Thinking of joining WW. Questions???

[jujsky]

The post a few days ago about WW, loving food, and hating exercise motivated me to start losing weight. I'm not horribly over-weight (yet). I could stand to lose 10-15 lbs. Up until the last couple of years I've always had a great metabolism, but the women in my family seem to start losing that at 35 (my age) and then they get wicked fat. All of them. There is not a thin female blood-relative on my mom's side who is over 35 and not obese, and until 35 or so they're usually thin. Heart disease and diabetes is also an issue on my mom's side. I don't want to go down that path so I want to fix this little problem before it becomes a big problem. I'm definitely a "program" type person, so I think WW might work for me with the addition of some dreaded exercise. Portion control, late-night snacking, and lack of motivation to exercise are my biggest pitfalls.

 

Anyway, I know there are points involved in all of this and each food portion has a point value. Does everyone start out with the same points they can eat each day or is that somehow calculated based on height, weight, and how much you want to lose?

 

Does WW allow a cheat day? If it doesn't, do any of you work in a cheat day? I don't think I could survive without one, and as I currently eat whatever the heck I want in whatever quantities I want every day, if I only do that for one day instead of all 7 I would still probably lose weight, right? Yes, I'm trying to justify this ;)

 

Do you have to follow WW recipes? I have so many non-WW recipes I use and like. Do they teach you how to calculate points for that? If you're using the WW recipes, how many people do they normally serve? We're busy with activities several evenings/week so I usually cook 2-3 large meals during the week & we have left-overs on activity nights. Our current schedule isn't going to work any other way.

 

Any other tips/advice you can give me? If I do this, I'll be doing it online. I've never actively dieted in my life except when I was pregnant with my daughter and had gestational diabetes so this is all very, very new for me. Please don't hate me for that. I know the road I'm heading down if I don't do something, and it's not pretty. If you could see my diabetic grandma wearing a mu-mu and stuffing her face with KFC and sweets, it's really, really not pretty!!!!! That's my future if I don't do something, ladies!

[Rhonda in TX]

Anyway, I know there are points involved in all of this and each food portion has a point value. Does everyone start out with the same points they can eat each day or is that somehow calculated based on height, weight, and how much you want to lose? They used to vary it by height/weight, but I think they only have two levels now. I'll stay at the point range I'm at until I lose all my weight. I'm not sure what happens at goal.

 

Does WW allow a cheat day? If it doesn't, do any of you work in a cheat day? I don't think I could survive without one, and as I currently eat whatever the heck I want in whatever quantities I want every day, if I only do that for one day instead of all 7 I would still probably lose weight, right? Yes, I'm trying to justify this ;) You get weekly allowance points that you can use however you want. You can use some each day, or save them all for one day.

 

Do you have to follow WW recipes? I have so many non-WW recipes I use and like. Do they teach you how to calculate points for that? If you're using the WW recipes, how many people do they normally serve? We're busy with activities several evenings/week so I usually cook 2-3 large meals during the week & we have left-overs on activity nights. Our current schedule isn't going to work any other way. No, you don't have to use WW recipes. I don't. I get the monthly pass and that includes online access as well. They have a point calculator for recipes on there. You put in all your ingredients and # of servings and it tells you the number of points.

 

Any other tips/advice you can give me? If I do this, I'll be doing it online. I've never actively dieted in my life except when I was pregnant with my daughter and had gestational diabetes so this is all very, very new for me. Please don't hate me for that. I know the road I'm heading down if I don't do something, and it's not pretty. If you could see my diabetic grandma wearing a mu-mu and stuffing her face with KFC and sweets, it's really, really not pretty!!!!! That's my future if I don't do something, ladies!

 

I really admire you seeing the problems in your future and facing them now. Don't let anyone tell you "you don't need to lose weight". I used to be very thin. Once I started gaining weight, I had so many people tell me I was "fine". If I had ignored them and faced what I knew as the truth, I wouldn't be where I am today.

 

Advice... add exercise. Even some light walking each day will help. You earn extra points which you can either eat, or help to make your weight loss faster.

[OnTheBrink]

To add to the above...if you use WW online, you can enter your own recipes and get the point values for them. Just be honest with how many servings your recipes make. If you make a casserole in a 9x13 pan, and a family of 6 eats it in one meal, that's six servings (provided they're equal and all that). What I mean is, don't get tripped up by "makes 8 servings" if the typical serving size for your family is larger (or smaller).

[TheCoffeeChick]

1 point in WW is 50 calories. So, if you can figure out how many calories your recipe has, you can easily divide by 50 to get the WW point value. At each meal you can subtract 1 point if you have 4 or more grams of fiber being served. Also, most veggies are 0 points. (Not the starchy ones like peas, corn, and potatoes, or fatty ones like avocados.)

 

I think when I did WW with my mom, she was allowed 22 points a day and I was allowed 26. It's based on your age, height, and current weight. There are also "flex points" - which are points you can add at any time during the week. I believe it was something like 32 flex points a week. They come in handy if you have a party of some sort coming up, you can save your flex points to be able to eat what is being served. Or you can spread your flex points through out the week to be able to have a few extra calories each day.

 

WW is a pretty easy system to follow - I just count calories now instead and allow myself 1600 a day.

Edited February 4, 2011 by BramFam

[jujsky]

Do tomatoes count as a fruit or a vegetable under the plan?

 

The advice about honest portion-sizes when cooking is very, very helpful, thank you! I'm so relieved I can use my own recipes :)

 

Rhonda, it was your post that inspired me. I thought it was brave of you to come out and say, "I love to eat & hate exercise!" Most people wouldn't post that on a board so full of active people. I've seen so many posts here about how people love and need to exercise and to read a post from someone who hates it and doesn't feel that rush (and then to read comments from all the people who echoed your sentiments, and some who said they felt that way for 6 weeks and then it got better) made me feel not so alone. Out of the 5 moms in my co-op, I am in the worst shape. I have 2 vegetarians, an active hiker, and a person who works out consistently and eats all organic in my group. I've never been the "fat one" in a group before. I've always been the thin one with the heavier friends. I know it's horribly vain, but I can't tell you how much it bothers me.

[TheCoffeeChick]

Tomatoes are a zero point food. (Salsa is zero point too! ;))

 

There are a bunch of websites that have lists of food with their point values -- here's one.

[jujsky]

1 point in WW is 50 calories. So, if you can figure out how many calories your recipe has, you can easily divide by 50 to get the WW point value. At each meal you can subtract 1 point if you have 4 or more grams of fiber being served. Also, most veggies are 0 points. (Not the starchy ones like peas, corn, and potatoes, or fatty ones like avocados.)

 

 

 

I hate peas and avocados, so those are 2 point-veggies I don't need to worry about. We mostly eat broccoli, cauliflower, yellow squash, and zucchinni, or we have salad. I like most veggies. Potatoes will be hard to limit. I love 'taters.

 

So it sounds like I can have a cheat day as long as I save all my flex points and make sure I don't go over. That's definitely good to know.

[jujsky]

Tomatoes are a zero point food. (Salsa is zero point too! ;))

 

There are a bunch of websites that have lists of food with their point values -- here's one.

 

Oh, thank goodness! I love tomatoes, and I can fill up on them pretty easily. Thank you for the website :)

 

I think I'm going to sign up tomorrow. We're having pizza with friends tonight so today wouldn't be the best day to get started. ;) But I was good -- I had a huge salad that filled me up for lunch to counter-balance the pizza I'm going to have later.

[TheCoffeeChick]

I hate peas and avocados, so those are 2 point-veggies I don't need to worry about. We mostly eat broccoli, cauliflower, yellow squash, and zucchinni, or we have salad. I like most veggies. Potatoes will be hard to limit. I love 'taters.

 

So it sounds like I can have a cheat day as long as I save all my flex points and make sure I don't go over. That's definitely good to know.

 

Yes - it is very nice to have a cheat day. I can do anything for 6 days in a row, knowing I can eat what I love on day 7. ;) As you get use to filling up on veggies and fruit - it is not too hard to stick to the alotted amount of points.

 

I did WW about 2 years ago - so I don't know if they have the flex points still. It seems they are always changing their system. :glare: But, I'm sure they give allowances for some sort of plurge every once in a while.

 

Oh, thank goodness! I love tomatoes, and I can fill up on them pretty easily. Thank you for the website :)

 

I think I'm going to sign up tomorrow. We're having pizza with friends tonight so today wouldn't be the best day to get started. ;) But I was good -- I had a huge salad that filled me up for lunch to counter-balance the pizza I'm going to have later.

 

 

Good luck with WW. I think it's a pretty fair and balanced system. And really, once you become accustomed to eating the WW way, it's easy to figure out what you can eat and what you can't with out having to constantly measure and count. You learn what a serving looks like & what foods are best for your body.

 

Oh, and pizza is my weakness ... I love pizza. :D

[dirty ethel rackham]

1 point in WW is 50 calories. So, if you can figure out how many calories your recipe has, you can easily divide by 50 to get the WW point value. At each meal you can subtract 1 point if you have 4 or more grams of fiber being served. Also, most veggies are 0 points. (Not the starchy ones like peas, corn, and potatoes, or fatty ones like avocados.)

 

 

This is the old points system. The new plan (Points Plus) takes into account protein, fiber, fat and carbs in calculating the points plus value. The idea is that protein and fiber are harder to convert into usable energy (or fat if unused) and fat and carbs. Most fruits are free. In their allocation of points for prepared foods, they take into account sodium, and fake food ingredients - giving those foods higher points. This plan rewards a more whole foods diet rather than "cheating" with fake foods.

[TheCoffeeChick]

This is the old points system. The new plan (Points Plus) takes into account protein, fiber, fat and carbs in calculating the points plus value. The idea is that protein and fiber are harder to convert into usable energy (or fat if unused) and fat and carbs. Most fruits are free. In their allocation of points for prepared foods, they take into account sodium, and fake food ingredients - giving those foods higher points. This plan rewards a more whole foods diet rather than "cheating" with fake foods.

 

Wow! Thanks for adding that in - I figured they had changed their system, I just didn't know to what. It sounds like they've changed for the better. I still think WW is probably one of the best diets out there - even if they've changed it up a bit! ;)

[*Inna*]

 

Tomatoes are a zero point food. (Salsa is zero point too! ;))

:iagree::D

[Evergreen State Sue]

Tomatoes are a zero point food. (Salsa is zero point too! ;))

 

There are a bunch of websites that have lists of food with their point values -- here's one.

 

This website must be using the old points system, not the new PointsPlus system, as it shows a fresh apple as 2 points. Now all fresh fruit is 0 points.

 

If you sign up on line, there should be a list of food there with the current point values.

 

My best to you in your weight loss journey with WW. My best time with WW was the first time I joined and only had 20 lbs. to lose. If I had taken care of the extra 5-10 lbs. I gained at the time I gained them, I wouldn't be looking at mountain of weight I have to loose now. But I'm back with WW, and down 10 lbs. so far. It is an excellent plan.

 

Good for you, Julie, for recognizing the need to take care of it now. My one advice would be to track what you eat every day. If you bite it . . . write it! Don't be too worried about how much you are losing your first couple of weeks. Take the time to learn the program, and then follow it the best you can.

Edited February 4, 2011 by Evergreen State Sue

[Rhonda in TX]

Rhonda, it was your post that inspired me. I thought it was brave of you to come out and say, "I love to eat & hate exercise!" Most people wouldn't post that on a board so full of active people. I've seen so many posts here about how people love and need to exercise and to read a post from someone who hates it and doesn't feel that rush (and then to read comments from all the people who echoed your sentiments, and some who said they felt that way for 6 weeks and then it got better) made me feel not so alone. Out of the 5 moms in my co-op, I am in the worst shape. I have 2 vegetarians, an active hiker, and a person who works out consistently and eats all organic in my group. I've never been the "fat one" in a group before. I've always been the thin one with the heavier friends. I know it's horribly vain, but I can't tell you how much it bothers me.

 

Thank you! *blush* What a sweet thing to say.

 

I have a friend who's pretty serious about exercise. She's done marathons and triathalons. She'll tell you that she never gets the rush and never enjoys it. She only does it to get the benefits. So we're not alone! :)

 

I understand about being the thin one. I really did used to be that and it's still hard for me to believe that I'm at this point. I have a friend that I have always been smaller than, even as I started to gain weight. I suddenly realized a few months ago that she is smaller than me. That was a rude awakening!

[jujsky]

Thank you for all the advice and encouragement, ladies. I'm weighing myself on the Wii in the morning (we don't have a real scale) and then signing up :D

[OnTheBrink]

Thank you for all the advice and encouragement, ladies. I'm weighing myself on the Wii in the morning (we don't have a real scale) and then signing up :D

 

Just as a heads-up, my Wii is 14lbs off from my doctor's scale. I go to 3 different doctors and their scales are always within 2lbs of each other, but my Wii is WAY off. YMMV.