Running and Diet
 

I have been on weight watchers the past 5 months and I have lost 28 pounds. In June I began running as a form of excercise. The past month I have hit a weight loss plateau, but I am running an average of 20 miles per week and lifting two days per week. I am wondering if anyone else is doing weight watchers and running. My question is have you increased your points at all? I currently stick to 22 points per day. Thanks!

Don't you earn activity points for exercise in WW? Something like one point for every 100 calories burned? :)

I don't do WW or points, but do calorie count. When I started increasing my running intensity leaving my calories the same, I noticed my weight dropping only in quarter increments, if anything. I decided to move my intake up by 100-200 calories more for a few days and was stunned when my weight began dropping again back to my 'normal' average loss of one pound per week.

IMO, I think my higher expenditure was throwing my body into a type of starvation mode, and by raising my input this allowed my body to release the loss again.

Weight Watchers does have activity points but they are optional so I haven't been using them. I was loosing so good there for awhile I didn't want to mess it up.

I'm not a WW expert, but I thought you were supposed to use activity points? Like Softballmom said, sometimes you need to give your body some more fuel when you're exercising intensely. You might want to try eating the points you earn and see if that makes a difference? Or you could check in the WW section for some help specific to the program. :)

I lost ~70 lbs on WW, and trust me, you need to use your activity points! :) In fact, I used to use all the points I had available unless I started gaining - which I really never did. I lost the first 30 or so without doing any exercise, then added some aerobics classes, and later I began running. Your body needs fuel to exercise, and that's what the activity points are for. WW will tell you not to use more than 4, but what I've read suggests that they don't want folks overexercising (what's that :lol: ) so they can eat more. If you're running 20 miles a week, you need more food - and of course, it should be good nutritious food not cokes and candy bars. :)

Use your activity points AND/OR your 35 weekly points allowance! You need more than just 22 points a day if you're exercising. I do Core--sometimes I eat the AP and sometimes I don't, but I always eat the 35 WPA. I do cardio most days of the week (three days is running) and weight lift 5-6 times a week.

Never been on WW either but i agree with the others in that the more you exercise the more fuel your body is going to need. Of course dont overload on carbs or anything but more exercise means your body is burning more so you may need more fuel. These "activity points" seem like they need to be counted for and i hope that your weight loss continues. 20 miles a week is GREAT. Keep up the good work.

I'm a WW lifetime member (well, I'm actually pregnant now), and I agree---you need to use your activity points. Our leader says that we really need to use both the 35 flex and the activity points, or we'll be more likely to plateau.