Weight Watchers maintenance -- plan and target weight?

[JudyS]

I have been doing Weight Watchers for about two months, and have made some progress in weight loss (although not as quickly I'd like!) I have some questions about maintenance, though.

First, what is Weight Watchers' maintenance like? If you are on Core, do you get to add any foods (or maybe weekly points), or is it the same program as Core for weight loss? If you are on Flex, do you get to add points, and if so, how many points do you get to add? I'm finding that I am quite hungry on Weight Watchers, so I'm getting concerned as to whether I'll be able to sustain the maintenance plan over the long run.

Second, will Weight Watchers really let me pick my own target weight? I tried Weight Watchers once before, many years ago (like, 25 years ago.) But, at the time, they would only let you be a Lifetime Member if you got down to what the height/weight charts say is a "normal" weight, which wasn't feasible for me. A few months ago, I was about 240 pounds, and the top of the "normal" range for my height is 141 pounds, which is less than what I weighed when I was 10 years old! I think that a reasonable goal for me might be to lose 30 to 40 pounds. I am sure that I can get my doctor (actually, any one of several doctors I see) to say that would be a good goal for me, based on conversations I've had with them about my weight. Will Weight Watchers really allow be to become a Lifetime Member at, say, 210 pounds if the height/weight charts say I should be below 141?

Thanks for any info!

 

[bridgetgabbie]

I am currently in Maintenance so I can somewhat answer your question. For core you get an additional 28 Flex points added, so 28+35 points. For flex you start out with 4 extra points added per day.

As for your goal weight, I have heard, as long as you have a note from a Doctor you can count that as your goal weight, but I don't know for sure. Good luck!

Robin

 

[JudyS]

Thanks, Robin!

 

[ZerasPride]

Thanks for asking this question. I know you can go into your profile if you have etools or are an on-line member (like me) and adjust your goal weight. OP I am so with you on the goal weight issue. When I lost weight on low carb several years ago and got down to about 170 pounds, I was wearing size 12s and some 10s. I have pics of myself where I thought I looked too thin. Some people even started telling me I was getting too skinny. In some ways it was music to my ears! Ha! But, I can't imagine getting down to what WW feels is my "ideal" weight of 126 pounds. At my heaviest I was 282.5 pounds and wearing a size 26/28. I have no desire to be 126 pounds so I went into the profile thing and changed my goal weight to 140. I'm not even sure I would like to be that small.

If I need to get a note from my doc, I will. Thanks guys!

 

[JudyS]

Thanks for asking this question. I know you can go into your profile if you have etools or are an on-line member (like me) and adjust your goal weight. OP I am so with you on the goal weight issue. When I lost weight on low carb several years ago and got down to about 170 pounds, I was wearing size 12s and some 10s. I have pics of myself where I thought I looked too thin. Some people even started telling me I was getting too skinny. In some ways it was music to my ears! Ha! But, I can't imagine getting down to what WW feels is my "ideal" weight of 126 pounds. At my heaviest I was 282.5 pounds and wearing a size 26/28. I have no desire to be 126 pounds so I went into the profile thing and changed my goal weight to 140. I'm not even sure I would like to be that small.

If I need to get a note from my doc, I will. Thanks guys!

Hi, Lisa! I'm mostly wondering how long I have to pay for the WW meetings. If you get to goal, maintain it for 6 weeks, and don't go above goal, you can go to the meetings for free. If I have to get to where the height/weight charts say I should be, I don't think I'll ever get there.

Are you doing low carb with Weight Watchers now, or are you following the regular Weight Watchers' advice (low fat, lots of unrefined carbs)? I've been following WW's advice, but I'm wondering if I'd feel better eating fewer carbs.