Weigh-In Wednesday #4: Lets Talk Weight Watchers
Thanks to a few recommendations from last week’s Weigh-In Wednesday, I did it. I joined Weight Watchers Online.
So here’s what I wanna know…who’s done Weight Watchers? Who has been successful with it? Tell me your story.
I never really believed it was any better than counting calories but so far I think it is. I just couldn’t come up with a good number of calories to eat to work with nursing. So I was getting frustrated trying to figure it out–sometimes eating way too much and sometimes too little.
So I signed up for WW and they gave me a daily point value of 40. And a weekly allowance of 40, meaning that if I go over my daily 40, it will just take from my weekly allowance, like an overdraft.
I’m still in the adjustment phase. I think it will take me a few weeks. One of my biggest problems so far, believe it or not, is running out of food. I honestly don’t know how this happens but if I don’t go to the store like every other day, we have nothing to eat. Nothing but crackers. Our fruit just doesn’t last–it gets eaten so fast! And y’all know how fun it is going to the grocery store with my three kids.
Daily Goals:
Eat Fresh: One thing that I love is that most fruits and veggies are 0 points. So if I can train myself to up my fruits and veggies a ton, I think I will be less hungry, stay within my points, and keep my milk supply up enough. Additionally lots of fruits and vegs are galactologues–foods that help increase milk supply.
Limit the Scale: I’m going to try to only weigh myself once a week. Before, I was weighing myself several times a day and if was fluctuating like crazy. And making ME crazy.
Eat All Day: I’m going to eat most of my points throughout the day and limit my snacking at night.
Get More Rest: I have stopped exercising for now. I think I was putting too much stress on my body. Between only getting an average of 5 hours of sleep each night, dieting, exercising, taking care of 3 kids, AND running my business on top of all my wifely chores, it was too much. So I think my body was holding fast to all the fat to save me. Sadly, exercise is the thing that gets cut out of this equation–for now. When I start getting more sleep and as my baby gets older and easier to care for, I will start adding exercise back in. This is just a really stressful time.
What are your tips for eating healthy?
I have done WW several times!! It works!! I don’t!!LOL!! Good Luck Heidi! I should join with you!!!
Heidi!! I’m doing weight watchers too 🙂 I should say that no, I am not doing it online, nor am I going to meetings, but I know quite a few gals who have done it in the past and know/have all the info. In that being said I am also not doing points plus.. but the old way is really working for me..
Tomorrow will be my third full week and I’ve lost 21 lbs. It’s WONDERFUL. it’s all about a lifestyle change.. picking the right things instead of the wrong things.. substituting fresh fruits and veggies for our favorite chips and snack cakes.. picking wholewheat over white.. using nonstick spray instead of butter (A HARD ONE FOR ME! lol) and general portion size control!
I love weight watchers. it’s all stuff we already know and things we know we should practice, but now it’s written out plainly with fun recipes to follow 😀
Hope you love it as much as I do! 😀
You have lost 21 lbs in 3 weeks?! That’s amazing! Keep it up! It seems like a good way to keep tabs on what you are eating and then learning a better way to eat overall, which is how you keep it off.
I have been doing WW since October of 2010 and have lost 40 lbs. I have a little bit more to go before I get married in September but it’s been the best thing I’ve ever done for losing weight. If you stick with it, it will work and you’ll learn how to eat better and that’s really the key to weight loss! Good luck, I know you can do it!
I have done WW after each one of my kids was born. It is the only way I ever seem to lose the weight. Each time I have lost 20 lbs and then I get pregnant again and have to do it all over again. Fruit and vegetables are definitely the key to being able to eat enough so you don’t feel like you are starving. One of the things that helps me the most is if my husband is watching what he eats too so he doesn’t tempt me into eating unhealthy things with him. Good luck.
I HATE that I always seem to lose the weight and immediately get pregnant. I hope this time I can enjoy my skinny self before getting pg again (IF that happens, haha!) I would love for my hubby to do WW with me…I am trying to convince him. 🙂
YAAAAAAAY! You’re gonna LOVE it!! 🙂
p.s. I blogged my whole journey and weighing in each week. You can take a peek if you want: http://brholloway.blogspot.com/search/label/weighing%20in
If you are struggling getting fruits/veggies, I recommend looking into getting a Bountiful Basket (http://www.bountifulbaskets.org/) You get a big bunch of produce for about $16 each week. My husband and I have really liked being ‘forced’ to try new things and eat more produce because we have it around and don’t want to waste it.
I’ve done WW a number of times and it works well. It’s easy to get the weight off — much harder to keep it off and I’m not sure WW is very good about educating the person on how to keep it off or maybe I didn’t listen very well. It definitely works — but the fact that I’ve used it multiple times tells you something. ;o) Just listen carefully during the meetings for tips on how to keep it off.
If you can lose the weight, you can definitely keep it off! Just because you’re done losing doesn’t mean there is value in tracking! And if you can do that, you can lose and maintain for life! 🙂 Lots of great maintaining resources…especially the free e-toools for lifetime members! LOVE IT! 🙂
Hi Heidi,
I quit smoking 7 years ago and packed on 20 lbs. Being tall and lanky, I had never had to watch my weight before in my life, so I had horrible eating habits. WW educated me completely on all kinds of things I had no idea about. I liked that you could look at two different snacks and say “this one has 5 points and this one is only 2?”. It really helped. I still eat popcorn because through WW I learned it is a pretty satisfying snack, you can eat a whole bag and because of the fiber in it, you’re ok. I still use my points book to compare foods. I kept most of the weight off because of WW. Good luck, Heidi! 🙂
I’m a member of WW online. I joined one year ago and have lost 30 lbs. I have 7 more to go to my goal.. but I only have 26 points a day! 40 seems like a lot! 🙂 The first couple weeks were hardest for me – learning what to eat. I have to say I haven’t changed what I eat (we eat very healthy and always have) but I have changed how much I eat. I have found it easy to stick to and do. Good luck, Heidi!
-Dinah
Congrats on 30 lbs!! That’s always impressive. I have 40 due to nursing I think. We’ll see if it works!
Good for you. And definitely don’t way yourself multiple times a day. Everyone’s weight changes a ton throughout the day (we typically weigh more at night than in the morning). So I cant even imagine how much it changes before or after nursing and eating too. Good luck!
lmld.org
I just joined Weight Watchers a week ago. I love that it emphasizes healthy eating habits rather than counting calories or depriving yourself. Good luck!
Good luck! It sounds like you’ve a good solid plan which sometimes is just half the battle, getting started! I hope it works for ya!
Natalie
http://www.projectdowhatyoulove.wordpress.com
I am a WW. I have been at goal for 1 1/2 years. I didn’t find it easy to lose the weight and it is not easy to maintain it (I have a major sweet tooth!) But it is possible and worth working on. I will never go back to how I was. It was not the first time I had ever joined — it was the third time. But this time I stayed until I made goal. I think that was key for me. It is so great to be able to go to my closet and choose an outfit and KNOW it is going to fit. I nursed 4 of my children. I NEVER lost an ounce from nursing even though I was told EVERY nursing mother loses the baby weight. HA. Not this one! But nursing the babies was good for them and that is why I did it. Later, it was my time to lose weight for ME. And I did it and I am glad I did. I know you can do it too, just stick with it. If you mess up one day, well, that is just one day. Start again the very next day or the next hour. You have to want it bad enough to stay with it. It is worth it. If I can ever help, let me know.
Hugs and good luck. I have faith in you!
tonilea
Awesome for you! You give me inspiration! Thanks.
40 points a day??? I get 26! what’s up with that? plus like 49 flexible a week….I actually go to the meetings, and they sooo help keep me on track. I’m losing on average a little over a pound a week, slow and steady…and the fruits and veggies are soo healthy, I’m feeling good, I’m sure you will too! Good luck on your journey 🙂
I get 40 because I’m nursing I guess. I would love to go to the meetings but no time! 🙂 Thanks!
I plan to do WW for the first time after I have my daughter in March. I’ve never done an organized program like this, so I’m eager to see what and how you do. Good luck!
I am not on WW currently (I’m pregnant), but I was on it before that. I LOVED it. It really helped me make better choices, I felt better, and I lost 25 lbs without really changing my exercise regime very much (yes – I made it to my goal weight). 40 pts a day sounds awesome . . . I was used to 29! I’m actually looking forward to getting back with the program after I give birth, because I *know* I can do it again. 🙂 I never went to a meeting, just tracked online, and I found that was all the motivation I needed. I have some friends that do it which always helps for commiserating when necessary. The free fruits and veggies is genius and really helped me not to feel like I was being deprived. Good luck. You can do this!
Congrats on making it to your goal weight! I am still adjusting to the program…I admit it’s actually hard to stay within 40 pts when I’m nursing because I feel hungry all the time! Good luck!
Hi! Just found your blog – LOVE the basketweave quilt!! I have been doing WW for a year and a half – lost 35 lbs before my wedding and have kept it off! I totally admire you doing it post-baby while breastfeeding – good for you!! I think if you follow it, it does work – I’m a believer!! Good luck!!
Thanks! I hope that WW works for me too–it’s always encouraging to hear stories about others who have had success.