn't need any of that.

She took small, sensible steps which added up to one big life change. In particular, she got focused right from the start by:

Switching soda for waterEating smaller, more frequent mealsEating lean protein with wholegrain carbsGetting into a regular exercise routineDoing both cardio and strength-bearing exerciseLooking to healthy role models for inspirationOnly weighing in once a weekVisualising her future "healthier and happier self"

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