Weight Watchers
 

I know we have a few people on the site that have used/are using Weight Watchers to trim a few lbs. I'm finally in a position (for the first time ever!) to think about subscribing -- since I don't travel anymore, and my life has settled a bit.

I currently log all of my calories on fitday, make sure to exercise 4-5x/week, and have been trying to reduce my fat intake....but I'm not seeing results as fast as I'd like. So I'm considering joining.

I'd like to know:
1. Would you recommend WW?
2. What's the "magic" -- is it the points system? The weigh ins? Something else?
3. Do you think you could be as effective on your own without WW?
4. Is the online versoin as effective as attending the meetings?

Thanks for your help and advice!

I don't have any personal experience with WW myself but I have a really good friend who lost quite a bit of weight using them. He never went to any of the meetings or did the weigh ins. Just went to the first meeting to get his points, and the books etc.

Osuche, I'm doing the online version. If you want detailed details, email/PM/call me. I've also done the meetings in the past.

When, at the end of the year, I decided I wanted to get my crap together, I realized I probably couldn't do it on my own. I'm apparently a person who needs structure. At first, I was going to start attending the weekly meetings again. I figured that, attending the weekly meetings, being weighed at them, the support offered there--all of those things would keep me focused and on the right track. But because I'm a single mom in a part of the country where I have little "help," I soon realized that committing to a certain time each week to attend a meeting was going to be difficult. With a little hesitation, I decided to do WW online.

And I love it. I'm on/around/near the computer often enough all day long that I can hop onto the site, enter my information, and see my progress. The visualizations offered by charts showing your weight loss, goals, etc. is helpful as well. One of the "magic" things about WW, I think, is the fact that, yes, you have this "ultimate goal" of how much weight you need/should lose, but WW breaks that down into small, realistic goals. You focus, for example, on the first 10% of your body weight as a weight loss goal. There is encouragement as you strive to meet that, whether at the meetings or online, so you're constantly receiving positive feedback. I've lost 10 lbs. in my first month and, really, I am motivated for the first time in many, many years to continue.

The "points," of course, have some formula to which I haven't become privy to/figured out yet. But I realize that, based upon the number of calories/fat/fiber in an item and the portion size, the points for that food item are determined. That's one of the coolest things about WW, I think--you really can eat anything you want. It's all in portion control and concessions. If you want a scoop of vanilla ice cream, sure, you can have it. You'll just need to adjust your other food intake that day/for the week.

If you decide to do WW online, there's a three-month option offered at a reduced rate for paying in advance. You can always try it to see if you like it. If you have a Palm, there is also a program available for an extra $5/month which allows you to track on your PDA, look up point values, etc. on the go. Pretty cool.

As I said, contact me if you'd like further details. (And, anyone else--feel free to shoot me a PM if you have any questions.) Maddy also could provide some information, I'm sure. Any other Pixies have any words of advice?

I'm also doing WW online. I know without it I wouldn't have the dedication to journal what I'm eating everyday and truly be accountable for each bite I take. I did find the formula for points within the message boards - but the simplest rule is 1 pt is about 50 calories.

WW does a lot of the math for you, so you don't have to. You track what you eat - and many of the foods are already in their list, if not you simply add them to your own list. You get a set number of points each day (based on your current weight) and as your weight goes down, you have points taken away. You also get 35 flex points per week to use as you see fit. Then there are activity points which are earned through exercise, the theory being the more you exercise the more you get to eat.

Of course, WW also has a CORE plan where you focus on eating a certain prescribed list of foods. It tends to be concentrated in things I don't like to eat, so I stayed away from that option. I prefer the flex points option because it gives me the freedom to eat anything I want and forces me to make compromises if I go for a high point treat.

For me it works - I know others it's worked for as well. In the first month I've lost 8.5 lbs and that's without adding a bit of exercise to my routine - simply making better choices of what goes in my mouth.

The one thing that I am sure has helped me is my ability to be prepared and plan ahead. My house is now stocked with lower calorie and lower fat foods. Many of them items of convenience so that I'm not tempted to going out to eat. Right now I know that is my weakness.

I know it is off topic but I lost alot of weight on the adkins diet. It came off incredibly fast like 50 in a month. I think I averaged 2 pounds a day loss.

I have no personal experience, but I know two people very well (one moderately overweight to begin with and the other substantially overweight) who are using WW and have gotten great results. They both use the meetings/weigh-ins which I believe they feel was a major stimulus toward continuing to get positive results over a long period of time. One tried Jenny Craig a few years ago and didn't get the desired results.

I had an ex boss who did Jenny Craig and lost 101 pounds in a year.

Don't know anyone on WW.

Thanks everyone for the info. I want to loose about 25-30 lbs....and it seems like doing it on my own just isn't working. Sounds like some structure in the form of WW might work better. I'm inspired by your success stories.

Rzande1....congrats on your success! If I only liked meat better I'd try Adkins...

You and I are in the same boat really. That is what I really would like to lose, now mind you I have a goal weight that is almost unattainable, and I realize that. So losing 30-35 would make me so darn happy...

I was on WW, and it wasn't that it didn't work, it is just really hard with being a student, and with my job which has me up all night. It throws the meals all off, and on top of that I can't afford to buy my own food, food is included with the house that I am living in, and I can't say we get a lot of things that are healthy. So anyway, even with not being able to change my diet, I still lost a total of 10 while I was attending the meetings for two monthes. Which I have probably gained since Thanksgiving and Christmas... *sigh*

I do recomend trying and going, I think it is all the support and the fact a whole group is holding you accountable.

Good Luck! you have inspired me, and I am definately going to try this again!

PS I really miss talking to you.... I hope everything is really well! :)

Osuche,

Different people lose weight in different ways and at a different rate. Perhaps you just need to give WW more time?

After our children were born, I tried one of Richard Simmons' weight loss programs as I was eating with my wife during the pregnancy and put on 15lbs. Nothing happened for 2 weeks after I started the program and I was most discouraged. Then, slowly, I started seeing results.

In the end the key for me was the program plus cardio 3x/week. I also made changes to my lifting program to focus more on tone and less on bulk as the last thing I wanted to do was convert the fat into more muscle.

Keep at it...I know you will do it!!!

osuche,

I have 3 people that I know that have had great success with WW... I have been considering joining... and believe that I will be taking that step this next week... if you are all interested in creating our own online support group... I am certainly up for it.. (Heck.. for that I will figure out a way to get back online faster at home).

I need to lose more pounds than you... but I know from experience that the amount needed to lose is just as tough whether it is 100 pounds.. or the last 5 pounds... each and every one is a challenge..

Hugs... I wish you only the best of success.

I had great success once, many moons ago, at Weight Watchers. I did the Fat And Fiber plan and I really liked it. A few years back when I lost alot of weight, I didn't go to WW meetings (I'm too cheap), but I did the Fat And Fiber plan on my own. It works really well for me, and YES, I badly need to do it once again!

Just went to my first meeting last nite... :) :)

Day one is now complete... and it was a success :)

Hugs...

will be back as soon as I can :)

Hey Lady, damn it's good to see ya back. Good luck with WW... Ya know I'm rootin' for you and all of our other lovelies!

((((jenna)))) ~~~ I *just* saw your post! Congrats for starting, and online support is good. Many of us are posting this int he "Pixies Power" thread in this forum, but if you want to do something more private together that would be great too...just PM me. :)

Congrats on a positive first day!