Please share your 'switches' and 'cheats'

[Wend1]

After my first child I lost 3 stone on WW - 2 stone of baby weight and an extra stone on top. I had my second baby 7 weeks ago and I've got that 3 stone to lose again (4 if I actually wanted to get to a healthy weight!). Feels likes a huge task and I'm very daunted by it. But hate myself as I am and an so cross that I let it happen again.

Anyway last time round I came to know all the little 'cheats' that made life better. For example I used to love egg mayo sandwiches so used to have egg mixed with cottage cheese instead. Just little switches that meant I could still have what I wanted. And I used to know all the lowest pointed products - margarine, crisps, chocolate, everything.

I'm started again and have forgotten pretty much everything so would love to hear all your cheats, switches and amazing discoveries that help make the plan easy to stick to.

If you stick to the "filling and healthy" plan then no point counting!

Otherwise - G&T with a slimline tonic is only 2 points.

Cauliflower mash is free. Fill up on veg.

Quark is the new cottage cheese!

Warburtons thins instead of bread.

If anyone knows of any 'cheat' alternatives to chocolate digestives that would be helpful. I was thinking whether chocolate philidelpha on a oat cake might be a healthier choice but then again it's just cheese, I'm probably better off just eating a biscuit for what it's worth.

There used to be WW choc digestives when I was doing this first time round. They were lovely!! Exactly the same but a lot thinner!

Yeah they still do them and they are really thin which is the problem as they arnt filling enough so I eat more!

Kingsmill crusts away 1pp per slice

Low fat creme fraiche instead of cream for sauces.

I have to say I liked your suggestion of the egg and cottage cheese to make an egg mayo, Ive tried it out and i really like it! Thanks!

Maybe an Options hot chocolate with a rich tea biscuit? That would come in at 2 points.

I got a bit hooked on sherbet dib dabs when I wanted something sweet after dinner.

Also, if you like chilli or spag Bol try using quorn. It's only 2 pt a portion -just be sure to add plenty of stock so it's not dry. Tinned tomatoes instead of ready made sauces for no points, and bulgar wheat instead of rice, again 2points a portion.

Tunnocks snowball, keep them in the fridge. Lovely and cold, great for a sweet fix for 2pp

I love malted milk biscuits and they are 1pp per biscuit. I actually ate 7 in one go last week and still came in under my daily points. It was so fabulous to have no guilt.

Things I eat a lot of - cauliflower rice with loads of veg and passata. Stir fry packs from Tesco with half a stir in sauce, I find the ones with the lowest calories and they come in around 1 or 2 points for half a sachet.

I get off onions and mushrooms with fry light. After 19 sprays you have to point but I find it gives depth of flavour to dishes. I'm also buying hard if roasted red peppers to blitz and I'm going to try adding some anchovies too as they are pretty low in points and can add lots of flavour.

Other things are having fruit to hand always. Tinned fruit in juice is free once drained and a bowl of peaches, mango, banana, berries etc is gorgeous. Add 0% Greek yogurt, that's very low in pp.

I also tend to allow myself the stuff I really want then make the rest of the day close to zero foods. For example sometimes I just want a slice of bread and butter, so I have it. But have zero point soup for lunch or a huge stir fry that's worth a few points. Means I don't spend my life eating substitute food (like cottage cheese) which I actually dislike as that really goes feel like I'm on a diet.

*fry off

I just read in the WW mag that 1tsp of Nutella is only 1pp. They recommend slicing a banana, smoothing on a tsp of Nutella, ten microwaving for a few secs to melt. Pudding for a ProPoint. I need to try that!

Harissa is zero points, lovely with ham and rocket on a toasted Warburton's thin, and no points on F&H.

That thing of putting grapes in the freezer. Yum. Home-made popcorn is no points on F&H too, great with a pinch of salt and smoked paprika.

swap potato for butternut squash, mash, chips. I use it to top shepherds pie. Tonight I'm having bns wedges sprinkled with black pepper and paprika

Nice tip pleasecomeflying - I had the banana with Nutella in the microwave yesterday and today after reading your post. Really nice for 1 point

A couple of spoons of light Philly (any flavour) with a little water added and heated makes a brilliant sauce for chicken/veg/prawns/pasta. Tastes creamy but reasonably low cal.

Great tips, starting next week!