Weight Watchers Chat -- Part III

[nikkistevej]

It absolutely is. It is the only thing that has worked for me. WW gives me the structure and also the freedom I need. I have lost over 125 pounds.

That is a great way to describe it!!! And congrats on the 125 lost!!!!

 

[nikkistevej]

Well I weighed in yesterday and was down 0.2 which is amazing because I did not just use all my points, I went over. I've got to work on my emotional eating. Erf. Can't wait for warmer weather so I can get outside.

.2 is still a loss!!!! Good job!!!

 

[pwdebbie]

Up a pound last week, down a pound this week. That's been the story of the past year! I just had my two-year anniversary with WW. In year 1, I lost 80 lbs. In year two I lost 12. Yesterday, I weighed in in the morning, so that explains some of the loss. Went for my annual physical yesterday and begged her to change my goal weight. She did, but at the rate I'm going, it will be another year of $43.00 a month before I get there. She went halfway between where I am now (165) and where WW says I should be (137, which is the top number for my height). So my doctor-prescribed goal is now 151. Not real happy with that, but she was pretty firm on not going higher than that. And I put it in writing with her that I will continue to work on losing weight after reaching goal. I've already told myself that, I just don't want to keep paying!

 

[StayCool]

Up a pound last week, down a pound this week. That's been the story of the past year! I just had my two-year anniversary with WW. In year 1, I lost 80 lbs. In year two I lost 12. Yesterday, I weighed in in the morning, so that explains some of the loss. Went for my annual physical yesterday and begged her to change my goal weight. She did, but at the rate I'm going, it will be another year of $43.00 a month before I get there. She went halfway between where I am now (165) and where WW says I should be (137, which is the top number for my height). So my doctor-prescribed goal is now 151. Not real happy with that, but she was pretty firm on not going higher than that. And I put it in writing with her that I will continue to work on losing weight after reaching goal. I've already told myself that, I just don't want to keep paying!

I just want to say that although it has to be very difficult to not reach your goal when you feel that you should, you are an inspiration to those of us starting our WW journeys.

 

[GAGirlInVA]

I am going to weigh in on Sunday at a different center than I normally do I can't stay for a meeting but I can at least check in.

I've had a few weeks off now. My center closed for snow (For some reason it snows only on Tuesdays right now) and then I was getting ready for surgery and now recovering.

If I don't go Sunday, the next time I can go is next Saturday.

MUST.WEIGH.IN!

 

[runsandjumps]

I have to go tomorrow too. This week was so busy I could never make it to a single meeting.

 

[bumbershoot]

Question. I really am considering joining. How has WW helped you when other diets or systems have not? Is it REALLY that good?

Once I took WW seriously, once I realized that I don't know how to eat properly, WW helps me to eat like a "normal", healthy-weight, person. It has recently helped me stop an upswing in its tracks rather than my old method of being so sad about 5 pounds it turns into, you know, 85 lbs. or used that method many times and each time the resuming weight was higher than before.

Before, I treated WW (any diet, really) as a way to get pretty close to an eating disorder (how few points could I eat?) but this time I realized I had to change. I eat all points coming to me, and I can accept gains without it killing me emotionally. And I now accept that life isn't fair and I can't eat how I used to eat and look how I want to look.

I'm lucky in that our meetings can easily become borderline counseling sessions, and that our leader is good a out doing the meeting subjects in the last 3 minutes if the conversation gets really interesting. Not all meetings are like that. I think that many of us should really get some counseling for the issues behind and because of overeating. Me included!

 

[runsandjumps]

You are so lucky to have a great meeting. I am quite jealous!

I am so frustrated with the system of theirs- pushing their sugary products that have no nutrition.

I am not sure this program is working for me. I need to change my mentality not just how much I eat.

 

[disprincessatheart]

Hi everyone. I'm a long time diser and a very long time yo yo dieter. This spring I decided was the time to finally do something serious about my weight. I signed up for a medical weight loss program 3 weeks ago. My plan was to use it as a jump start to my weight loss as we have a Disney trip in early April and I have a week long trip to California at the end of April for work.

The medical weight loss was shockingly hard - 500 calories a day only protein - nothing else for the first week. Then it went all the way up to 600 calories and a grand total of 20 carbs a day I've managed pretty darn well for the first 2 weeks but in this 3rd week the lack of progress is killing me - if I have to survive on 600 cal I need the weight to be dropping daily, and it's not. So tomorrow I'm starting weight watchers instead. I have done it before and lost but never stuck with it. Now that I know what a REALLY restrictive diet is, ww seems so reasonable! Plus I'm past most of my cravings, no more constant diet cokes, etc.

I want to loose 75 - 100 lbs. I have lost 15 in 3 weeks with this insane medical diet but I'm expecting some rebounding weight as I transition back to eating more than just protein. I'm just hoping to keep it under control. I really wanted to be at least 20 lbs down before Disney in April but I couldn't starve myself anymore. I know my current weight is a serious issue, but it just doesn't seem like eating so little for an extended period of time is safe!

Anyway, wish me luck as I start back into the world of ww!

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

Has anyone ever gotten two different points value on the same food items? When I go to the grocery I always bring the points plus calculator and figure out the points value as I shop. When I get home I scan the items as I like write the value on the outside of the box and have them scanned in the app so its easy when I want to track. Twice this weekend I got two different outcomes from the calculator vs. the scan app. One was for skinny girl flat out sandwich thins. The calculator when you plug in the info gives 2 points but when I scan it it's 3 points. Now I'm second guessing myself.

 

[cepmom]

Has anyone ever gotten two different points value on the same food items? When I go to the grocery I always bring the points plus calculator and figure out the points value as I shop. When I get home I scan the items as I like write the value on the outside of the box and have them scanned in the app so its easy when I want to track. Twice this weekend I got two different outcomes from the calculator vs. the scan app. One was for skinny girl flat out sandwich thins. The calculator when you plug in the info gives 2 points but when I scan it it's 3 points. Now I'm second guessing myself.

to be safe I would use the calculated info, not the scanner. The scanner just uses info that had been entered into a database, and may have changed or may have been entered incorrectly. With calculating the nutritional info on the box, you know it's the right Points value.

 

[cepmom]

joining the thread...I am a longtime WW'er, made Lifetime May 2008 after losing 25 lbs. Eventually I became a receptionist with WW and have worked there since 2009. I have had some ups and downs in life (don't we all??!?) that have tested my ability to maintain my weight loss, but I've always been able to reign it in fairly well...until now.

I started school full time in September and it's a pretty intense and difficult program. Me, being an emotional eater, have let this stress get the best of me and I've managed to put 15 lbs in the past 6 months (freshman 15 anyone??) Since I was already over goal when school started, I have successfully put all my weight loss back on and then some Ugh...so since I have discovered that I can not do it all successfully, and that I have to put myself first in this respect, I have decided to let my position go. I am so sad about leaving since I really love my job, but it's not right for me to be in that position any longer, and I need to get back to being a member first.

so here I am, day 2 of tracking everything that goes into my mouth. Trying to find a great meeting has been tricky, but the leader I worked with was fantastic, really one of the best ones out there, so maybe I will transition over to her meetings and make them my own.

 

[pwdebbie]

Has anyone ever gotten two different points value on the same food items? When I go to the grocery I always bring the points plus calculator and figure out the points value as I shop. When I get home I scan the items as I like write the value on the outside of the box and have them scanned in the app so its easy when I want to track. Twice this weekend I got two different outcomes from the calculator vs. the scan app. One was for skinny girl flat out sandwich thins. The calculator when you plug in the info gives 2 points but when I scan it it's 3 points. Now I'm second guessing myself.

This has been an issue for me and I addressed it with WW several times. Their answer is always the same - plug in the nutritional info yourself and use that result. I don't think that's a very professional response but that seems to be all they will do.

 

[StayCool]

I weighed in this morning and am down 1.4 lbs! I'm excited because for the last month I've been pretty stagnant on my weight loss although I have been faithfully getting on the treadmill 3x a week. Plus over this last weekend I went out for Chinese (at the buffet ) and had popcorn at the movies. I am making better choices and eating less without too much effort. Progress!

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

to be safe I would use the calculated info, not the scanner. The scanner just uses info that had been entered into a database, and may have changed or may have been entered incorrectly. With calculating the nutritional info on the box, you know it's the right Points value.

I have to agree with you. I did figure out the Skinny Girl problem. Even though I scanned the barcode on the package of wheat sandwich thins, the picture that pops up showed white bread not wheat. When you calculate the information the white is 3 points but the wheat is 2. So I think I'll stick with putting in the information myself. Thanks.

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

This has been an issue for me and I addressed it with WW several times. Their answer is always the same - plug in the nutritional info yourself and use that result. I don't think that's a very professional response but that seems to be all they will do.

Thanks so much. The scanner is just so easy but now I'm afraid the info won't be correct. Plugging in the numbers is how I'll do it from now on.

 

[bumbershoot]

You are so lucky to have a great meeting. I am quite jealous!

I am so frustrated with the system of theirs- pushing their sugary products that have no nutrition.

I am not sure this program is working for me. I need to change my mentality not just how much I eat.

Major hugs to you. Are there any other meetings you can go to? Different leaders can be so different.

Some push the products because they use it. Some push it because they get some sort of credit for it. Some do it because they are supposed to. But no amount of mentioning or pushing or selling should make you get anything you don't want to.

Ingredients issues mean there are exactly two products of theirs that we can buy, but even then we rarely get them.


ETA because I was on my phone and that was bugging me.

Changing the mentality is truly the way to go. And of course it's the work we have to do on our own, in the dark hours of our emotions... For me it was like WW provided the framework...this is how you should eat *while you're doing that work*. I remember thinking "I've got this", and the next day (maybe not exactly the next day, but it seemed like it) my son begged for a bag of potato chips, he opened them in the car with my permission, and I very nearly lost all control of myself. Even 2+ years into this I have to FORCE myself to stand there and weigh out my potato chips. Otherwise I'm on the couch with the bag. And the thing is, I KNOW that a serving (or two) of potato chips...28 grams or double that...is totally and completely satisfying, and makes me happy! Eating out of the bag makes my mouth happy while I'm munching, and then I feel bad physically later. I know this, I experience this, and I still have to be really strict with myself. (b/c life's not fair and I can't look how I want to look and eat how I used to eat...all I have to do is make the choice to look how I used to look and I could change...it's all up to me, no one's making me do this)


Of course, even in our meeting we can't go into things in depth, and if emotional stuff gets talked about it's generally ONE person talking, and most of the others in the room nodding their heads. It's amazing how these things we think are so unique to ourselves can resonate so strongly with others. Takes away some of the shame, I think, to know that we aren't the only ones to have sat on the couch with our hand in a Costco sized bag of Ruffles... And sometimes I think that shame and guilt slow down our metabolisms. Weird thought, but sometimes I wish I were a researcher who could study that.


In the meantime, read through the materials again and again. While we do the mental work, we can control only one thing in our lives, and that's what we put in our mouths. I remember my MIL being in the hospital several times over 2 months in 2012...it was the Fall and I had only started back to WW in February of that year...and my son was with me because he always is (we homeschool and I have no place to stash him LOL) and he needed to be fed, and it was so incredibly tempting to just eat the hospital food with their mac and cheese and huge sandwiches and all of that. But for the most part I controlled what went into my mouth, and although I felt sad and deprived (because the smell of institutional food has ALWAYS made me hungry...even on airplanes), I came through it without putting on weight, and, in fact, while losing a bit. While that seems inconsequential compared to my MIL having a serious of mystifying strokes, on the other hand, it was good that I hadn't hurt myself while trying to help her. And I feel that it relates to what we do while we're trying to work out the emotional aspect of weight loss. Here's what you do with your food while you do that work.


Sorry to blather on. I'm still dealing with the emotions of weight. Turns out that I was right, and *for me* having 5 pounds to lose is almost more emotionally difficult than having, 85 lbs to lose. It's absolutely ridiculous, but there we are. And my DH deals with the emotional aspect even more (he's usually the one leading the "encounter session" at our meetings, and since the leader likes having men there she rarely stops him) because his mom did a huge number on him, even starting as an infant. And it continues; if he gains it's on him...if he loses she thanks ME. He has a benign pituitary tumor he's still dealing with and a very slow metabolism, and if he can get to WW weight (doubtful unless he loses a limb, and I don't say that to be mean, he's just not built to be under 200 lbs) he will have lost 200 lbs... His emotional work is SO hard. Anyway, it's why I'm so cognizant of the need for this.

I know that there are counselors that exist who help with such issues, and I sure do wish WW could partner up with some of them!

 

[rlbklein]

This has been an issue for me and I addressed it with WW several times. Their answer is always the same - plug in the nutritional info yourself and use that result. I don't think that's a very professional response but that seems to be all they will do.

I'd cut WW a little slack. Think about how many food items are available for purchase, and how often companies are tweaking the ingredients & recipes. Nutritional info can change from one batch to the next. (I deal with this from an allergy perspective as well, since my DH has several very severe food allergies. We have to read the ingredients every time we shop, even on our common items, because they can change at any time.)

All WW is doing is maintaining a database of information. They have to work with each company to get the info in the first place (& probably permission to list it), then keep the database up to date, including ongoing updates. I work in IT and maintaining a database isn't an easy task. Everyone wants to blame the admin but they can only do as well as the people providing the information. If companies aren't volunteering their nutritional info, then WW has to track it down. All I can say is that I'm glad it's not my job!

 

[rlbklein]

Some push the products because they use it. Some push it because they get some sort of credit for it. Some do it because they are supposed to. But no amount of mentioning or pushing or selling should make you get anything you don't want to.

Just a comment in this too, bc I'm also a WW receptionist. Staff are required to promote the WW products in the meetings. They may not always want to but they have to. Corporate looks at numbers like the amount of WW products sold in meetings per member and stuff like that. Because remember ultimately they are a for profit company.

 

[pwdebbie]

I weighed in this morning and am down 1.4 lbs! I'm excited because for the last month I've been pretty stagnant on my weight loss although I have been faithfully getting on the treadmill 3x a week. Plus over this last weekend I went out for Chinese (at the buffet ) and had popcorn at the movies. I am making better choices and eating less without too much effort. Progress!

Yay for progress! Keep it up.