Weight Watchers

I am going to give WW a bash – I’ve done it before and it has worked for me.  I need to do something as am v closely resembling a Sumo Wrestler at the mo’.

Am Hideous Hilda and something MUST be done.

I like WW’s cos I can substitute wine for food.  One glass of wine = 3 slices of bread or something like that.  Which, by extrapolation means I could legitimately have wine for lunch and supper.  A liquid diet, so to speak.  We like that.  A lot.

There is a meeting held every Wed just a hop skip and a puke away from my office. I was going to go last Wed, but I had a long, boozy business lunch instead.  This Wed I have another one. But next Wed!  Next Wed I will be there accompanied by my newfound resolve and determination.

Watch out for the leaner, meaner, slimmer version of Tertia due to come out shortly.  Well, soon.  Ish.  Before the end of the year.

Gawd, I hate dieting.  But Something Must Be Done.

Comments

[Mary]

Love WW!! I started (again) in June and am now down 17lbs!!! YAHOOOO!

[Heather]

I'm doing WW too, right now. Just started 3 weeks ago and am down 12lbs. Love it!!!! Good luck!!

[LisaV]

The most effective method I ever had for losing weight was braces. Seriously. My mouth hurt so damn bad I dropped 40 pounds. On the plus side drinking was fine!! Sadly, they had to take the braces off. So my ass found me again.

[Robin]

I love WW. I lost 40 lbs. (18 Kilos) after my daughter was born. Unfortunately 2 m/c,one succesful pregnancy (!) and my husband's cancer diagnosis later I need to lose those same 40 lbs. again. But I'm doing it!! Remember, persistence, not perfection and go for it. In any case, we are G&D but it feels so darn good to be healthy and strong.

[Colleen]

I need to do something too. My problem is that I'm too enamored with my evening glass(es) of wine and slice of cake. My daughter is four-monts-old and somehow, I thought I could breastfeed, eat whatever I wanted and the pounds would just melt away. Not so. Bummer. Keep us posted on how you like WW. Maybe I'll break down and give it a shot too. It can't be all bad if I can still eat cake and drink wine every day.

[Territoon]

I need to do something too but food just tastes too damn good.

[Karla]

Dieting is THE WORST!! And it's a shame and a crime how God punishes us for going forth and multiplying. My formerly divine body looks like a caricature of its former self. Meanwhile, my 5-month old looks gorgeous, despite how his pitiful mommy looks.

Here's what's motivating me at the moment, though. I'm involved in a contest with a few friends to see which of us can lose the most weight in a month. We each throw in $50, and winner takes all. Now, I may not win, because I dn't have as much weight to lose as a couple of the others, but I don't even care--the contest is a motivator, and I'll pay $50 for the motivation if it gets rid of the 14 pounds I was setting out to lose. So far I'm doing excellent--it's been 11 days and I've lost 5 lbs. Money well spent. So my recommendation to you is to get a group of chicks together and lay some cash on the line.

[Suzie-Q.]

Yes. Sadly, I admit to being a lifetime member!!!!
In the past 20 years I have been to WW 3x and each time I have lost 20 lbs.
I swear by it. It truly works!!! But, a word of caution... you need to have the TIME to put into it, Tertia.
You need to spend time every day and every week planning out what you will buy, cook, order out and eat. You must weight and measure (at least by sight) everything that passes your lips. You must take the time to track your food and keep your little journal and check your little boxes and drink all your waters, etc.
I tried to do WW again about 2 months ago, but, failed miserably this time as I don't have the proper amount of time to devote to it (being single with twins and no help, blah, blah...).
So, although I think it is the best and only way to truly lose weight and learn the proper eating habits to carry you through for the long haul, don't be disappointed if the weight doesn't come off as quickly as you would like since you are so busy working and raising two babies right now.

Also, the program should be done in conjunction with an exercise routine and i seriously doubt you have the time for that either.
I don't.

That is why I am still in maternity clothes rather than wearing my fabulous size 6 jeans and tiny tank tops.

Good luck!
Keep me posted.... I plan to return to WW, working out, and Yoga the day after my Au Pair arrives (Aug. 11th).

[Beth]

Hi T-

I, like you, hated the idea of dieting but being on depression meds for 8 months caused me to gain nearly 30 pounds. An aunt visiting from Ohio showed me how easy and wonderful the new way of counting WW points worked and I reluctantly started the diet back in April. Three months later I've lost 26 pounds and it hasn't been a nightmare at all! I've enjoyed the diet and have done so well counting that I have neglected to ever use the 35 extra points I am allotted each week. I have also managed to lose the weight without ever attending a SINGLE meeting. It's the easiest diet and the most amazing... and I know it will work for you. Good luck Tertia!

[victoria]

WW works for y'all? Damn. I tried it but could NEVER stay within my points.

I'd ALWAYS use up ALL my points by mid afternoon.

Then I would be INSANE with hunger, absolutely ready to eat my desk.

By about 4 pm I would be so crazed with hunger that I would ditch the diet and have something v. fattening and satisfying because I was so insane from starvation.

I thought WW was way too calorie restrictive.

Atkins worked for me -- like a charm. You can eat as much as you like, eat 3,000 calories a day if you feel like it, never have to exercise, and you still lose weight like CRAZY so long as you watch your carbs.

Atkins is like this magic, surreal, Bizarro-world diet where eating lots of fat and feeling full all the time actually makes you thin.

Plus you can have alcohol as long as it's low in carbs (hard liquor, for example, is good; vodka is the best carb-wise. You can mix it with various no-carb mixers or have a martini.)

[jennifer]

When you start (or anyone who is doing it now) could you sortof explain the new way of counting?
I know the old way, but I'm too cheap to join to see if the new way would work for me better!
Good luck with the weight loss!! (I'm SURE you don't really NEED to lose weight, being so G&D and all!)

[Mom of 2]

Just lost 8 lbs. in me first 12 days of WW Points Plan. It helped me realize just how bad my eating were and how much I overate.

[L.]

The only thing that has consistently worked for me, over the years (and I quickly gained and then slowly lost 50 pounds, with each of my 3 pregnancies) is eating much smaller portions of all the food I love -- including wine and dessert -- and then exercising like a woman possessed by demons. It took much longer after my last babe because I was working fulltime at an insane job and could rarely mount the bike or treadmill, and my knees and back are getting a bit creaky so I`ve given up jogging. But I made a point of ALWAYS climbing the stairs at work, always walking to the station instead of taking the bus, etc. Anytime I recognized an opportunity to burn a calorie, I seized it.

All things considered, I would rather be an exercise nut than give up my wine and chocolate.

(Last night my older kids said to me, "Mom, we think you need to lose some weight in your tummy, because it looks like you have another baby in there." YOWCH! After starting to give them the lecture about how people need to feel good about their bodies.... I looked at the big soft roll hanging over my belt, and agreed with them.)

[Louise M]

Love WW. It has always worked for me. I tried Atkins, Carbohydrate Adicts, and others, but WW is the most sensible. You eat smaller portions of anything you want, with points attached to each portion. You have a daily points total, a weekly bonus of 35 points, plus if you exercise, you earn more points. As you lose the weight, you lower your daily points value. You get a little booklet when you sign up, that gives you point values for portion sizes as well as a "Pointsfinder" to calculate the points for food not included in the booklet. You can also purchase a larger book "Complete Food Companion" but my only complaint with this book is that it is mostly US companies, product not available in Canada. I also have the "Canadian Dining Out Guide". My favourite breakfast is french toast, made with 4 slices low carb bread(2 pts), 3 egg whites(1 pt) & cinnamon(0 pts), topped with a cup of nuked frozen mixed berries(1 pt) and coffee with no sugar or cream(0 pts). Only 4 points! August 1st is my day to get back on it. I've had a busy couple months, getting back to work after LTD, new job, etc. so now it's time to take the plunge and work on my weight.

Good luck Tertia, sounds like there are enough WW fans here to form our own support group. We could all give each other tips, ideas, etc.

[Louise M]

Hey T, just looking at my points book, 1 "small" glass of wine (4 fl oz. or about 125 ml) is 2 points. 1 slice of regular bread (1 oz) = 2 points. Bread or wine.... decisions, decisions. It's all about what gives you the most comfort! Make sure you save 4 points for your end of day (EOD) wine.

[Shevon]

"You need to spend time every day and every week planning out what you will buy, cook, order out and eat. You must weight and measure (at least by sight) everything that passes your lips. You must take the time to track your food and keep your little journal and check your little boxes and drink all your waters, etc.
I tried to do WW again about 2 months ago, but, failed miserably this time as I don't have the proper amount of time to devote to it (being single with twins and no help, blah, blah...).
"

I don't think it's this hard at all. You might get a food scale and weigh your meat before you cook it. Not a big deal.
I eat out all the time and I can still make WW work.
And I also have twins, so I know how busy you are! :)
Before I got pregnant again I was losing at least 3lbs a week.
Whatever you decide to do, Tertia - good luck!
It would be pretty cool if we could set up a blog for all the ladies who do WW! Everyone could post/comment/whatever.
And here is a site where a lady figured out the point values for a bunch of crap! Did the work for us! http://www.dwlz.com/
Of course I won't be doing any of this until January, when baby is born, but I do plan on doing WW again. It's healthy, encourages you to eat nutritious stuff rather than crap, and it works.

[Egg Donor]

Congrats, Tertia, on your choice and your soon to be georgeouser and diviner self :)

My mom is a dietitian so the lack of cookies and snacks in the house as a kid has followed me well into my adult life (though I have WAY more cake now than I did before). WW seems like a good plan to me, and it's always good so see people stearing away from the stupid Atkins crap. Low carb, schmlo carb. I'd like to take the Atkins revolution to a biology class. And point out that Dr. Atkins died of a heart attack. Pfffffph.

[Judy]

I wrote down my diet goals for the next 6 months two nights ago when i was in a sleepless funk. I'll keep mine if you keep yours!

[Camille]

I do WW too. Sort of. I use the eTools and honestly, have been very bad the past month. Got to get started again... want to do a challenge of some sort? I need SOMETHING to get me motivated again.

[Janis]

I've been doing WW since 3/16 of this year. I am down 49 pound and some odd ounces so far.

It is easy as hell to do. Stay within your points range, eat more veggies- zero pints if hungry. Find lower point foods to eat.

I found a wine that isn't half bad- 8 ounces is 1 point. I can polish of a bottle for 4 points. Love that!

Rum and diet coke- 2 points if you use 2 ounces of rum.

Bread- sara lee makes a bread called delighful. 1 point for 2 slices.

Sugar free jello- 0 points. Fat free coolwhip- again 0 points. makes for a nice treat.

Skinny cow ice cream sandwiches, 2 points and the mint ones are fab!

Philly swirl popsicles 10 calories ZERO points!

Fat free creamer- 0 points. Must have coffee. At least a pot a day to function.

Many ways to eat lots of goodies and lose weight.

Once you read your labels, figure points and get used to the program it's simple.

I'm rarely hungry anymore. If I am- it's because I forgot to eat.

Always pee before weighing. I weighed once then peed then weighed in again- a 6 ounce difference! I also weigh in lightweight clothes and remove my knickers in the bathroom too. Also remove shoes, hair clips etc.

Shaving legs, underarms and bits before wigh in too. Also clean ears, clip toenails, blow nose.

They help when you've had a not so good week. HAHA!!!

Last night for dinner I had a lovely green salad, with tomatoes, red onions, fat free dressing. Bacon wrapped scallops, talapia fillets and canteloupe. Very yummy. Also had a glass of wine.

I'm not starving and my ass is shrinking! I'm down 4 pant sizes and still going strong!

You can do it!!!

[MollieBee]

um, I don't do diets.

I love you tho, and hope whatever you do makes you happy.

[Lioness]

Increase water intake by LOADS. That will help immediately. I am not really fat, just feel sometimes that my ass is going places, and I never have snacks at home (it helps that I'm a crisps girl, not a sweets one) - well no, Loverboy has changed that, but I ask him to get cookies et al that I loathe so I'm not tempted.

I'm working on water intake increase/coke reduction. Water sucks rock, it just tastes... heavy, so I drink green tea instead, which also takes care of the bloody awful caffeine-withdrawal migraine. Bcs I don't much care for green tea, i mix it w wild berries tea - sometimes I even drink the stuff.

The 20's were easier in this respect... *SIGH*

[Janis]

MollieBee-

Please email me. I was reading your blog and have some questions- all above board I promise. I think it would be nice if we could "talk."

My name will take you to my blog which also has a link to my email.

:)

[Ingrid]

Tertia, honey, good luck!!!!

I've done WW, I've done Atkins, I've done Ingrid's Special Spicy Food with Extra Curry and Jalapenos diet, all of which include copious quantities of wine, and they've all worked miracles, if you accept that we naturally gain weight as we age, and you're a big blowing success if you stay within 5 pounds and 2 sizes of your weight at 20.

Mwah! Off to have a boozy dinner with husband and G&D sis then fetch the kiddies from the airport - they've been at Camp Gran for 2 weeks. Yes, darling, you have this to look forward to!

[RainbowW]

you need a diet like i need herpes. please. you know i love you just the way you are.

[andrea]

Huge WW fan here - I too am a (somewhat wayward or should that be weighward) life member

[Miss W]

Love the WW! Works like a charm :) And I'm not sure if it's available in SA, but here in the US you can do it totally online and never go to a meeting. Lets you search their database for recipes; looks up the points for you and if it can't find something has a calculator that tells you to the .5 point what something is. It's the only way I could do it as I carry weight well and can't stand the looks I get from people when they find out I want to lose weight (even though last time I was 25 lbs over my normal!).

[vanessa]

Here is the reason that I voted all diets are crap:
because recent research has shown that BMI etc *is* crap and that it is exercise/not being sedentary that leads to health, not lack of poundage.
and i woke up one day, at 19, a couple months ago, after being told to try everything--south beach, weight watchers, etc. i did a medical, v v expensive liquid diet for a few months, and i got my blood counts etc back to normal so that i wont die of a heart attack before i'm 30. and then i realized after years and years and YEARS of thinking i am fat, of hearing people tell me i am , of cutting myself because i feel that i am, of be taunted and teasted and hating myself endlessly because i dont fit into the sizes gap keeps regularly in stock--that people will *NOT* make money off my inseucurites anymore.
so, i eat what i want, when i want, as long as its pretty healthy.i try not to overdo it. i buy clothes that fit, instead of clothes that will if i lose ten pounds. i walk, a lot. i tell everyone to read The Fat Girls guide to Life. and i think all diets are crap, and that tertia is G&D with or without weight watchers.

[maia]

OMG I must find my local WW! Wine is not a sin?!?! Tertia, you must let us know how it goes ok? Perhaps a daily or weekly WW update?!

[Margot]

I really believe that diets don't work. You lose the weight all right, and you vow that you will keep it off through sheer determination, but it always comes back, usually with interest and often quite quickly.

The only thing that works, in my experience, is just aiming for no more than 1 or 2 good new habits and sticking to those. For example, vowing to exercise twice a week and doing just that. Or combining that with not drinking alcohol, or no desserts, or just eating ONLY when you're actually hungry, not bored, etc.

I lost quite a lot of weight, fairly slowly, by doing that, and it actually stayed off. It was slower than a diet - losing about a kilo every three weeks to a month, but it was practically painless, resulted in some good new habits like regular exercise and has actually worked long term.

The whole problem with diets is that they end. You haven't really fixed the habits that are making you gain weight. And most likely you will quickly return to those habits.

Please give it a go. Your body has been through a lot in the last few years, and I really believe you need to be gentle with yourself and nurturing of your body. Just try the one or two habits thing for a few weeks, and see what happens.

Margot xox
ps You probably won't remember me, but you have emailed me a couple of times. I'm 35 weeks pregnant with my own IVF baby this week - very happy! And I wish you very well.

[Beret]

Good luck Tertia. I have never followed a diet per se. Over the past 2 years I've lost 35 lbs the old fashioned way..cutting the portions down and exercising. Slowly but surely the weight came off. And slowly is the best way to go..it's easier to keep it off.

I really don't like the idea of diets. In order to keep the weight off you have to make lifestyle changes you can keep for the *rest of your life*. Because the minute you go back to your old ways, the weight will come back.

But I think WW is a great plan because it focuses on portion control. You don't necessarily cut out any one food, but you stick to a number of points per day or week. I'm wary of any "diet" that makes you eliminate any certain food or drink. Deprivation is never the way to go.

Excercise too..it's the only way to go.

Best of luck!

[Bec]

Curious. In the US, generally we don't 'give something a bash', we bash it. And it's not a good thing. Here I was all set to hear how WW was the devil's kin.

Let us know how it works out. I'm going to have to do something once I'm done BF. Pretty good excuse not to do something now, huh?

[Sheri]

I've done WW forever. After my first baby (I was obese before I got pregnant), I lost 112 pounds counting points on WW. Now, after my second ('cause I ate like a crazy woman while I was pregnant), I have lost 51 pounds in 3 1/2 months. But 30 of those came off in the first 3-4 weeks, because that is apparently what my body does post-pregnancy.

Anyway, I recently switched to the Core plan in Weight Watchers. For those who have trouble or are too busy counting points and journaling, it is a life-saver. It is sort of reduced carb/reduced fat with FF dairy and whole grains.

Best of luck Tertia!

[kari]

I love WWers, and was VERY successful the first time around... then got married... then had a failed IVF cycle. So I went back after that, and have been fighting to lose the weight I put on. I was hoping to lose it all before our next cycle, but here I am, 3 days from FET#1 and only 3 or 4 lbs lighter than when I started. Oh well. Hopefully I'll just get knocked up now and not have to worry about losing weight for another 9 months or so. :) Please do keep us posted!!!

[becky]

WW rocks! I liked it because I could choose a diet that works best with my PCOS (which is NOT low fat! Mostly high protein). It also really got me motivated to exercise. I started out slow with a 20 minute Pilates video at home in the morning, and worked up to 60-90 minute intense cardio/weight routines. After about 18 months I'd lost 20 pounds off my 5'1" frame, which is quite a bit! I did the online version of WW, which was great for me since time was an issue. After you try the meetings a bit, you may want to switch to online. You can use the message boards for "support" since you are such a big online slut, like me!

[malone]

WW has always worked for me. It forces me to watch what I eat and to eat plenty of veggies (otherwise I am starving!).

My Kate is 6.5 months old and I gained 50lbs in preg and 10 lbs prior to that during TTC-2IVFs,3IUIs. The 50 lbs is gone (20 right away, the other 30 w/WW). I started WW yesterday in earnest again to lose the last 10 so my clothes will finally fit.

I ate my 20 pts yesterday and plan on staying in range today. My goal is to stay on plan through August (and hopefully lose 8 lbs). I have found that the best way to lose weight is to have short, small goals.

If you want a WW buddy for August - let me know. I could use the support!

Malone

[Kristin]

Oooh, good luck! I was just thinking today that I might go on WW myself. I have a 4 mo boy and have 10 lbs baby weight plus an add'l 20 I'd like to get rid of.

[Peg]

"I found a wine that isn't half bad- 8 ounces is 1 point. I can polish of a bottle for 4 points. Love that!"

Which wine? How do you know? Please share.

[Online pharmacy]

Good blog... thanks i really appreciate!

[Online pharmacy]

you need a diet like i need herpes.