Anyone else trying Weight Watchers or on a serious diet?

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
I'm sick of the extra flab and am trying hard to get in shape again, both by following WW and ampging up my workout a lot. I really like it (minus the money it costs). Anyone doing WW or any other specific diet with tips to share on either food or workouts?
 

Wiped Out

Well-Known Member
Staff member
MWM-I'm not currently following WW (but I did and still sort of work for them). I think it is a great program! What I like about WW is that you cook your own food. I knew back in '96 when I needed to lose a lot of weight that I needed to do it cooking my own food. Otherwise, once I was done with a plan and had to make my own food I would gain it back. I think I made a good choice because of the 70 lbs I lost I've always kept at least 50 of them off.

Mostly now I try to make healthy food choices (believe me I am not perfect). I try to buy lots of fruits and veggies and try not to eat a lot of processed stuff! For me, having to be gluten free, has also helped but I know they don't recommend that unless you have Celiac's (like me) or a gluten allergy.

I'm glad you are working out too! I think for me that exercise is a necessity (although not as important as eating healthy-our bootcamp instructor always tells us if you can only do one-eat healthy or exercise-then choose eating healthy). Exercise has so many added benefits! I love the saying that you are only one exercise away from a good mood-it is really true.

I know you can do this-good luck in your journey-and remember it is a journey-there will be both good and bad moments!
 

recoveringenabler

Well-Known Member
Staff member
MWM, I have food allergies which are common and often people don't know they have them. If you do, you can thwart your losing weight process because of the intolerance's and/or allergies. I am allergic to dairy, gluten, alcohol and I have an intolerance to sugar. Sugar in almost all forms causes inflammation. Gluten impacts mood and is in many, many foods. As we age, we can get an intolerance to certain foods due to an accumulative effect. I've found by keeping a very clean diet, like Sharon, with mostly fresh veggies, fruits, whole grains, no sugar, no gluten, good protein and increasing my exercise, I lose weight and maintain well. I think WW is a terrific plan. What worked for me was reading a book called the UltraSimple Diet by Mark Hyman, MD. which is a clear cut plan to help lose weight but also educate yourself on how toxicity plays a part in weight and health. Another good book is the Virgin Diet by JJ Virgin which is an elimination diet designed to show you what your intolerances/allergies are so you can avoid them and keep the weight off. I walk or hike at least one hour a day, my Dr. believes that is what someone my age should be doing........she's a sport Dr. so she sets the bar high! Good luck!
 

PatriotsGirl

Well-Known Member
My intentions are there! But after the first week I have been lazing off again. It is awful. I had wanted to lose some of the weight for vacation - two months away...
WW is great!! I lost a bunch doing it before. Unfortunately, hubby and I love to eat. I have gained it all back. :-( need to get with the program again...
 
L

Liahona

Guest
I am trying to lose weight. I've always exercised but now I'm trying to watch what I eat as well. I have a calorie counting program that I am using. This is a very new experience for me. I just started in March.
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
The trouble with home cooking is...
1) I cook for two high-metabolic-rate men (one is a teen!) and they NEED calories
2) I cook for company, which wouldn't be so bad except to do it right we end up with...
3) Leftovers.

How on earth can I cut back on calories, when the counter is loaded with all the home-made GOOD stuff that isn't "good for me"? (I mean the REALLY good stuff... pie, chocolate chip cookies, cheese cake...)
 

LittleDudesMom

Well-Known Member
I don't say diet. I changed my eating habits. I eat five or six smaller meals a day (approx 3 hours apart even if I am not hungry) to equalize my metabolism and keep my sugar levels even throughout the day. I have a calorie max per day and break up my meals accordingly. I make sure that I have a fiber and a protein in every meal and try to eat at least 10 grams of protein for breakfast (if not more). I eat very little processed food including "diet" frozen meals which are loaded with salt and sugar. I very rarely eat anything but whole grain for my carbs.

I do a lot of food prep on the weekends. I precook meals and sides for the freezer and chop veggies for the week so it's easy to grab for a wrap or a salad. I plan my meals two or three days out.

It's made a big difference in the way my body "produces waste", my energy level has greatly increased, my skin looks better, and the weight loss is an added benefit from getting healthier.

Sharon

 
For me, as much as I hate it, tracking everything I eat on the Spark People site is the way to go. At first I found it to be a pita but now that I'm used to it, it only takes a few minutes/day to do. An added benefit of tracking my food intake is that I've learned creative ways to keep my calories in check while making sure I get enough protein, carbs, fruits, veggies daily. You can tailor your calories, carbs, proteins, etc. according to whatever dietary needs, concerns you have.

Although daily weighing is controversial, some recommend it, some discourage it, others don't bother with it finding other ways to measure progress such as how clothes fit, etc., I've recently started weighing myself daily. For me, I think this is the way to go. Weight can fluctuate quite a bit per day so I look more for patterns over a longer period of time.

I've never done Weight Watchers but from what I know, it's a great plan. Wishing you the best as you continue your journey to better health... YOU CAN DO THIS!! SFR
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Sharon I wish you would one day when you have a free (yeah I know...right...lol) moment to sort of give me a list of foods and meals you eat. I actually tried edamame (sp) but I could only find it in the pods. Not bad and I could eat it in a salad, wrap or even in a soup. The men would just have to deal.

I know Buck has said he doesnt like anything whole grain except whole wheat bread so thats a plus. He doesnt seem to get the fact that when I use whole wheat pasta its whole wheat. Ugh. I have even used the tri-color to try to freak him out and it didnt work.

I need to lose weight but I dont find dieting works well for me at all. I have a horrible case of ODD and when anyone tells me I cant have something, I want it more. Of course that works in reverse too.
 

scent of cedar

New Member
If you eat only meats, fruits, veggies, eggs, you will lose weight. After menopause especially, I am finding that anything with flour in it ~ rice flour, corn flour, any kind of flour ~ leaves me feeling bloated and lethargic. I developed menopausal asthma as I went through the final phases of menopause. I didn't eat any flour, or dairy, and it helped with the asthma. I realized I felt so much better when I was eating that way that I stuck with it. Now? When I eat bread or anything like that, my stomach bloats and stays bloated for about three days. I must be gluten-intolerant. But here's my point. (And I do have one, as Ellen says.) I think what we are eating is making all of us sick to some degree. Try foregoing gluten and dairy for seven days, just to see how you feel. I think you will feel lighter, clearer headed, and happier.

The rest will be history, as you will drop the weight naturally, effortlessly.

:O)

Barbara
 
Janet,

You don't have to use it but just check out sparkpeople.com. You can eat anything you want. While obviously some foods are healthier than others, you can eat everything in moderation. For example, if you eat two bags of M&M's, you can take those calories into account when tracking your foods. Spark People doesn't suggest doing a total overhaul of the way you eat all at once. It stresses making gradual changes that you can stick with. Sorry, I must sound like a walking add for the site, lol...! Anyway, just check it out over a cup of coffee, etc... You can always "forget" you saw it... SFR
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Well, I kind of need to track what I eat or I may eat too much and my workout is pretty intense. I've lost a lot of weight in the past. Until I started Paroxatene (cough) I was always very thin. Sure makes you crave sugar!

I am sure I'm not allergic to any foods and am not going to cut out any nutritious food from my diet. My staple is Greek fat free plain Yogurt :) I LOVE IT! I throw blueberries and strawberries into it. That's breakfast. Yum!!! I am pretty good at staying away from sweets. I like sugar too much. If I have five M&Ms, I want five bags of them and I'll eat them all! So I avoid sugar. I try to stay away from processed flour and only eat whole wheat bread. But even good eating habits and exercising hasn't made me lose weight at my age. I need to cut my portions and do a really hard workout...not a cheat workout and call it a workout...lol :) I've been sort of jog/running for forty minutes now rather than, say, just doing the treadmill...I wish everyone good luck. I think Spark is great. I just need that pep talk and phone support from WW!!!!


Good luck to all!
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
I have a horrible case of ODD and when anyone tells me I cant have something, I want it more.
Well then... get Tony to tell you that you can't have fruits and veggies? Use your known weak point to your own advantage.
 

nerfherder

Active Member
When I started back in 2000, I was sort of flailing. Walking in Chestnut Hill/Wyndmoor PA, to work if it was a work day, or just working, that in not very long got me to drop 20 lbs. (LOTS of steep hills to walk.) That's 'cause I was starting to Worry because I'd hurt my back, and a MRI scan showed that in my 30's, my disks were already compressing.

In a couple years I went with the four ingredient diet - meaning I would not eat anything with HFCS, artificial colors, artificial flavors, or partially/artificially hydrogenated fats. I didn't consider myself sensitive to those, I was simply going on the assumption that if any of those four ingredients was added, it was junk food and I was better off not eating it. That lost me another 20 or so. Still not restricting amounts, just ingredients.

Then I decided to try cutting out wheat, and that's when things really took off. My lungs improved, my wind improved, I started dropping retained fluid like gangbusters, which meant easier to run or otherwise work out, which started a cycle of vastly improved health.

Over the years I (which is to say, we - my housemates and I, and DEX reluctantly) have tried vegetarian, vegan, all raw, 70% raw, old-school Atkins, and Paleo - and I have to say the Paleo has worked best for my body, my metabolism and my activity level. I'm having energy troubles now because I've been having the same trouble with sugars and sweets that smokers have with cigs during periods of high stress. I'm quite aware I'm doing it to myself, and am trying to whap myself in the head and keep to a healthier food intake. No weight gain though, I'm just too busy. :) And never the grain foods, I like breathing too much. :)

To start, I'd suggest to anyone who isn't under medical pressure to change to start the way I did - pick those first four ingredients, and learn to avoid them. Read labels. Anything with any of those four ingredients is not something that's going to make your day better, there are always other yummy comfort foods you can nom.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Nerf, sounds like you did great! :)))

I really don't have a problem feeling winded or anything no matter what I eat or how much I work out so for now I'm not cutting out anything. At the same time, it makes sense to go heavy on the fruit, veggies, for me (with osteoarthritis) calcium products, and fibers. I hardly ever have red meat. Chicken and Fish at times. I feel terrific. I think the hard workout is the key to staying "youngish." I know I am blessed to be able to do some of the things much younger people can do and I want to keep it that way for as long as I can. I do think it helps that I never was a smoker, but maybe not.

My father is 89. He still goes to dances...lol. I want to be like him :) Of course, luck is involved too. My mom also ate really well and she did intensive line dancing until she died of brain cancer at 75. So you never know.
 

LittleDudesMom

Well-Known Member
Janet, we'll talk this weekend! Call me when you are free.

I actually use the daily food diary on the my fitness pal website. When I write it down, I do better too!

*Sharon
 
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