Hey!

So I've been on weight watchers for about 2 days now (Since Thursday), and they suggest you write *everything* you stick into your mouth down (keep track of point intake)... Well I get 36 points a day, and well I haven't been keeping track. I get weighed next Thursday. I can't gain weight, I just can't. I have 5 months to lose SOME before my best friend's wedding (lol, literally!!) I could really use some advice on how to get crackin' (for lack of a better word).. I bought a bikini and everything. That (to me) is my ultimate motivation because I WILL be wearing it. I'm just going to have to work extra hard so I'm not all flabby, and so I won't look terrible in it... I'm already down. And how do I stay away from the stuff, I KNOW i shouldn't be having??? Ugh. This really is more hard then I thought. HELP!!

First, take a big, deep breath. And release.

Weight Watchers is a flexible plan. It allows you to have any food you want. It is the portion sizes that you have to be careful of. Are you going to meetings? Did you stay after the first meeting to learn about the plan from your leader? If you haven't, I suggest you do so at your next meeting. But you definitely need to write everything down that you eat! The plan won't work for you unless you work the plan.

You can do it, you can reach your goal. It is going to take hard work and determination, but that makes it all worthwhile in the end. And everyone here at 3FC will be cheering you on!

I keep track of every bite, if I don't I eat much more than I think. I plan ahead and keep a food diary. It was not planning that took me to my all time high of 206.

Canadiangirl:
(Yay, more Canadian girlies!! We've got another girl here from Alberta, eh? Where do you live exactly??)

Modkittn's right. BREATHE. The unfortunate thing about weight loss is that panicking and wishing and mooning over that sexy little bikini can't make the weight fall off any faster. The only thing that can is smartening up and getting really serious.

As for recording everything you eat, I've got a few different suggestions.
First, I have a blank book fetish, so this kinda thing works for me. You know when you go into Chapters, and they have that wall of really pretty, colourful diaries and journals? You could go in, find one that you ADORE, and simply having it will perhaps give you the incentive to remember to write down your meals and snacks. Keep it by your bed or in your kitchen, somewhere where you might have time to flip it open and record the last thing you munched. Even if you don't have time to calculate WW points and such YET... do it later.

If this isn't really your style, if you're more of an "always on the computer" kinda gal, start using a website like Fitday or The Daily Plate. Either of these sites is really great for tracking what you've eaten that day, you just use their search engine to look for whatever food you consumed, or if it's a specific brand that they don't have, you just google the name of the food with "Nutrition information" and find all the information, then you can put it into your Fitday and reuse it when necessary.

I've never done weight watchers, but people in my family have. It's a really good support system, I've heard, so I would use it to your advantage as much as possible. Keeping track of those points, or counting your calories or whatever you decide to do is really important, because sometimes through absent-minded snacking or eating things we haven't checked the nutritional labels on, we're intaking FAR more energy/sugar/etc. than we need for a day.

Of course, I'd also suggest that you find some form of exercise. Even if it's just walking-- I've lost weight several times by diet alone, and it's hard, and it's slow, and it never stays off for me. I'm not really a sporty kinda gal, and I don't ENJOY working out per se... but I've never had weight drop off faster than since I've been going to the gym (just about every day).

Also, hanging around the 3FC forums is really great to keep the support and advice coming in. On days when I have had absolutely no interest in going to the gym or sticking to my calorie counting, these ladies have inspired me more than anyone ever has in my life. They've inspired me to keep going, and I hope they and I can do the same for you!

GOOD LUCK, hang around! Let us know how you're doing!

Jelbb has good advice -- find a journal you absolutely love to write in, and that will be good incentive to keep track of everything. That's what I had to do first time I was on WW, as I wasn't accustomed to writing down everything... I got a cute little Alice in Wonderland-themed notebook and wrote EVERYTHING down. Now it's such second nature, I use the little 3-month journals you can get at WW that have boxes for flex points used and healthy eating guidelines you can check off.

But seriously -- if you're following flex, the plan won't work if you don't journal. MAKE YOURSELF write everything down. If it helps, plan out your meals in one sitting and stick to it, so you don't have to run back and forth to your journal.

Maybe if you're still having trouble following flex and writing everything down, you might want to try Core next week (give flex a full week, though). With Core at least you don't have to write anything down, though you are more restricted in what you can eat.

Good luck!

I agree with the others that you should just relax a bit. ;0) It's usually the NOT planning and NOT paying attention that causes you to gain, and with any plan that's going to involve paying attention and writing stuff down, I think you will eventually just become more aware of what you are and are not putting into your body and then making better choices will start becoming more and more easy for you. It doesn't all happen at once, and if you slip up, it's not the end of the world and you can always get back on track.

Well, I'm not on weight watchers but I do know that when I screw up I exercise. It always makes me feel better and it helps burn off some of those extra calories I've taken in.