Weight Watchers

[The Black Jester]

Anyone have any experience with the Weight Watchers^TM thing?  I'm trying it now, 'cause I've got some unwanted "me" I've decided to lose (quite a bit, actually), and wondered if anyone else had any experience using that approach.

[Ali]

I used it with some success to lose the baby weight after I had T.  The only thing I would say is that there are tons of free food/exercise tracking websites out there.  They don't use the points system, but I personally don't really feel like the points system is all that much easier than just counting calories and watching your fat/carb/protein ratios.  So if you like free, check out SparkPeople, MyFitnessPal, FatSecret, et cetera.

[The Black Jester]

I used it with some success to lose the baby weight after I had T.  The only thing I would say is that there are tons of free food/exercise tracking websites out there.  They don't use the points system, but I personally don't really feel like the points system is all that much easier than just counting calories and watching your fat/carb/protein ratios.  So if you like free, check out SparkPeople, MyFitnessPal, FatSecret, et cetera.

Wow, great, thanks Ali!  Free is my favorite!

[fester30]

I used MyFitnessPal for a while.  It was a GREAT way to watch what you eat and track your exercise.  If you have a smartphone, you can even just scan the bar code on the box of whatever it is you're eating, type in the number of servings, and PRESTO!  MyFitnessPal adds it up for you.

Also, more important than what and how you eat is your exercise.  I'm in my 30s, and when I run a 5K every day 5 days a week, I lose at least a pound a week on average no matter what I eat, and another pound if I'm watching my diet.  It may take a while to get up to doing 5K every day, but after a while it becomes sort of an addiction.

[The Black Jester]

I used MyFitnessPal for a while.  It was a GREAT way to watch what you eat and track your exercise.  If you have a smartphone, you can even just scan the bar code on the box of whatever it is you're eating, type in the number of servings, and PRESTO!  MyFitnessPal adds it up for you.

Also, more important than what and how you eat is your exercise.  I'm in my 30s, and when I run a 5K every day 5 days a week, I lose at least a pound a week on average no matter what I eat, and another pound if I'm watching my diet.  It may take a while to get up to doing 5K every day, but after a while it becomes sort of an addiction.

Unfortunately, I'm allergic to exercise.  It makes me break out in a sweat and turn all red in the face.  Plus I start gasping for breath.  Can't be healthy. 

Actually, there was a time, now in my mythic past, when I was gymming it 5 days a week, for like 2 hours a day.  I was 50 lbs lighter and in incredible shape.  Then I just...stopped.  I'm not quite sure why.  It would be nice to get back to some semblance of that behavior.

[Ali]

I'm with you, Fester.  If I don't exercise, I get paunchy fast.  I can't run anymore because it's too hard on my joints which are already stressed, but I do the elliptical a couple of days a week which is kind of like a lower impact form of running.  My rule is that I can do any exercise I feel like (elliptical, bike, rowing machine, whatever) but I have to do it for an hour.  And speaking of, I'm going to go to the gym now.  Jester, check out the Health and Diet Thread where we post about what we're doing on the Health and Diet front and cheer each other on.

[The Black Jester]

Jester, check out the Health and Diet Thread where we post about what we're doing on the Health and Diet front and cheer each other on.

Cool, thanks, I will!

[DeterminedJuliet]

I used the new "Points Plus" WW online and I really liked it. I'm a bit OCD, so tracking all of the points and everything was actually pretty enjoyable to me.  The new system is vastly different from the old system (it doesn't calculate using calories at all), but it worked for me!

[Ali]

Do you know how it works if not through calories?  (Just curious.)  I like logging and tracking my food and exercise too.  There is something strangely soothing about it.  I also laugh and how surprising the tracking often is.  I guess I have a poor concept of how many calories are in things, but I'm still often surprised by how few or how many calories are in a given meal, even though I have been logging my food off and on for about 3 years now. 

[DeterminedJuliet]

Do you know how it works if not through calories?  (Just curious.)  I like logging and tracking my food and exercise too.  There is something strangely soothing about it.  I also laugh and how surprising the tracking often is.  I guess I have a poor concept of how many calories are in things, but I'm still often surprised by how few or how many calories are in a given meal, even though I have been logging my food off and on for about 3 years now. 

It uses fat, carbs, fibre and protein instead. It works out to be similar (because, really, how could you have something with a lot of fat or a lot of carbs with no calories?), but fruit is a "freebe". You can eat as much fruit and non-starchy veggies as you like and you don't have to "count" them, whereas everything else has a slightly higher point value than the old system.

The thinking is, I guess, that it's better to each 100 calories in fruit than 100 calories cookies. It worked for me because, otherwise, I'd pretty much always choose the 100 calories worth of cookies. 

[Ali]

Haha, that makes sense.  I agree, if calories were the only consideration I would probably convince myself that a Snickers bar makes a fine lunch or some such.   

[DeterminedJuliet]

Haha, that makes sense.  I agree, if calories were the only consideration I would probably convince myself that a Snickers bar makes a fine lunch or some such.   

I almost positive that I have had a chocolate bar for lunch at some point with this exact justification.

[McQ]

I had significant success with WW. Lost 55 lbs. easily over 8 months and kept it off for decades. Normal foods, in reasonable quantities. Going to meetings was VERY helpful.

Lifetime member now.

[AnimatedDirt]

I too used WW for a time and lost 30 lbs.  It works, but I got sick of their food.  It's a good way of finding what is the new meaning of a "full stomach".  If one can keep to the amounts you get used to in WW, it can be done without paying WW.

It's a good starting point where you can learn amounts.  But after about 3-4 months, you can branch out on your own "WW plan".

[The Black Jester]

Thanks, everyone, for the support and the great advice!