Weight Watchers...

[Sir Rubi]

... I get 27 points a day!

Rolling Rock is 1 point!

27 Rolling Rocks a day!

BRING IT ON!!!!

[Caylor]

And how do we count the salted peanuts?
Whiskey is 2 points per jigger...where do I sign up?

[attriel]

dang, i can't look at the WW site! it don't like my browser b/c it isn't IE5.5 or NS6.2!!

:o

Oh well, who wanted to lose weight and get in shape anyway ;)

--attriel

[Asharad]

My parents recently did weight watchers and lost a bunch of weight, so it does, in fact work.

My dad liked the fact the alcohol was only like one point per drink. he'd save up. :D

[Serani]

Rubi, Caylor and I are starting WW together on Sunday.

I get extra points cause I'm a nursing mom. *kisses Patrick*

Wish us luck!

[Sir Rubi]

Rubi, Caylor and I are starting WW together on Sunday.

I get extra points cause I'm a nursing mom. *kisses Patrick*

Wish us luck!

Western Wastes? Honey, I don't think she's high enough for that yet. And we don't have a healer!

[Pixelkitty]

Good luck with it. Merik and I have been hitting the gym a bit and trying to loose weight. My attendance has been spotty lately, and thus, I hit a plateau, but I lost about 18 pounds over the holidays, so I can't complain. I started to put it back on when I started working, mutter mutter snack machines, but I'm behaving again. I bring un-buttered popcorn and bottled water to work instead of grabbing an ale-8 and a snickers out of the machine. As for what that puts me at, you can just forget asking. You should know better than to ask a girl (well, girl online persona anyway :wink: ) her weight.

Merik's big problem with losing weight is that his family doesn't understand the concept of diet. "Mom, Dad, Nana, I'm dieting to lose weight" Mom, "Here, have some left over christmas candy from work", and Nana "Here, have some bags of candy and some brownies." and so on. He tries to get me and his other friends to eat it for him, and has a good record of succeeding.

I just hope that his folks don't double the snack output to keep up when the two of us move into the new house.

And no, I'm still not Merik's girlfriend. I'm just thinking of rooming with him cause it'd be cheap for me, and it'd lower his house payments.

[DirkDarkBlade]

Good luck with it. WW can and does work. I've been on the program for a few years now. I lost 60 lbs in about 6 months on the program and have kept it off by staying on the maintenance program.

If you stick with it you'll do great!

[Aananla]

Atkins baby! Bring on the bacon!

Actually, Atkins was the only thing I could stick with, just stinks that its so expensive to buy meat all the time.

[Pixelkitty]

Eeew.. Atkins.. Eeew..

I don't want to start a fight with you Aan, in case you a big Atkins proponent, but that diet can't be good for anyone's health.

Actually, anyone wanting to lose weight and live healthier in general, I'd recommend reading "The Okinawa Program". It's based on a 20 year study of the eating, exercise, etc habits of the Okinawans, the longest lived society in the world. And it points out the things that may help you live longer and healthier. A lot of it is common sense, and some of it is interesting. Recommended reading.

[Aananla]

Anything in excess can be bad for you. I was joking about the bacon thing, but if you eat sensibly and cut down on starches, it can be very healthy.

Go ahead, take your best shot. ;)

[Gaulron]

I have heard a lot of good things and bad things about teh atkins diet. I know that WW can be helpful. I am going to try seriously starting in March to begin a program of watching my food intake and exercising more. I want to lost about 30 lbs by summer if not some more.

[leng]

Eeew.. Atkins.. Eeew..

I don't want to start a fight with you Aan, in case you a big Atkins proponent, but that diet can't be good for anyone's health. "

Atkins diet is strange. I would not propose it as a permanent thing (there is literally NO data on long term effects, good or bad) but for short to middle term it can be very effective (I'm talking a few months to a year or so). Proper clinical studies over a 1-year period show weight loss & weight loss retention at least as good as "conventional" diets and better blood chemistry at the end of the period for the Atkins people.

I used it for a few months and lost 30 pounds with no other lifestyle changes. Personally I feel that the health benefits from the weight loss more than outweigh the possible drawbacks of the diet, which is the ony one I've ever managed to stay on without succumbing to terminal boredom at mealtimes.

[Sagar]

Evenstarr is doing Weight Watchers and I am sorta doing it (I don't obsess about points but I do try to eat more in moderation and eat the right foods - generally low in fat with a bit more fruits and vegetables thrown into the mix)

We do allow ourselves to eat out every once in a while. I know it will slow down progress but I can live with that.

So far, we have each lost about 9 pounds.

We plan to keep it up until our vacation, then restart when we get back.

[Draknor]

I've never been on a "real" diet before and have been blessed with the ability to shed pounds simply by eating less.

That said, the last six months or so I've been making a concerted effort to eat my fruits and veggies. However, the most significant variable seems to be portion sizes. A half cup of cooked pasta is considered one serving - go to an Italian restaurant and order spaghetti and you're likely got get six or more servings on a plate.

With this in mind, I've lost 10-15 pounds over the last six months. Since I've changed my eating habits and am becoming used to them, I'm confident it'll stay off. Next thing you know the doctor will be telling me to GAIN weight. :roll:

[Serani]

Atkins can work. Joe says it worked for him. I understand that it only works for certain people, though, that the chemical reaction will happen in and that that reaction doesn't happen for everyone. I can't use Atkins. The things that Atkins allows for flavoring and variety will kill me - fat and spice. I'm not allowed either or my stomach will rebel in VERY unpleasant ways.

Weight watchers has been around a LONG time. I have no clue how long, but I've heard of people being on it for years, so it's gotta work for some people. I hope it works for me.

Portion size is the BIGGEST hurdle to overcome, I think. I honestly think simply reducing the portion size would help Joe and I lose weight, but we want to do it right and get it all gone. We'll look at options for maintaining it later.

The thing about maintenance, though, seems to me that if you get used to eating those portions and drinking water and that sort of thing, then you're not necessarily going to be tempted to go back to it right away.

The second bigges hurdle, for me, is going to be water. I hate water. Filter it, bottle it, doesn't matter. Now, I've found some good flavored water, thanks to Carol and Chuck, which I like. It's expensive, but it might do to get me the water I need to take in. Water, ugh.

And lastly, the other big contributor to ANY dieting success is exercise. The dreaded, evil "E" word. I hate exercise almost as much as I hate water. But, through some research, I realized that I could simply spend 20 minutes dancing in my living room and it would do the same thing. Another article I read said that another way to help with that is simply increase your general activity. Lose the remote control to the TV. Go to the printer at work twice as often as you would otherwise. Don't wait for ALL your stuff to print, pick it up 3 or 4 times. In Pittsburgh, the downtown subway is free in downtown. I've been guilty of going down and riding that instead of walking a few blocks. Next time I'm working in town (which, hopefully, will be ina few weeks), I'll make a concerted effort to walk instead of riding the train.

Diets suck, all around. I know that I'm overweight and, for my own health, need to lose. I still think this country is too obsessed over weight loss and I still think the "ideal weight" is too low. I often think of some European countries that don't concentrate on their weight NEARLY what we do, the average weight is much higher than the "ideal weight" here and they still live as long as we do. Makes me wonder...

[Evenstarr]

I like Weight Watchers because I can have anything I want (albiet with an eye to serving size) as long as I'm willing to spend the points on it. That way, I can still have my crackers with havarti cheese and a small glass of wine every day - prevents me from feeling deprived :D .

I've been doing alot of hunting and recipe experimenting to come up with meals that are low in points and with a decent serving size (like a yummy 6 point per serving quiche-yea!). It's been fun with a few frustrations thrown in. Do you realize how many low fat meals involve tomatoes or onions :x ? Onions tear up my stomach and I'm allergic to tomatoes (give me headaches that last 2-3 days) so I can only have them in small doses and best when they've been cooked almost beyond recognition (like in pizza sauce).

Anyway, as Sagar said, we've managed to lose about 9 pounds each :D so I'm happy with the progress - plus we're saving money because we don't eat out as much :roll: .

[Raveneye]

I was mostly happy with my weight until recently. In late November when I had surgery to repair a double hernia I was then ordered to do no lifting and very little exercise for about 6-8 weeks. OF course, that put me right through Cristmas and we all know about weight gain at Christmas. So imagine you're not allowed to exercise or even drive your car and get out of the house much, and it's Thanksgiving-Christmas....yeah, I gained like 15 pounds in 2 months.

So, lately I've been watching what I eat again, drinking lots of water instead of cola, and trying (with varying degrees of success) to eat smaller portions. I'm also trying to walk and exercise more often (tough to do with the baby and a 4 year old though). In all I've lost 5 of the 15, but I have a long way to go still.

One thing you may want to take a look at if you're serious about weight loss:

One of my best friends growing up, I've known him for 20 years, became a millionaire in the Internet boom (he sold his startup) and is now the founder of a weight loss and self-improvement company based here Cincinnati that is helping people worldwide.

Sparkpeople.com http://www.sparkpeople.com hopes to be second only to Weight Watchers as the premier destination for internet based weight loss programs. They feature tracking software, forums, tips and helpful advice, and much more to get you started and keep you eating and living healthy. What's more, they promote fitness as well as diet, so it's not all just points, points, points. Instead you get exercises and healthy living suggestions to fit any lifestyle, because let's face it, diet alone may make you lose weight, but only when combined with smart exercise and fitness habits will it make you healthier overall.

Check out Sparkpeople.com, a lot of the stuff there is free for anyone to use. The organization is run by some really great people, a lot of them friends of mine, and the best part about it is that since Chris (the founder) is already a multi-millionaire he's not out to make a quick buck off this, he's sincerely interested in bringing good health and fitness to as many people as possible (he's a total fitness nut himself!).

[attriel]

Atkins can work. Joe says it worked for him. I understand that it only works for certain people, though, that the chemical reaction will happen in and that that reaction doesn't happen for everyone. I can't use Atkins. The things that Atkins allows for flavoring and variety will kill me - fat and spice. I'm not allowed either or my stomach will rebel in VERY unpleasant ways.


Hey, we should not do atkins together. The spice I love, but the "eat a lot of meat" thing'd flat out kill me, i think :/

I look at losing weight every now and then, was doing slim-fast for a while an decided "wow, these shakes taste like chalk, and the meal-bar-things taste like stale cardboard" :/

'Course, last year helped me a lot, lost somewhere between 20 and 50 lbs (scale says 20 ... but the scale says i weight the same with or without the 15lb puppy in my hands so i'm not entirely sure it's accurate anymore :o)

Unfortunately, once I got the ability to eat quantity back, I definitely went back and splurged, and my meal-sizes went up again so I put a bunch of it back on :( (scale still says I'm down 20 though!)

My big problem is generally either over-hydration or de-hydration ... I either do 1gal+ in a day but then sometimes I slip all the way down to a 12oz coke for the day :/ <-- absolutely no habit

Good luck with the WW stuff! if I ever manage to get to the site, i may look into what i'd have to do! (although ... I'm guessing pasta and baked-potatoes are not happy foods, which leaves me at 'crash diet' again i swear :/)

--attriel

[Greebo]

Dan

If you're worried about overhydration while drinking Coke, don't. Caffiene causes dehydration no matter how much water you drink - the more caffiene you take in the more your cells give up as much water as they take in.

If you just drink water - and in volume - you'll find you don't feel dehydrated, AND, your overall appetite will be reduced.

A full stomach is a full stomach. :)

[attriel]

Dan

If you're worried about overhydration while drinking Coke, don't.

No, the overhydration is 1+gal of water. The dehyrdartion is the 12oz-can :o

I learned about the dehydration of caffeine during college, when it was all i drank. Actually, everyone I knew kept telling me I should be incredibly dehydrated all the time :/ It's probably part of whats wrong with me now, if I were to be honest about it :/

--attriel

[Asharad]

Exercising IS pretty boring.

I'm really blessed in that I've never had a problem with my weight. I'm built...well, sorta like the half elves in EQ, and my metabolism burns at a pretty high rate. As a result, I've never had to diet.

Having said that, I do exercise regularly and do eat pretty well.

I weighted 155 lbs when I graduated college. That summer I worked out with my brother (who used to be an abercrombie and fitch model and is in such amazing shape it is annoying) every day and put on 20 pounds of muscle. I don't have the body type to ever become a big, muscular guy.

I've been able to more or less maintain that, although when I hit 25 or so I could actually feel my body slow down.

So I work out 4 or so times a week, and do 2 miles on the elliptical machine everytime I go to the gym. Its boring, but if I can watch television while I run I find I'm pretty much okay. here's the trick to using those exercise bikes/treadmills whatever- cover the digital read out. I never look at it while I am using the machine, as it only stretches the time out.

I drink water constantly while at work. As a result, I have to go to the bathroom every 45 minutes or so, but I think its an okay pay off. Sams Clubs sells these great flavored waters for pretty cheap, and I go through a case of those every three days or so.

[leng]

One other thing about Atkins - ignore most of the crap in the book explaining why the diet works. There was a fairly good investigation done into this recently (it aired in the UK on the Horizon documentary series). They did calorimetric measurements looking for the "metabolic benefits" and ketosis effects. They came to the conclusion that these things are too small to be significant. After a lot of additional investigations (including some interesting double blind testing with food with added fats) they finally came to the conclusion that it is the protein which matters - it is very good at fooling the body into thinking that you have had enough to eat. Carbs, on the other hand, let you eat far too much before you feel full.

Of course, the portion size thing is also important. If you were brought up (as I was) not to waste food you tend to finish whatever is put in front of you. Since to do atkins properly you tend to end up cooking most of your own food (at least in this country) you tend to automatically get a more reasonable portion control.

I'm about to restart my diet based on an Atkins-like strategy. I'll let you know how I get on.

[Sir Rubi]

If you were brought up (as I was) not to waste food you tend to finish whatever is put in front of you..

That's me. Right down to the lima beans, is how they insisted.

I hate lima beans. I detest lima beans. I wouldn't give lima beans to a starving child. If I were Superman, lima beans would be my kryptonite.

I like liver, love broccoli and cauliflower (especially cauliflower and peanut butter--NUM), like carrots, freshly stripped...

But I really, really don't like lima beans.

At all.





Ever.

[Caylor]

I still think this country is too obsessed over weight loss and I still think the "ideal weight" is too low. I often think of some European countries that don't concentrate on their weight NEARLY what we do, the average weight is much higher than the "ideal weight" here and they still live as long as we do. Makes me wonder...


Europeans also have a much healthier and active livestyle. Most of their produce and baked goods are bought daily and are fresh with less processing. They also tend to be more active in their daily routine, walking to and from places instead of driving everywhere. This country's problem with weight became prevalent post WWII when affordable cars and processed foods significantly changed the lifestyle of our daily routines. Commuting into urban areas with a growth in suburban dwellings, the population shifted from rural areas where people were active throughout the day to: lets drive to the store once a week and get everything we need (more processed items to let the woman spend less time in the kitchen). *climbs off soap box* AaaaaHHHHH :) I feel better.

Most diets advocate exercise somewhere in their program, but most people are looking for the easy way out. In WW if I exercise more than 20 minutes...I get to eat more!!! That makes me very happy. It is based on a more balanced eating style than Atkins (which I have used several times with great success...but never picked up on the exercise to develop healthier habits :( .)

Having a piece of exercise equipment in front of the "boob tube" is helping me though...this way I can exercise while learning how to make home made pasta!!! And as Greebo and I are going through the Bab 5 series again, we each take turns on the machine for the 45 minute program.

Congratulations to Dirk Dark Blade...you are awesome for keeping it off!

Good luck to anyone trying to become healthier!

[attriel]

But I really, really don't like lima beans.
At all.
Ever.

Would you like them in a Tunnel?
Would you like them with a funnel?

OK, dr suess i ain't :p

Anyway, I love lima beans. And brussel sprouts. And kale, mustard greens, collard greens, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, carrots ...

And yet, I'm the worlds worst vegetarian, b/c I dislike the taste of: raw tomatoes (sauce is ok though, i'm weird), squash, zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms ...

But seriously, lima beans are GOOD, man! So are sprouts! I don't get why so many people hate them!

--attriel

[Sir Rubi]

But I really, really don't like lima beans.
At all.
Ever.

Would you like them in a Tunnel?
Would you like them with a funnel?

OK, dr suess i ain't :p

Anyway, I love lima beans. And brussel sprouts. And kale, mustard greens, collard greens, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, carrots ...

And yet, I'm the worlds worst vegetarian, b/c I dislike the taste of: raw tomatoes (sauce is ok though, i'm weird), squash, zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms ...

But seriously, lima beans are GOOD, man! So are sprouts! I don't get why so many people hate them!

--attriel

Oh, I can eat brussel sprouts all day long.

But, no, no lima beans. Hold a gun to my head? Maybe. Otherwise, sometime around never.

*shudder*

[Serani]

Att, I suspect it has something to do with the fact that they're extremely cheap to buy so our mothers bought them a lot. Which meant they made them a lot. Which meant they made us eat them a lot.

Which is a BIG reason why we don't like them anymore.

[Caylor]

But seriously, lima beans are GOOD, man! So are sprouts! I don't get why so many people hate them!

Stange but possibly true!

I heard it was genetic! From my anthropology class : During our evolution there was a poisonous plant that was similar to some of the cabbages in that region of land. The inhabitants developed a genetic dislike to the chemical that both plants shared to prevent the species from death by poison. That genetic code then gets handed down from through the generations and is exhibited by some who just can't tolerate the chemicals in cabbage family (Brussel sprouts, cabbage, brocolli, cauliflower, etc. )

[Okamekage]

heh at least all teh birthdays and stuff are over, so I can work on the gym ting more. hopefully by next Christmas I will have lost enough weight I won't gain it all back!


My diet would probably make most nutritionests weep and make scientists wonder how I'm still alive!

Basiclly what I do is watch calories. I try to keep around 1000 calories a day.

those calories usually consist of 1 can of coke, 1 poptart, a chicken sandwich meal from Wendy's or Chick-Fil-A, and a couple cookies. oh and a glass of milk or orange juice.

[Sir Rubi]

heh at least all teh birthdays and stuff are over, so I can work on the gym ting more. hopefully by next Christmas I will have lost enough weight I won't gain it all back!


My diet would probably make most nutritionests weep and make scientists wonder how I'm still alive!

Basiclly what I do is watch calories. I try to keep around 1000 calories a day.

those calories usually consist of 1 can of coke, 1 poptart, a chicken sandwich meal from Wendy's or Chick-Fil-A, and a couple cookies. oh and a glass of milk or orange juice.

What? No sweet and sour chicken? :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

[GravenStone]

heh at least all teh birthdays and stuff are over, so I can work on the gym ting more. hopefully by next Christmas I will have lost enough weight I won't gain it all back!


My diet would probably make most nutritionests weep and make scientists wonder how I'm still alive!

Basiclly what I do is watch calories. I try to keep around 1000 calories a day.

those calories usually consist of 1 can of coke, 1 poptart, a chicken sandwich meal from Wendy's or Chick-Fil-A, and a couple cookies. oh and a glass of milk or orange juice.

AHA!

Now we know the secret to your constant typoglycemia .... your body is screaming in protest. Seriously man, those are bloody starvation rations, especially if you are either <25 (heightened adolescent metabolism still lingering) and/or physically active.

Either that, or you're just a freak of Nature. :wink:

[Sir Rubi]

typoglycemia

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Okamekage]

What? No sweet and sour chicken?

/em does his vampire caught in sunlight impression.

Graven,

Yeah but until I started exersicing I dind't have an active lifestyle. I was gaining weight on that diet. Since I've been exersicing my metabolism has gotten better and I've found I'm hungrier, so if I can go to the gym 2 or 3 times a week I usually eat two meals a day.

[Draknor]

Portion size is the BIGGEST hurdle to overcome, I think. I honestly think simply reducing the portion size would help Joe and I lose weight, but we want to do it right and get it all gone. We'll look at options for maintaining it later.

The thing that helped me here is not doing it all at once and too suddenly. What I did was look at what I was eating, and what the suggested "normal" portion size is.

So, if the portion size was 1/2 cup, I doubled it and ate that for awhile. Get used to that, then go to the 1/2 cup. Now I don't even notice the difference.

But, that's just me. I do better when I go gradually.

[Tulenyre]

I um... ya know... exercise <G>

[Serani]

For those of you who are currently on WW, or considering starting it, here's a tool and a few websites that I've come across that might help.

http://mysite.verizon.net/crystalbrook/food%20list2.xls
This spreadsheet was started by Carol and I added to it. It has 3 tabs - the first has a list of foods and their point values. The second has formulas set up using the point formula I found online for figuring points. You can keep a list of your favorite foods here and their point values. This is great for any kind of boxed or prepared foods you might get at the grocery store. The third sheet is set up to figure out the points for a recipe. You can either 1) enter the point for an ingredient (if you know it) or 2) enter the calories, fat and fiber for the ingredient and the spreadsheet will figure the points for you (for both the whole recipe and per serving).

There's some discussion on the various message boards I found for WW as to how far or whether one should round when figuring points. So the points in the spreadsheets are figured to 2 decimal places. I'll leave it up to you if you want to keep it that way.

Also, I found a few websites that might be handy.

For ALL dieters this might help figure out how much really goes into something:

Measuring and conversions. (http://recipes.chef2chef.net/conversion/)

For specifically Weight Watchers people:

Healthdiscovery.net (http://www.healthdiscovery.net/) has some good tools, including a 1 point food list, a fast food point list and some good forums for finding info.

This site (http://www.dwlz.com/) has more food point lists, some good suggestions (great ones for getting your water when you don't like to drink it), menu planners and the like.

And finally, an exhaustive (http://www.quiddity.cc/rachel/diet/wwfoods.htm) list of points for foods.

[Asharad]

All of you who are doing weight watchers should make up a post here charting your weight loss to help encourage each other.

[DinbinFanfoom]

I actually always lose weight in the summer time. Not because I necessarily exercise more, but because I'm a BBQ-fanatic and utilize said convenience 4+ times a week between May and October. I often have to "skip" the baked potatoes (though I love them with sour cream and butter, yumm) simply because I've gorged on too many steaks/chops/breasts/burgers. A typical summertime dinner for me is 2 cheesburgers and some broccoli/cheese or a big steak and a side salad.

I was Atkins before Atkins was cool, I think.

(Yes, I know burgers have buns)

That said, I generally don't like outdoor sports, so exercise has always been of the "utilitarian" variety (cutting the lawn, shovelling/blowing several metric tonnes of snow, etc.). I have joined my wife's gym last month though, and enjoy the treadmills a lot. I can huff and puff on one of those for hours and feel great afterwards. I've avoided the stereotypical male weightlifting venues, generally because 1) I'm a cream-puff but 2) tend to put on muscle quickly and given my stocky, long-torso build slingshots me into gorilla-dom instead of lean-mean.

I tend to hover around the 190-195 range without trying to gain/lose. I'm much fitter at 175 (my lowest weight attained in the past 5 years) but I've never been able to crack that barrier. I think it again has to do with my long-torso'd, stumpy-legged body; legs are lighter than trunks, I think.

[Kiir]

Looked over the weightwatchers page but the pieces I am interested in mainly the points and such pieces you have to have a membership to view, and I'm not sure I want to spend the money on it yet, oh well.

[Evenstarr]

I actually do have an online membership (since my schedule and the local meeting schedule are not compatible). If anyone has any questions about the content of the site, etc. Let me know.

Also, it has a recipe builder that calculates the points per serving for a recipe when you enter the ingredients, their amounts and number of servings so, if you have a recipe you want checked, send it to me and I'll run it through the builder.

[leng]

Basiclly what I do is watch calories. I try to keep around 1000 calories a day.

I suspect if you were successful in this you would die! Even with very little phsyical activity this is below the requirements for maintenance. Unless you are a skinny dwarf permanently immobile in a warm, temperature controlled environment?

Someone else said that targets were generally too low. This is very true. The best advice I've been able to find involves something called the body mass index (weight/(height squared)). If you use metric measures this should lie between 20 and 25, which is a very large range. Generally women prefer to be in the lower half and men are quite comfortable in the upper half of the range but anywhere is regarded as medically acceptable. Below 18 is clinically undernourished and above 30 is obese (25-30 is presumably just overweight).