Thank you to Ellen at Weighting Around for recognizing 1972: The Retro WW Experiment with the "Creative Blogger Award". Ellen was my first "official" follower, and I will always remember how much that meant to me. So in her honor, I wanted to be sure to take the time to recognize Ellen and pass this award along to some other folks.
Upon receiving this award, it is customary to tell up to six outrageous lies about yourself, and at least one outrageous truth in your next blog post. However, in keeping with the theme of the Retro WW Experiment, I have decided instead to take a different approach...
Below, I have posted 10 "Dieting Rules" of the 1972 WW Program. Eight of them are actual rules and two of them are totally fabricated by me, and have absolutely no validity. Can you spot the phony 1972 WW rules?
You may have bread at meal-time only
Sardines are strictly prohibited
You must eat liver exactly once per week
You may eat frog's legs 5 times per week, if desired
A cup of bouillon must be consumed before every meal
A banana can only be eaten one time per week
Eggs may NEVER be eaten for dinner
Mustard is permitted in unlimited amounts
Mayonnaise, oil or margarine must always be spread with a knife or spatula -- never brushed on
No more than 6 ounces of coffee per day may be consumed
In closing, I would like to pass along this award to a few deserving bloggers who I have recently begun following. Although I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE all of the blogs I follow, I chose these budding weight loss bloggers because I know how hard it is to get recognized in this crazy blog-o-rama. So I hope I can give these brave ladies a little boost today just like Ellen gave to me!
I know you have all been waiting patiently, so here it is... Part Two!
For my second loaf, I have prepared a lovely Chicken Buttermilk Loaf.
There are some things I just don't understand. Like why chicken would ever need to be gelatinized and formed into a loaf. But Jean assures me that this is a wonderful light luncheon dish. So I had to give it a whirl.
Like many of the dishes in The 1972 Revised WW Program Cookbook, this recipe features Knox Unflavored Gelatin. I have to admit, this is an ingredient I do not use frequently, so I am slightly apprehensive and a bit uneasy. But I soldier on...what can possibly go wrong? Once I have dissolved the gelatin into some bouillon, and combined it with the buttermilk, lemon juice and red hot sauce (gaaa) -- I am now supposed to "chill until the mixture is consistency of unbeaten egg whites." I suddenly become really nervous.
Tell me. How is it that a program with such specific and definitive rules can be so vague and esoteric with its recipe instructions? I digress...
I actually had to repeat this step a second time, because the first time, I completely flew right past the egg-white consistency and went straight to vanilla pudding consistency. Ugh! When I finally achieved the "sort of" egg-whitish state, it was time to add the cooked chicken, parsley and celery then place into my loaf mold for more chilling. Oh yes---did I not tell you? This is a cold dish.
So here's the finished product. Can you see that it is glistening? Can you see that it is quivering? Sadly--I am unable to provide a review of this recipe, because I was physically unable to taste it. My gag reflex kept engaging every time I put the fork near my mouth. Bon Appetit!
Oh...and one last thing! Before signing off for today, I would like to wish my Dearest Mother the happiest of birthdays. She endured this program back in 1972 (for real), and continues to be my ispiration for writing this blog today. Here's to you mom! You are my idol!
Since "dietetic products" like sugar-free calorie-free carbonated beverages are legal on the 1972 WW Plan, I thought I should take a moment to address the diet beverage issue. Two servings per day are permitted in "reasonably unlimited amounts". Whatever that means.
Let us now sing the praises of the stupendously craptastic diet soda that we all know and love: TAB. I hope you will enjoy this creepy TAB commercial from the early 1970's and ask yourself, "Are you a mind sticker?"
This weekend, I am featuring a 2-part series of loaf-related recipes at the 1972 Retro WW Experiment. So hold onto your Pepto Bismol bottles, ladies and gentlemen!
For my first loaf, I will be featuring a Soybean and Vegetable Loaf. I chose this obscure little recipe, because it is one of the few meatless main dish recipes in the 1972 WW Revised Program Cookbook, and since I try to lean towards a mostly vegetarian diet, I thought I would really enjoy this dish. Plus--I thought it would be perfect for the Lenten Potluck Season! *Wink*
Jean Nidetch calls soybeans the "Little Honorable Plant of the Orient." Right you are, Jean. And what better way to use soybeans than to cook them, drain them, and puree them into a ground-up mystery food?
The recipe calls for the following ingredients to be pureed and placed in a small loaf pan or casserole then baked for about an hour and topped with tomato sauce:
9 oz. cooked soybeans
1/2 c sliced celery
2 oz. sliced onion
2 oz. sliced carrot
1 cup green beans
2 Tbsp. water
salt & pepper
I added a few drops of hot sauce for flavor.
As the dish was baking, the house was filled with a lovely aroma. A few times, I almost tricked myself into believing I had a real meatloaf in the oven. However, upon removing it from the oven, the lovely bright green color served as a gentle reminder that it was in fact, not meatloaf, but rather something else entirely.
I happen to LOVE soybeans, so I really enjoyed this dish. In fact, I will probably make it again. But I have to admit that as I was assembling this recipe I couldn't help but imagine Charlton Heston screaming, "Soylent Green is made out of people!!!!"
I couldn't wait to report that after one whole week on this crazy Retro WW Experiment, I have lost......
One pound! TaaaDaaa!
I can honestly say that this wacky little project has renewed my resolve and re-energized my weight loss journey. OK--I have to admit that I have not followed the 1972 Program "Rules" exactly as written, but I have incorporated many of the concepts and recipes into my current plan, and so far it is working! Far Out!
Welcome new followers of the Retro WW Experiment! I want to sincerely thank you for taking the time to visit my groovy (yet somewhat horrifying) little blog.
Now then. Can we talk? I enjoy a tasty snack just as much as the next gal. Which is why I HAD to try this cute little sweetie.
I must preface by saying: There continues to be a legion of Retro WW enthusiasts who still rave about this snack. I still hear ladies whispering about it in meeting rooms across the land. They talk about it as if it were the best thing they ever ate in their life.
Any snack that can stand the test of time like this one must be good, right?
OK. So here's all you do...
Take 1/4 cup of cottage cheese. (This is almost half of your cheese allotment for the day, so choose wisely!) Now mix it with a teaspoon of artificial sweetener, a pinch of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Now "spread" this mixture on your slice of bread. (You only get 2 slices of bread for the entire day, so you better savor the crap out of this). I used an Arnold's Sandwich Thin, because that's all I had on hand. (please don't judge me, Jean)
Here's the great part, folks: Since spreadable cheeses were "illegal" on the original WW plan, you could really feel like you were "cheating" by doing this. Don't you feel NAUGHTY?
Now that you have your Not-So-Danish "Pastry" all prepped and ready to go, all you need to do next is put it under the broiler until bubbly & hot. Yum?
I made 2 servings. One for me and one for my hubby. I have to admit I thought it was mighty tasty. The hubby--not so much.
My final review: Once you get past the idea that you are indeed eating hot cottage cheese (Ew.) I think you will enjoy it too. Why not whip up a batch for your next Tupperware Party?
As I continue with this experiment, it is inevitable that I must address the issue of the 5-Fish rule. If I want to do this right, I must try to eat a minimum of 5 weekly fish meals.
Jean Nidetch says..."You need never be bored with fish!" Considering she lists over 50 species of fish in the 1972 WW Revised Program Cookbook and many "interesting" ways to prepare it, you would almost have to agree with this statement.But allow me to provide a few examples of the recipe titles:
Pink Lady Fish Salad;
Tuna, Tomato and Zucchini Mold;
Fish Stuffed Potato Boats;
Salmon Buttermilk Loaf
I'm not gonna lie to you. These recipes scare me just a little.
No wonder my mom used to eat her tuna straight from the can just to get her 5 servings in!
I have been told by a few Retro WW enthusiasts that a little mustard helps the tuna go down a bit easier. (Mustard is a legal condiment!)
Thank you to Ellen at Weighting Around for recognizing 1972: The Retro WW Experiment with the "Creative Blogger Award". Ellen was my first "official" follower, and I will always remember how much that meant to me. So in her honor, I wanted to be sure to take the time to recognize Ellen and pass this award along to some other folks.
