Chocolate Helped Me Lose Weight

If you've read my past posts, you know that I lost more than 30 pounds and 5 pants sizes last year by eating vegan and following WeightWatchers and a comprehensive exercise program that focused on strength training. During that whole time I was losing weight, and since I reached my goal and have been maintaining, I had a treat every single day: chocolate, a cookie, or other vegan treats. Because I keep my sweet tooth happy, I never feel deprived. Feeling deprived can make you miserable, and there's only so much of that most people can take before their unsatisfied cravings take over and lead to binging.

WeightWatchers supports this philosophy, which is why there's nothing you can't eat on the program. A few articles in Fitness Magazine also confirm this:

• From the April 2011 issue: “If you bring a salad for lunch every day, it’s no wonder you’re likely to ditch it for pizza. Include indulgences a few times a week, but keep portions reasonable. Packing a few cookies to satisfy your need for something sweet is a better strategy than depriving yourself until you rebel and eat a huge sundae.”
• From the January 2011 issue: “Indulge yourself—in moderation. Sure, you can try to substitute your way out of a craving, first by noshing on an apple, then a couple of graham crackers, followed by a fat-free pudding. By you’ll probably end up consuming more calories than if you had simply enjoyed a few squares of chocolate or whatever it is your really want.”
  

The key, of course, is to indulge in moderation. If it's literally impossible for someone to have a single cookie, this isn't a good strategy. But I think because I know I can have a treat every day, I'm satisfied with having just a little. Hooray for being a healthy weight and having my cake too!

Appetite for Reduction: Basic Baked Tofu & Mushroom Tibs Bowl

WeightWatchers' program in a nutshell is pretty simple: fill up on whole, healthy foods, especially those with fiber and protein, and you'll stay satisfied. The majority of these power foods, as WeightWatchers calls them, are vegan: fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, tofu, and other whole soy. Not only does this strategy make you less likely to reach the point where you're so starved you chow down with abandon (so you eat less and lose weight), but whole, healthy foods are exactly what our bodies need for optimal health. (Don't take my word for it. The largest group of nutrition experts in the world says that vegetarian and vegan diets prevent and treat many diseases.)

I lost more than 30 pounds on WeightWatchers and have maintained it since September. I continue to use their strategy, and it continues to work. So I'm always looking for meals that combine a vegetable, a protein, and a whole grain--power foods that will fill me up.

I love Appetite for Reduction because it gives so many of these filling meal recipes and ideas. I'd made Mushroom Tibs before and thought it would be great combined with tofu and rice in a bowl. Tonight I tried it.

First, I whipped up the marinade for the Basic Baked Tofu, pressed the tofu, and put it in the marinade before leaving for work. When I got home, all I had to do was heat the oven and bake the tofu. I didn't have high hopes for this tofu because I'd made the Curried Tofu from Veganomicon, which had even more spices, and it wasn't too flavorful (maybe I didn't press my tofu enough, though). I was pleasantly surprised! The Basic Baked Tofu was so full of flavor, I ate a bunch right off the baking sheet. Loved it--a definite keeper. While the tofu was baking I chopped up my mushrooms.Then I made the sauce for the Mushroom Tibs. It's loaded with herbs and spices!
When you mix it together, it forms a thick paste that you coat the mushrooms with. I doubled the sauce so I could have more for my bowl.
By this time the tofu was done (and I was nibbling on slices of it), so I put the coated mushrooms in the oven to bake. While they were baking, I steamed some kale to add to the bowl (adding greens to any meal is always a good idea).My kitty Rasputin insists on trying everything I make. He didn't like the baked tofu (and moved away right as I took this.)I cut up some of the tofu slices, and when the mushrooms and kale were done, I mixed them together with some brown basmati rice. The bowl was really delicious with everything covered in the spicy, intensely flavored Ethiopian Mushroom Tibs sauce. Plus, I got two veggies, a protein, and whole grain, and the whole thing was so low in WeightWatchers Points, I was able to eat the last of the Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Buttercream Frosting I made last weekend. Perfect!