My hubby and I went to our first WW meeting last Sunday. We got the monthly pass so we could have the eTools. I am amazed at how easy this past week has been for us. I used to be a calorie counter, and I never saw the point of joining WW because I always said it was just another way of counting calories. But I was wrong! For me, counting points is a lot less intimidating and stressful than counting calories. And since I don't know (and don't want to) how many calories my points are, I don't feel as restricted.
I have had some epiphanies this week:
1. I don't know as much about weightloss as I thought I did.
2. I can eat small portions of things and still be satisfied. AND that small portions are not diet portions, they are actually normal sized and I've just been grossly overeating for years.
3. I know how to eat in diet mode. I know how to eat in glutton mode. What I've been missing is knowing how to eat in "normal" mode!
4. I hate the gym but I don't have to go there. I can get plenty of exercise outdoors.
5. I deserve to lose weight and be healthy.
I FEEL A LITTLE GUILTY...I had 41 extra points between flex points and activity points. We went out for sushi today and I ate about 20 pts worth of sushi. I know I shouldn't feel guilty, but I do. I am trying to remind myself that what I did was okay, and we are actually encouraged to use some of our extra points. But in the past, what I would call that is cheating and so I would feel guilty. But I shouldn't, right? I get new points tomorrow anyway.
Thanks for your summary. I am planning to join WW and would attend its meeting tomorrow. I am counting calories right now and was bit confused whether to join WW or not. Your review did helped a bit.
Thanks! I am sure it's not for everyone, but I think it's really going to work for me and my husband...only time will tell though. Good luck at your meeting!
Chris, no you should not feel guilty for using the points. WW built them into the program to be used. As long as you are losing while eating them, keep doing it, because when you reach maintenance, you'll have a higher level to use for the rest of your life. I really like your list! How true for many of us.
healthyliving - glad you made the decision to join WW, too. I think you'll like it a lot.
About the normal serving sizes - we had a new restaurant open in our town that serves "normal-sized" servings, and at first, I thought that they were skimpy. Then it dawned on me that what they serve is actually the size I would serve in my home. Seems we have all gotten so used to the huge servings in most restaurants, rather we actually eat it all or not. I hope more restaurants adapt to this, too.
2. I can eat small portions of things and still be satisfied. AND that small portions are not diet portions, they are actually normal sized and I've just been grossly overeating for years.
I had the same epiphany when I joined WW last week! Measuring my food has been VERY eye-opening for me... I feel as if I've been heaping double- or triple-portions on my plate unknowingly for years! I've learned to trick my eyes, though, by serving my dinner on a small salad plate. The food fills up the whole plate so it looks like it's a lot more than it actually is. I do the same thing with cereal, eating it out of a coffee mug!
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Originally Posted by trooworld
We went out for sushi today and I ate about 20 pts worth of sushi. I know I shouldn't feel guilty, but I do.
Oh boy, I did this last night. I'm actually too scared to think about how many points I actually ate, so this morning I just checked off a whole bunch of Flex points and decided not to splurge until next week, when I get a fresh set of new points.
Good to see someone has got the same stuff on their mind as I do! Keep on truckin'!
I rejoined WW last Saturday for the 3 or 4th time. Currently I weigh the most I have ever have and am almost 50. Very ashamed I must say. I know I can change things around and change my lifestyle. I been on the plan all week, walking and drinking my water. Can't wait to see what the scales say on Saturday morning. This time around I am trying to add alot more variety so that I don't get bored. So far so good.
Good luck to you and everyone else. We CAN make the world a lighter place.
Last edited by Want2BeThin; 09-14-2009 at 09:59 AM.
I FEEL A LITTLE GUILTY...I had 41 extra points between flex points and activity points. We went out for sushi today and I ate about 20 pts worth of sushi. I know I shouldn't feel guilty, but I do. I am trying to remind myself that what I did was okay, and we are actually encouraged to use some of our extra points. But in the past, what I would call that is cheating and so I would feel guilty. But I shouldn't, right? I get new points tomorrow anyway.
I know exactly what you mean! I, too, have to keep reminding myself that's what they are there for. But, yeah, sometimes it still feels like cheating. Especially when I'm not always sure how many flex points I actually used up (I usually over estimate a little in those instances. Just in case).
It's so hard sometimes to change how you think about food, isn't it?
Today will be my first weigh in too. I stayed on plan and used my 35 points. I don't feel guilty about it. That's what it's there for. Having said that, I was told some time ago (when I belonged to WW before) that if you eat the 35 extra a week, you should probably expect your weight to come off more slowly than if you didn't. Wish me a good weigh in. I don't feel thinner, but I feel better.
Hi everyone! I joined WW this past Saturday. I joined w/a friend from work so it will be great to have that extra support.
I've been pretty serious about sticking to the plan--course it's only been two days--but I am having a hard time using all my points - I have 34! After reading the posts here I see that it's really important that I use them all.
My question is - if it's 8:00 at night, should I eat something just to get the points in, or since it's so late, am I better off just using fewer points?
It's 9:00 here now and and I still have 9 pts left--I hate to eat just to eat.
Valerie, I wouldn't eat just to eat, but if you are still hungry, try a healthy snack like yogurt, milk, peanut butter and apple, etc. (normally wouldn't recommend PB but since you have so many points left ...)
It won't hurt to go one day under points, but it's best not to make a habit of it. If you plan out your day/week prior to, it makes it easier to allocate the points to spread them out throughout the day so that you're not left with a bunch of points leftover at the end of the day. If you are the type to eat three meals and snacks, portion out your points accordingly so that you have an idea of how many points to eat. That should help as well.
Are you getting in all of your Good Health Guidelines? That will help take care of those points as well.
My daily point target is the same as yours and I tend to use 5 for breakfast, 10 each for lunch and dinner and the other 9 spread throughout the day as snacks.
Thanks so much for your thoughtful reply; and thanks for the great idea about balancing out the points. Sounds like you have a good "formula" in place...
I have to tell you, I didn't even know what you meant when you mentioned Good Health Guidelines. Then, I went to WW site and aha - the light dawned over my head!
So yes, I'm doing everything but the mutlivitamin. How long have you been on WW? And are you using the online tracker in addition to the little book?
Just rejoined last night-the moderator says that you use either the extra 35 OR the activity????????????????? I have only 18 pts a day and I only need to lose 9 lbs because I am so small but that 9 lbs is probably 2 sizes for me. Mima
vjack, I get 33 points now (I had 34 up until two weeks ago), so I know what you mean. Sometimes it's so hard using all of those points! It's tedious, but I find that planning my meals out in advance helps sooo much. Like, if I know my dinner is going to be lite on points, I figure out how to make up those points during lunch or breakfast, or I plan an extra snack. That way I'm not stuck at the end of the night with a ton of points to use up somehow, which happened to me a few times the first few weeks.
Mima--good luck to you! Although I've not "been there" myself, I've heard it's so much harder when you just have a little to lose!
TR: congratulations on your loss. I've been doing a bit better using the points. I think I tend to save a lot for dinner in case I'm going to be really hungry, and then I end up with extra. I will be anxious to see how my weigh in goes this Saturday. Don't feel like I've lost anything yet, but I've been following the plan and writing EVERY thing down..so hopefully I'll make some decent progress.
My 1st week of WW...
Then, I went to WW site and aha - the light dawned over my head!
