Weight Watchers

[sirrahbed]

Any PT folks here on the WeightWatchers program? I know I have seen weight loss threads before but now wondering if some of you are following that particular program?

I am pretty familiar with WW since I originally got to my goal weight and did the lifetime thing but that was like 25 years ago. I am now heavier than when I started back then, but have restarted it many times along the way. I started up again on my own about two years ago and lost 8 pounds. Then when my daughter Missy was here staying with us, we both went to meetings where I took off another 13 pound or so. Then.....she left and I went to meetings off and on over the past year and managed to lose only 2 more pounds......23 pounds gone and needing to shed 50 more to be at goal.....so now am actually going to the weekly meetings and following program closely. Even though I am overweight, I can tell that I really do know the right way to eat, exercise and all that good stuff - but need to do it consistently as a part of life.

My cholesterol is a worry now. That is especially bad for me because I am a kidney patient and need to keep mine even lower than "normal" for that reason...just last week I began using medication (Prevacol)

Anyway, I had to familiarize myself with the new Flex plan of keeping track of points and that is what we follow. Would love to hear from other WeightWatchers

[Flatcoatluver]

Good luck! I am on weight watchers. I started the first week in feb. and I have lost 36 lbs so far. i am on the flex plan, and it enjoy this plan very much. Havne't really looked at the core plan yet !

[sirrahbed]

Flatcoatluver - 36 pounds is GREAT WOW!!! Do you attend the meetings? Do it online? At work? Follow the flex plan on your own?? Do you find it easy or hard to get in the requirements - water, milk, oil? Do you find that you use the weekly points evenly by day or save them for something special? Last year I know that I always forgot to use them unless I wanted a meal out or for treats I was craving. Lots of questions for you

I may copy you and put my pounds under my avatar....seems like a public commitment that I could use. I really want to stick with it and get back to goal again - and then stay there. (you know, be an after and all that )

[Sirrahsim]

I'll be looking for you on the Weight Watchers ads in a few months Mom!
Be an after, stay an after!

[Logan]

Debbie, my sister had great success on Weight Watchers. She did it with a group of teachers from her school. I think the "team" approach of Weight Watchers is the right way to go. I did LA Weight Loss and lost a lot of weight, but it is such an individual thing and required so much reporting and such a restrictive diet that both my daughter and I failed at it. If I were to do another formal diet, Weight Watchers would be my choice, for sure.

My stepson faithfully followed Weight Watchers for about a year. He lost over 30 pounds. Unfortunately, he gained it all back and doesn't seem to have the desire to continue, but he is 12 years old. I hate that he has to fight his weight at such a young age.

I konw that a weight loss plan and a plan for healthier living, including regular exercise, is exactly what Scott and I need. My weight fluctuates, and I have lost some weight, recently, but for the wrong reasons. I am one of those who stops eating when depressed or upset about life. My husband is the exact opposite and tends to eat too much when he is stressed. He has recently started the Atkins diet again. He lost almost 30 pounds on this diet, before, right before we got married, but it is easy to fall off of that wagon and gain weight.

There is no easy answer unless we truly dedicate ourselves to losing weight the healthy way and stick with the plan for life. I find that I have not got that dedication yet. If I did, I would lose the 40 pounds that I ought to and stick with it and probably get rid of my blood pressure medication and feel much better!

You're a nurse. You know what you need to do, but I completely understand how hard it is!!!!!

Good luck!

Logan

[sirrahbed]

I will need your help to not cheat too much when we are in Texas. Have to have my mexican food and bbq. Lately I am never very hungry, but I think it because I have been letting myself eat too much junk and not enough whole food.

Yes Missy I really NEED to be an after. The kidney doc kinda scared me last week and I hate being on cholesterol and blood pressure medicine. But I am sure that getting weight off plus eating better will help control both of those problems.

I know I won't be hitting ad "after" ads but you just gave me the idea to take some full digitals for my own comparison. Wish I had done that in the beginning but I doubt I would have been able to get in front of camera. You know me, I will let my face show but usually manage to put something or someone in front of me for pictures

[catlover4ever]

I Debbie, I joined WW the first week of January. I do the flex plan and I am down 36.8 lbs so far and I have a long way to go, but I have set small goals for myself to keep myself motivated. My first goal was 10% (accomplished), my next goal was to jog 1 mile (accomplished), I am currently working on continuing my mile with better times each week and I am working to make it to "one-derland" under 200 lbs by my hubbies b-day in June.

When I joined I took my measurements and a starting picture. The beginning of each month I take my measurements and more pictures and I am amazed at the changes. I have lost 4.5 inches off my hips alone. You can do it....you just have to stick with it and be positive about it. It gets hard, but if you fall off the horse (so to speak) just get back up and move on from that point. You have to be able to forgive yourself and pick right back up from where you started.

I highly recommend reading a book called "Body Clutter, Love Your Body, Love Yourself" it's by Marla Cilley and Leanne Ely....very insightful. There is also a website that she has ..... Body Clutter ...check it out sometime. --- Meg

[Flatcoatluver]

Flatcoatluver - 36 pounds is GREAT WOW!!! Do you attend the meetings? Do it online? At work? Follow the flex plan on your own?? Do you find it easy or hard to get in the requirements - water, milk, oil? Do you find that you use the weekly points evenly by day or save them for something special? Last year I know that I always forgot to use them unless I wanted a meal out or for treats I was craving. Lots of questions for you

I attend the meeting every week unless I have to show the dogs. I visit online sometimes. To be honest I always forget to right down my points. But I keep what I have ate in my mind, so that helps a lot. I don't use all my weekly points, I do use them though if I have a special occasion. I drink a lot of water at night and at work so I don't worry about that, but I do worry about getting in all of the oils and milk products. I was a vegetarion for 2 years before I joined WW. I started eating chicken noodle soup because it was only 4 points for a huge can. I also love healthy choice fudge pops, only 2 points and you can get a huge box at Costco.

[cyber-sibes]

I joined in mid-Feb. & I've lost 22 lbs.
I go to a meeting every week & get weighed in. I track my food on-line & sometimes go into the chat rooms. I also get recipies off their site too. In fact, a friend I used to work with saw me & also joined, so we go together now. My hubby was back in town & was so impressed, he joined too! Before joining, I had about given up on the idea that I would ever lose weight. I hit my 10% a couple weeks ago, I was very happy!

I also took my measurements in the beginning & stuck them away. I re-did them the other day & was overjoyed to see that I had lost like 4" off my hips! Yippee!

Congrats, you 30+ lb loss people, that's impressive!

[Pam]

Debbie, my neighbor lost 100 lbs. on Weight Watchers. She looks terrific and the best part is that she has kept it off for several years. She says the key is to keep going to the meetings even when you have reached your goal weight.

[Twisterdog]

I'd love to do it, but the only meetings here start at 5:30, and I don't get off work until 6:00, plus a thrity minutes drive.

[carole]

Twisterdog why don't you see if you can get the plan and do it at home like me, it is harder without the support, but i am more than happy to support you, and help anyway i can, being doing this on and off for years, so think i know a thing or two, just a thought.

[sirrahbed]

I enjoyed hearing from others on the program Hubby and I are doing it together though I am the one to go to the meetings - I come home and tell him what all we talked about. This week was about cravings for certain foods, when they happen, why and what we can do to meet them. This week, we drove to Indiana for our son's graduation from seminary and there was a family dinner out. I stayed on program! At the steakhouse I had liver & onions, doubled my veggies instead of potato, and had nofat dressing on a salad - raspberry! My son had fixed hummus at the house and so I had some of that, too. He uses liquid from the garbanzos instead of olive oil and peanut butter instead of tahini.
Anyway, I lost two more pounds at my midweek meeting and so am down by 26 pounds with 48 more to go. I am in "one-derland" Meg Next challenge will be staying with my daughter (Missy - sirrahsim) while she has her new baby. I will try to really watch what I eat, but I can't go to Texas without at least having some old favorites like mexican food and real mesquite barbeque It seems like I have done WW enought that I can follow pretty closely without counting points too closely. We eat pretty well but my weakness is snacking

I see that cyber_sibes (Pat) started a fun thread with pictures called I'm Losing It! Maybe add to it?

[*LabLoverKEB*]

Way to go, everyone! I bet you all look great! I am going to attempt to loose about 40 or so pounds this summer, wish me luck, please!

[sirrahbed]

I managed to stay pretty much on program during our stay in Texas and came home two pounds lighter My next meeting is Wednesday so will see how the "official" weight goes....

I have started a new beverage for when I go out to eat and I am loving it. I order water and save the $$ and ask for it with lemon. Then, I add a packet of Splenda and it makes the most refreshing water/drink I am not sure where I got that idea - either here or at my meeting. Hubby and I have also started splitting meals when we got out. We went to Cracker Barrel in Texas and I had a plate with four side dishes and that was really good - salad, green beans, carrots and then okra (fried but had to have it) We also went out for bbq and I had a brisket sandwich and skipped the potato salad and beans so I feel pretty good about that.

Aren't the prices of buying fresh produce expensive?? I paid 99 cents for a green pepper! Strawberries and grapes also seem to be high priced. Oh well, I think it does cost more to eat healthier.

My clothing is starting to fit more comfortably. At how much loss until some of you start noticing changes and when do others start seeing a difference? Missy told me I looked thinner when I was there but I can't really see it on myself yet.

Any meal ideas out there? Do any of you have trouble getting your milks in? How about oils? Water?