Newbies

Hi, Snowlily, and welcome. Carbohydrate-rich foods are generally divided into “simple,” which are the white, refined, and sometimes sugary types, and “complex,” which include whole grains, legumes, and fruits and vegetables. High-carb foods include pasta, rice, bread, etc., and low-carb foods include most animal foods (liquid milk does contain some carb) and non-starchy (“green”) vegetables.
Regarding bread, to avoid refined carbohydrates, we recommend that you look for “100% whole” in front of whatever grain is in the bread. Sprouted whole grain breads are best, but not imperative.

Hi, Blueiggie, and welcome! Banana is indeed an odd one because it is so starchy. For now, just ignore it and instead have either an apple, pear, or two servings of non-starchy fruits.

Hi, Irene. Yes, that’s a great idea.

Hi, Liz. The answers to you questions show up in the same thread. 🙂
Portion sizes are different for different foods, and here are made up of units called “exchanges” (the same system used by diabetes organizations around the world). You can see our list here – https://www.trimdownclub.com/exchanges-lists – and the portions allotted to you by clicking on “Exchange mode” in the toolbar above any of your menus. Sometimes a menu will give you more than one exchange or portion, particularly vegetables, which we encourage. In general a portion of non-starchy vegetables is about 1 cup (240 ml), so a 2-cup serving would be a nice-sized salad, or a side salad plus a cooked vegetable.
To join a group, click on “Groups” at the upper right corner of any site page, and enter whichever suit you. The most active is “Successful Beginnings,” run by seasoned Clubmembers who are happy to share advice; you are also welcome to describe the challenges here, and I’m also happy to help. I would like to note that you don’t need to worry about arranging for portions – the system does this for you based on the information you provide in your profile.

How much is a portion? The vegetables are sometimes one portion and sometimes two portions. I can’t find a measured amount anywhere. I don’t have friends on this plan and I’m not in a group, where does this happen. I a quite frustrated just trying to start the menu plan.

Hi – Ive just finished week 2. I have stuck to the menu planner exactly. Week 1 I lost 2 pounds but week 2 I put 1 pound back on which is disappointing. Not sure what went wrong as I had 90% health menu plans both weeks and stuck to it very well and was hoping to lose another pound or 2. The only thing I cut out was the final snack of the day which I felt I didn’t need and you said this was OK. Is this normal to put a pound back on even though I didn’t cheat?

Hello Everyone! I just joined this morning and having trouble grasping the food plan. Is there a certain formula to follow? i.e.: Daily portions: 8oz. Protein, 3 Fruits, 3 breads, etc.? Did I just miss that somewhere?

Thank you i finish first week and was happy to see results and I ate foods I like and it is easy to plan meals for my husband and I don’t have to eat something different. Here is to week two