Re-joined weight watchers yesterday...

[stella]

for the millionth time! And the irony is that the first time I jooined (in 1997 or 98), I weighed a full 20 lbs less than I do now. And I thought I was so fat.

I am at an all-time high. 2 1/2 years after having any babies, so no excuses. I do think that returning to work has done me in to a certain extent - because I eat out for lunch way too much, and we live in the land of steak and mexican food. And I'm not eating steak for lunch...

So today I ordered enchiladas but no beans or rice and I didn't eat a single chip.

It is always very hard for me to stick with WW. But a good friend has recently lost 11 lbs and people are asking her everywhere she goes "how are you losing so much weight?" She looks fabulous nd she is an inspiration.

Anyone else on here doing WW? I am so hungry today and yesterday - I guess it will take a while to get used to not eating whatever, whenever...

sigh...it's just so bittersweet every time I start trying to lose weight - I get hung up on the disappointment of all the times I wasn't successful in the past...

Oh well - you girls are an inspiration as well and Lord knows I can't stay off these boards, so if I check in with you, maybe that will help.

Thanks for listening to my rambling on...
Claire

[psophia17]

You can do it!!!

I'm doing WW, and have been since Christmas. I did it for a year before I got pregnant and lost 30 pounds. In the past four months, I've lost 21 pounds. I'm following the program from when I did it a year ago, and I do all my journaling on my Palm Pilot using the WW Calc program, which I can't recommend highly enough.

If you have a palm and want to try the program I use to journal, you can get it by joining the yahoo group where it's at: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/wwcalc-for-palm/, and there's tons of info on how to use the software at the developer's site, http://www.ruffboy.com/WWCalc/WWCalc.html.

Also, go to Dottie's Weight Loss Zone - www.dwlz.com. I can't tell you how much this website has helped me - Dottie has lists and lists of points and links so you can download them onto your Palm to use with the WW Calc program.

My other major tip for you is for handling lunches - before you go, figure out where you're going, and figure out what you're going to eat that is worth using your points on. Beans are actually quite low, and cheese is high. Enchiladas can be bad when the tortilla is softened by putting it in hot oil before filling. I would often get a burrito with shredded chicken in red sauce, no cheese, and two sides of black beans, no rice, when I got Mexican - and remember, salsa is 0 points, so eat up! And avocado (straight up or as guac), although high in points, is a better idea than an equal amount of sour cream :)

If I can do it - YOU can do it!!

[Jeanne]

Hey Claire.
Hang in there. You can do it. I switched to WW after I jumpstarted on Atkins and it's been going very well for me. It is a much slower loss and at times is frustrating when all you want to do is get to your goal. I've never had such a hard time loosing weight in my life since I've had my girls. UGH! But the upside is that I don't feel deprived as much. It's definitely an elimination diet - as they all are but I find that it's a low maintenance way to stay on track. I thought the point counting was going to be too much but it's really the easiest thing I've ever done. It did force me to reevaluate my thinking on certain foods that I used to snack on though. I used to eat high quantities of fat free foods and thought I was within my calorie limit but in reality, I was eating too much quantity and therefore only maintaining a loss instead of loosing more.

Look for snacks that are very low in points. Fiber 1 cereal is a staple for me. It fills me up when I need to fill in the gaps. Kelloggs fat free waffles with Trader Joes Pumpkin Butter is another low point snack. I bought 10 jars back in November since it's a seasonal item. I am big on 0-1 point snacks and will look for anyway to get those!

Dottie's WLZ is a really good site - as mentioned by a previous poster.

[WeasieG]

Congrats on your return to WW! I'm right there with you, I'm returning today, a week after my baby was born. I've got to fit into a MOH bridesmaid dress in 6 weeks for my bf's wedding!

WW is fantastic - but you know that, otherwise you'd be doing something else. My mom put me on the South Beach Diet upon my return from the hospital, and while avoiding certain foods made sense, going nuts on nuts and cheese certainly did not make too much sense. Anyhow, we all know WW works, slowly albeit, and I'm rooting for you!!! Hopefully we'll kick the extra weight to the curb, together!

[VenusElon]

I know exactly how you feel. My goal weight this time around was my starting weight 4 years ago. I just rejoined last week and lost 2 lbs on my first weigh-in. I just can't find the time to do the aerobics that I know I need to do-so I found a new program. I got the 8 Minutes in the Morning workout kit by Jorge Cruise and I'm doing that in the morning. I can't find an hour a day to exercise-but I can committ to 8 minutes. I just get up when my alarm goes off instead of hitting the 9 minute snooze. I have had so much energy this week! I also bought his book the 3 Hour Diet and I'm just sticking to the WW Points, but eating every three hours. It works well for me so I don't feel deprived. Here was my plan yesterday:

Breakfast, 7am, 2 Eggo waffles, scrambled egg substitute, orange (that was a lot of food!) I had eaten breakfast and exercised before the kids were even awake!

Snack, 10am, 2 Apple cinn rice cakes, and the kids had the same!

Lunch, 1pm, Lean Cuisine Meal plus frozen veggie-I can really sit down and eat slowly because the kids nap from 12:30-2:30

Snack, 4pm, Yogurt Smoothie I took outside while the kids were playing in the sand. This time is a little tricky because the kids have snack at 3 and I'm hungry, but I just forced myself to have a bottle of water when they snacked. I also like the Nabisco 100 calorie packs or Mint Chocolate Pria bars (tastes like Girl Scout thin mints) for this time.

Dinner, 7pm, Rice and Chicken Casserole with veggies

Treat, 10pm-6 Teddy Grahams


Venus

[Lynnie]

Good Luck Claire!

I think I am going to try WW in a couple weeks (I am going to *try* to do one of those two week fad diets eliminating sugar, white flour, coffee, dairy, etc. to get a jump start) but then when I try to start a real plan I could live with -WW - I know I could also use some support.

I don't have that much to lose really, but I have so many clothes that don't fit and hate trying to find something to wear to work. or to go out. or just to hang out on weekends. I weigh 4-5 pounds more now than I did 6 months ago, when my baby was only 6 months old, and 14-15 more than I did pre-kiddo, and would really like to lose two sizes and get back into my clothes. (I'd love to lose 18 pounds but won't be greedy) But I totally can relate to being much thinner years ago, but thinking then that I was fat ! If only I looked like that now !! (and then I wonder if I will ever feel that way about how I look now.... which I probably will if I keep eating every sweet in sight, or search one out whenever I want one and one isn't in sight!)

I want to have to account to someone, but not DH cause he's always really hard on me when I fall off the wagon, and is not a sweet lover at all, so just doesn't get it. Plus he is in great shape. jerk. I see that weekly post by people when everybody checks in, but am not sure if it is a "private" kind of thing or not. If not, maybe we could join that, or if so, maybe we could start another one.

Anyway, we can do it, and I think as long as we realize it is going to be a process, and that we will stray from the plan as we are only human, and don't beat ourselves up, but commit to doing the best we can, we will succeed. And if I don't succeed by my birthday in january, I am donating all of my clothes that don't fit to charity.

[caridura]

I am doing WW too. I joined about 3 weeks ago for the first time. I'm trying to lose this baby weight and it's harder than I thought it would be! So, WW it is. It's going slowly for me so far, so hopefully I can keep up with it.

Good luck with your weight loss!

[WeasieG]

Ditto on the hard part. I thought if I followed it, the pounds would get lost on their own. Harder when DH makes the meals his way. :(
The exercise part is hard too... difficult to find that window of opportunity to get out there and walk. Had to have a chat with DH about supporting me in this (taking care of DS for an hour a day) to get rid of the preggo pudge!
Slowly but surely, ladies... slowly but surely...

I'll see less of you later! (favorite WW saying...)

[mlewis]

I joined WW this week also! I've done it before and it worked, but I think the first couple weeks are rough because you haven't seen results yet and your body is readjusting to eating right. Good luck!

[Lynnie]

Is there anyplace where all of the food points are listed ? I am going to join after next week - next thurs or friday to be exact, but I am too cheap to go to meetings, and I don't have a palm pilot to download software. I just want to be able to keep track on my old fashioned day at a time flip the page over calendar on my desk here at work, and weekends I will try to do it in my head (and will save those extra points for that time !!)

Also, do you get points off for exercising ?

since my two kids - maybe even before, when i got married in dec 2000, i had forgotten that losing weight and being able to wear old clothes can be just as satisfying as eating a tube of chocolate chip cookies. well, almost. i did have to say that didn't i.....mmmmmmmmm
but when i make it to WW, I can have some cookies !!(just not several dozen!)

[Jeanne]

I've never found a site that lists the points other than the book they gave me or what's listed on the WW page for online membership.

But you will gain points for exercise! I think that info is listed with the online membership or given at weekly meetings. There is also a printed book that WW produces but I can't remember the exact name - something activity?

I don't belong to the online membership nor have I attended any meetings so I can't look it up for you. But I do know (via a friend) that if you walk at a speed of 3.0-5.0 for 30 minutes, you get two extra points.