Weight Watchers
Jun. 19th, 2006 10:04 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dancerjodiMy Aunt has been doing the Weight Watchers program for a while. She swiped some extra books/charts for my parents and they'll be doing the program on their own at home. The family was checking out everything on Father's Day and discussing nutrition, portions, etc.
For those that don't know Brian, he was a very thin and lanky guy for most of his life, and went through tough times at home with his Mom where they often wouldn't have food in the house to a period where he was technically homeless and squatted on friend's couches. Once his Italian girlfriend came along (heh) he was fattened up with a home, a family to feed him, and eventual a computer desk job. Brian's made huge gains in losing weight though - he's dropped about 40 lbs over the last couple of years just from making minor changes in what he's eating. When he did eat as a kid and teen it was mostly a lot of junk, so just ruling out soda and sweets and that kind of thing resulted in that 40 lb loss.
Now he's kind of stuck at a plateau. I've also posted here about how a couple of years ago I put on about 10 lbs and have yet to lose it. We're both fairly active (well, me much more so than he), so we need some serious diet changes to make the difference. I think the big thing with us both is portion control. And eating out at restaurants - when we cook at home its usually healthy and well balanced, its going out that kills us.
Yesterday we pondered the idea of doing the Weight Watcher's thing together. Its essentially a simplified way of counting fat and calories, which is something I've done myself before through the Self Challenge, and I learned a lot about the amount of food I was eating, and what my body needs. We thought the information available doing WW online would be helpful, but I think the support and info gained going to meetings would be good too. I've known a lot of people that have enjoyed their WW experience. I wonder if we should do something like that, or do something on our own (more like I was doing before, counting calories and fat, etc).
So WW peeps, what do you have to say? Are you an online member or a meeting member? What are the pros and cons? If we joined a center it would be the one in Waltham with meetings at the Elks lodge. OR, have you made a change in your life that's lead to eating better that may work for us that you'd like to share?
For those that don't know Brian, he was a very thin and lanky guy for most of his life, and went through tough times at home with his Mom where they often wouldn't have food in the house to a period where he was technically homeless and squatted on friend's couches. Once his Italian girlfriend came along (heh) he was fattened up with a home, a family to feed him, and eventual a computer desk job. Brian's made huge gains in losing weight though - he's dropped about 40 lbs over the last couple of years just from making minor changes in what he's eating. When he did eat as a kid and teen it was mostly a lot of junk, so just ruling out soda and sweets and that kind of thing resulted in that 40 lb loss.
Now he's kind of stuck at a plateau. I've also posted here about how a couple of years ago I put on about 10 lbs and have yet to lose it. We're both fairly active (well, me much more so than he), so we need some serious diet changes to make the difference. I think the big thing with us both is portion control. And eating out at restaurants - when we cook at home its usually healthy and well balanced, its going out that kills us.
Yesterday we pondered the idea of doing the Weight Watcher's thing together. Its essentially a simplified way of counting fat and calories, which is something I've done myself before through the Self Challenge, and I learned a lot about the amount of food I was eating, and what my body needs. We thought the information available doing WW online would be helpful, but I think the support and info gained going to meetings would be good too. I've known a lot of people that have enjoyed their WW experience. I wonder if we should do something like that, or do something on our own (more like I was doing before, counting calories and fat, etc).
So WW peeps, what do you have to say? Are you an online member or a meeting member? What are the pros and cons? If we joined a center it would be the one in Waltham with meetings at the Elks lodge. OR, have you made a change in your life that's lead to eating better that may work for us that you'd like to share?
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no subject
Date: 2006-06-19 02:45 pm (UTC)Anyway, I found the Points system to be exactly what I needed and I shed those pounds *super* fast. I've only ever heard great things about people's experiences with WW (a couple people I used to work with were on it too, each with great success). After I lost the weight I kind of forgot about it, and I've since lost another 15lbs, but I chalk that up to stress.
Anyway, I'm a fan of WW. You're welcome to my books if you want them.
WW
Date: 2006-06-19 02:51 pm (UTC)If you have the books and don't need them I'd love them! :) I don't have dance class tomorrow, so if you're around and it wouldn't be disruptive to your family I could drop by and pick them up.
Re: WW
Date: 2006-06-19 03:17 pm (UTC)Re: WW
Date: 2006-06-20 07:14 pm (UTC)Re: WW
Date: 2006-06-20 07:58 pm (UTC)I'll call your cell if I decide to come by (before I head over) . . . it may end up being a busy night.
Re: WW
Date: 2006-06-20 08:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-19 03:09 pm (UTC)As for life changes, doing little exercises whenever I can is very helpful. For example, right now I have 5 pound weights on each ankle, which is great for when I am walking around or going up stairs.
Good luck!
no subject
Date: 2006-06-19 03:18 pm (UTC)In my experience, if you look at WW as just another diet, and merely count Points, it will act as a diet. you'll see some initial losses, but they won't last. To truly experience the lifestyle change that the program can bring, meetings are pretty much necessary. they may be cheesy or annoying at times, but having someone to go with greatly helps with that factor.
That said, good luck in whichever direction you choose, and feel free to send me any questions you may have. After all that you guys have already accomplished in your lives, I'm convinced you can totally do this if you set your minds to it.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-19 03:36 pm (UTC)if you and your hunny have similar tastes in food, you can share a single dinner. you'd be surprised how many people order one dinner and two forks! it can be fun, too, especially when trying a new restaurant or new dish.
if that doesn't work, cut whatever you order in half immediately after they bring it to you and don't go past the half-way point. take the other half home for lunch or dinner the next day.
in this way you won't feel like you're wasting food, but you won't overeat, either. also, never salt restaurant food, or order it cooked without added salt. i just saw a study where they show how much additional salt they cook with. (no wonder it tastes so good.) :P
lastly, at home, use smaller plates to eat from. you feel full, like you've eaten a 'whole plate of food' but when the plate is smaller, you naturally choose smaller, but still satisfying portions.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-19 03:38 pm (UTC)I have found that lifestyle changes have helped inmenesly, and attitude changes as well.
1) Set goals. Make em simple and attainable, and don't sweat it if you don't exactly make em on time, so long as you are making progress.
2) This plateau you speak of, how is it measure. He look skinnier to me whenever I see him. Just weighing yourself can be misleading...
3) Run in the morning. Do the treadmill, the ellyptical, whatever. But fo it with no food in you, after sleeping. You'd be amazed at the difference it makes.
4) Maximimize the foods you love with the minimum of guilt. This is the beauty of Western Civilization. You've seen me wax poetic about buffalo and ostrich. They're like free porn, I tell you.
5) Have something yummy and bad for you from time to time. Don't beat up on yourself for it.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-19 06:16 pm (UTC)mostly in that i can't seem to break the 200 pound barrier. i've been looking at 175 as a goal, and unfortunately it's not really going anywhere.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-19 03:51 pm (UTC)personally, i love the program, and the flexibility of it. i can eat out, eat in, make food, eat oreos, have starbucks and lose weight. the best part is, is that i've learned to make BETTER choices instead of just eating less. i like that a lot.
i do the online stuff, and since last november i've lost like 36 lbs. the only reason it hasn't been more is that i've been lax the last 2 months, purposefully. but even then i've maintained without any stress at all.
good luck!
no subject
Date: 2006-06-19 05:28 pm (UTC)A tip that I learned at a meeting, if you are doing the POINTS system, eat a lot of the foods that are on the CORE system as they are generally lower in POINTS, the least processed and the most healthful for you. I would suggest starting out on the POINTS system first, then when you have reached your goal and most importantly, have become very intimate with the system, then switch to CORE. CORE you don't count points and can eat any of the foods on the CORE list, but you have to listen to your body and stop when you are *almost* full or comfortably full.
And exercise is key. You burn more calories when you have more muscle mass and you look better because you get more toned. There is a woman down the hall in my office building who lost 235 pounds and NEVER exercised. Well, to be blunt, she looks like SHIT because her skin is all sagging off her arms, on her knees and under her chin. If she had exercised, she wouldn't look so skin suit on bones.
But I know you know that. ;)
Good luck. I myself have to get back on the program. I have 50 pounds to lose by January when I go on my cruise.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-19 06:39 pm (UTC)At the airport I picked up a book called "3fatchicks" on a diet. They also have website that's free. They're 3 sisters from the south who have tried every diet imaginable. (And from the pictures they could still use one or two.) Point is, the book gives a synopsis of every diet and exercise program out there, with pros and cons from people who have really tried it. Bottom line is they've found Weight Watchers to be the best in the long run, because it's not a diet you go on and off of but retraining habits over the long term. And people really liked that they could have "anything" they really wanted, nothing is actually forbidden: it's the amount you have to watch. Some people can't be trusted to eat just three potato chips, though. I can lend it to you if you'd like.
A large male friend of mine lost 50 lbs "without trying" he says this way: No take out food, except once a week, and divide that in half and save the other for another day, or share with a friend. For most dinners, take a 9 inch plate. Divide in half. On that half goes veggies and salad. Divid the other half in half again, and on 1/4 goes the protein, on the other 1/4 the starch. And he got himself a bike and starting moving more. Thus, with a bit less eating and a bit more moving he says he barely noticed he was "dieting." The rest seems to be common sense, we know what we can't have anytime we want it -- colas, sugars, refined starches, butters, baked goods, fried goods, anything hydrogenated or with high fructose corn syrup (which seems to be in everything, even the stuff labeled "healthy" and "diet").
I also picked up two other books I'm about to get into to keep my resolve up (if looking in the mirror naked isn't enough!): "Volumetrics: How to lose Weight while eating more", which is about which foods you can eat in quantity, if you like the feeling of ABONDANZA (hey, we're Italian!) and not have hidden fats. (I'm hoping the answer isn't "all the unbuttered broccoli you can stuff down.") It "introduces the concept of 'energy density' -- the concentration of calories in each portion of food, how to avoid high energy-dense foods, and how different nutritional factors as fat, fiber, protein, and water affect energy density and satiety. You'll discover which foods are not only loaded with calories (um, loaded potato skins, perhaps?) but what kinds of foods, eaten under which circumstances, allow you to consume fewer calories and still be satisfied and not go hungry." The author, Barbara Rolls, holds the Guthrie Chair of Nutrition at Penn State. A quick browse through the books shows pictures of the difference between high and low density. For example, five bowls of cereal, each having 160 calories: the smallest amount is granola, barely 1/8th of the bowl. The next smallest is low-fat granola, the next is frosted flakes, filling half the bowl; wheat flakes with 1 tsp sugar fills 4/5 of the bowl; and you get the most bang for your caloric buck with bran flakes, no sugar.
Or, 400 calories of spaghetti alfredo is 1 cup cooked spaghetti and the serving size is 1/2 cup. BUT, take that same cup of cooked spaghetti, add 3/4 cup canned tomatoes, 3/4 cup summer squash, 1/2 cup mushrooms, 1 cup broccoli, 2 tsp olive oil, 2 tsp parmesan and some spices, and for 400 calories you can eat 3/5 cups of it. Which is more like the kind of portion sizes our spaghetti dinners are. Though how anyone can limit themselves to only 2 tsp of parmesan over 3.5 cups of spaghetti is beyond me! :-<
Clearly the "secret" to volumetrics is add veggies to everything for bulk and fiber.
correction
Date: 2006-06-19 06:47 pm (UTC)P.S. more on that
Date: 2006-06-19 06:40 pm (UTC)CLearly, I've got a lot of reading to do, which is good: hopefully it will distract me from the hunger pangs I was trying to ignore this morning at 3:00 am. And I had dinner at 9 -- a 99 tropical chicken salad -- so no clue why I was hungry. Maybe just thinking about going without my fav foods in my usual amounts was enough?
no subject
Date: 2006-06-19 08:00 pm (UTC)The online has done nothing for me and it really shows.
I have been reluctant to go do the meetings in town since I worry that I'll be the only guy there, but this post reminded me that it worked so maybe I have to get over that.
If you guys do it in waltham, let me know -- I might shoot over there so I don't feel so out of place if it would be already.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-20 04:18 am (UTC)I've gotten quite a bit of resentment from women in meetings because "guys have an easier time losing weight than women do". Conversely, I've also gotten a lot of support (not to mention appreciative stares once I got closer to my goal weight).
If you're able to get over to the Jackson/Mann Community Center on Cambridge St in Brighton, the leader of the meeting at 7pm Thursday (might be 6.30, check the WW website) is male. The one meeting I attended with him, when I was up here in April was small, but very good.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-20 02:49 am (UTC)