Mrs Mo's healthy picks for 2009

If this is the year you are going to finally lose that last 10 lbs or if you have set a goal for drastic weight loss, I'd like to share some of the food/drink items that have made me successful with my Weight Watchers journey. The best part of WW is that I haven't really skimped on any of my eating and have actually found new snacks, seasonings and sides. Good luck to all of you and I'd love to hear from you on your journey to health.

PS. If you'd like a visual reminder of where you started and where you'd like to end up, get your Virtual Weight Loss Model over at Cosmetic Makeovers. I have mine on my Google Homepage. It's easy!

Here are Mrs Mo's Must Haves for 2009:

1) 100 Calorie Popcorn (1-2pts on WW depending on the brand): This easy snack is full of healthy fiber and low in calories. It's a great way to ease the hunger pangs. It's also a nice evening treat.

2) Chick Peas (1 pt/serving): Another great fiber rich food. Throw chick peas into any meal. I eat them with lettuce and FF dressing for a 2-point snack, but I've also made dinners with crab meat and chick peas in a tomato sauce. These a versatile bean since they are mild in flavor and not too mushy.

3) Fiber One Yogurt (1 pt): Are you noticing a trend here? Fiber, Fiber, Fiber! I can't stress how important it is to add fiber to your diet for achieving weight loss. My favorite is the Key Lime Pie.

4) Arnold Double Fiber or Double Omega Bread (1 pt/slice): I usually have a 1/2 sandwich at lunch on one of these breads. By having the 1/2 sandwich, I can also have a salad or another side so I can get a filling meal and not exceed my ideal points.

5) Eggland's Best Eggs (2 pts): My husband calls them the eggs with the stamp on them. But I call them my favorite eggs that have less saturated fat than other eggs and contain Omega 3s. Their hens follow an all-natural diet that DO NOT include hormones, steroids or antibiotics. They have Cage-Free and Organic Varieties as well.

6) Tyson Frozen Chicken Breast (2-3 pts): Tyson chicken is hormone/steroid/antibiotic free chicken and can be found in any supermarket. I get the frozen bags that run about $14 (but Acme usually puts them on sale from time-to-time for $8).

7) Fruit! Apples, Clementines, Raspberries, Peaches.

8) McCormick Garlic & Herb Spices with Cayenne Pepper: This is a great combo for any meat. No oil. No butter. No added Salt. Sprinkle onto chicken, fish, etc and you have a yummy spicy meal.

9) Measuring cups: Make sure you have these when serving anything from peas to pasta. You may think you're eating healthy, but if you eat TOO MUCH of a healthy food, then you defeat the purpose.

10) Food scale: Another helpful item when measuring food where the serving size is given in grams. I've used it with ground meat, pasta and even deli turkey.