[jenne1017]

Hi all-

I am a former South Beacher. I feel like a Benedict Arnold for being here in this forum but my friend has convinced me to try WW's.

I lost my first 35 by eating better and exercising. I've been facing a lot of financial hardship lately and have been eating whatever is free or cheap. I won't be able to go back to my gym until at least April.

But I've cleaned up my finances and hopefully will be ok for the next few months. It's been hard, but I am getting there.

My friend is sending me all her WW items and hopefully I will be able to garner the money to join the site (which she says is fab).

I'm nervous and anxious too. I've been feeling like a serial dieter -- even though I've lost 50+ pounds (and they've obviously worked somewhat). I hit a plateau after my first 35 and started South Beach in May. I lost 14 pounds in Phase 1 then got scared and lost it on Phase 2. The first way I was eating was better --- and from what I understand, it's a lot like WW.

Here's to hoping this works.

I need to read about the Flex plan (how it works) and once I get my friends books and other dohickies, I am starting. In the meantime, I am going to paruse here. 3FC has always been a great board and I hope the support in this forum is as great as that in others.

Thanks for letting me "come out" so to speak

[Starting Over Again]

Hi Jenn,

It's my turn to welcome you. I guess we'll both learn our way around this board as we search to find what will work for us while we continue to maintain our smoke-free status! I do thank you for your encouragement in my post. And I think you're doing great by losing 50 pounds on SB! You're halfway to your goal. Doing regular WW using flex points will give you a lot more eating freedom than SB. The Core plan is very similar in many respects to Phase 2 of SB so you probably won't have a big transition to make either way. Good luck to you! I look forward to following your progress!

Deborah

[Vickie]

Welcome, Jenn! We LOVE new folks to add to our family. Come join us on the Core Support Board. That's where we all hang out and give each other support and encouragement. There are incredible and wonderful people on this board. No nastiness or sniping like on some of the other boards. I also like that we get to know each other a bit. Not too much off topic but just a little to feel like we know each other. These ladies are my moral support during the week when I'm not in my meeting. Once you get on Core....stop by for a chat! Good Luck and congratulations on your success so far. I tried SB and couldn't stick to Phase 2 because it was too restrictive. I LOVE Core and the 35 points I get each week to spend on whatever. Your friend is right, Core is a terrific and healthy program.

[jenne1017]

Vickie -- lol I've been trying to figure out what CORE was so that's the flex points plan? I guess I will soon figure out how many points a day I should be having and such. I can't wait to get my friend's package!!!

Thanks for the welcome and I will be around and learning!

[Vickie]

Sorry, Jenn. I think I confused you. WW has two plans; Flex and Core. Flex allows you a certain number of points each day that you can consume based on your weight. You must weigh and measure and calculate the points amount for each food you consume. On Core, (much like SB) you don't have to weigh and measure. You eat from a list of approved foods until you are "satisfied". Each of the plan gives you 35 points each WEEK that you can use for whatever treats you want. Hope this makes more sense!

[Froufy]

Hi Jenn and WELCOME!

CONGRATULATIONS on the fabulous weight loss so far - sounds like you are on your way!

If you liked SB you will like the Core plan as well - it is much like SB and one of the reasons I was attracted to it - I was a former low carber but found the high fat part of it a bit disturbing - South beach is a lower fat version of low carbing and w/Core you get the fruits/veggies and whole grains which make for very healthy food choices.

As Vickie mentioned on both plans you do get some "points" for those little extras that we all love and want - so you never really have to "cheat" or go off plan!

I guess the hardest part with Core is listening to your body and not overeating. With Flexpoints you are required to weigh and measure and "count" your food to allot for daily points - on the Core plan you eat what you "need to be satisfied" and of course this amount varies greatly from day to day and from individual to individual. Takes a bit of getting used to!

Good luck and let us know how you're doing!

Froufie

[Katpo]

First of all ... welcome!!! Second ... I love that diaryland website and am going right now to make myself one!

Now back to the welcome. We are pretty much all new at this (sorta) as the Core plan was just introduced last fall. Lots of us are learning and experimenting with Core, Flex, and Flore (as you probably guessed, a combination of the two). I have to agree with the others about the wonderful spirit here. We're all getting to know more personal things about each other little by little, and I love feeling like these are my friends. I can mess up and tell them all about it, and they are still nice to me! You won't find a more supportive place to be.

[jenne1017]

I didn't like SB P2. I don't know if it was that I wasn't strong enough to stay with it, but I like structure. I am sure that after a month that will change.

Like I said, I don't know much about WW, but I am going to start tomorrow. I found a good calculator and my friend sent me the list of how many points a day. This should be interesting and I may Flore from time to time.

BUt thank you for the welcomes. People have been really nice to me and I thank you for that!

Glad you liked Diaryland Kat. I have 2 journals there (my "regular" one and my weightloss one) and love that community.

I guess I should give you a bit about me -- I'm 27, a native NY'er but now am in DC and have been here for almost 6 years. I've worked for 3 Senators and now work for GLBT advocacy group (yes, I am gay). I am single currently and live outside of DC with my smushy cat named JoJo. Hmm, I like to read, love the Precor at the gym, and hopefully have my finances in order so I can follow this diet and get back to the gym in april. In the meantime, I am walking. A New Year's resolution for me was to walk up and down every escalator I come across. And so far I have!!!

If you want to know anything else, my life is an open book (both online and off ) so just ask!

And again, thanks!

[Katpo]

Alrighty then, I have a question. What's a Precor? I knew every other word in your post except for THAT one. Is it a machine or class?

[jenne1017]

LOL Sorry -- it's a machine.

It's a step up from an elliptical -- this has resistance AND incline. It's sort of like a combo of a stairmaster and an elliptical all in one. I love it where other's hate it. In 30 minutes I can "burn" up to 425 cals (I know the readings are usually not accurate but what the heck).

[Katpo]

Yikes! No wonder I never heard of it -- I'd run like CRAZY from something like that!!

[jenne1017]

:lofl: I did at first but it really makes me sweat

[Vickie]

Jenn, I loved DC but only to visit! I'm a born and raised Chicago girl. I worked 30 years for the Feds (I'm 48) and have taken an early out/buy out because my office was closing and moving to Dallas. They REALLY got the best years of my life. I worked the first 15 in Personnel and the second 15 in EEO Discrimination Complaint Investigation and Processing. It was interesting work but no one was ever happy....it really could wear on a person. So, I made lots of trips to DC, especially during the last 18 months because I was the Director of the Complaint Center in Chicago and my bosses were all in Washington. I was in charge of the "orderly shutdown". It was traumatic to be "forced" to retire but now I'm loving it. I've got time to focus on myself for the first time in 30 years and no excuses left not to lose weight! Hubby and I both worked in the same office (that's where we met) and now are both retired. We both need to lose weight (me more than him) so we are now working on it together. I only do the treadmill. This is a big accomplishment for me because I refused to exercise at all before. With 150 pounds to lose, I was afraid I would have a heart attack while exercising. Doctor convinced me it was ok. I'm now up to 30 minutes every day at 2.7 MPH. Slowly but surely over the weeks, I add another .10 of a MPH. I'll do this until I get up to 3.0 MPH and then I'll start adding incline. I CANNOT imagine using the elliptical or the Precor! I'm sure they would kill my knees.

[jenne1017]

Vickie-

First, congrats on the retirement. I can't imagine working for either department. The Senate was hard enough! But I only had to really satisfy ONE person (the Senator) and the constituents were an afterthought.

Also, congrats on finally being able to take care of YOU!

The Precor is actually decent. I have a bad knee (or two) and it's fine. No impact!! I try to run too much on a treadmill I feel like walking doesn't cut it, unless I "go" somewhere

Anyway, I never moved -- I lost the first 25 without exercise. Then I started at the gym. And while I know I lost, I feel like I just toned and I totally miss that. I don't feel climbing escalators and walking to and from work/the Metro/the bus really cuts it. I never thought I would say it but I actually MISS the gym!

I love it here in DC. But I am getting the itch to move somewhere new -- this is the longest I've been in one place in my short life.

[Vickie]

Jenn, just walking up and down stairs makes my knees crunch and crackle. It's a good thing you are losing this weight early in life because it does to damage to your joints and the rest of your body. I only wish I had kept the weight off the 2 times that I got my weight down before.