[Selena125t]

So I posted earlier that I was following the old WW points system and that I had been unable to weigh myself for about a month due to a bet I made with a friend. So I get on the scale this morning and I weigh exactly the same as I did 6 weeks ago if not more. I am horrified. I have been eating my points, eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, drinking my water, etc. I exercise 6 days a week on a stationary bike and use intervals 3 of those days. I eat my activity points but I haven't used any weekly points. I have also not lost any inches, so my question is... do I stick with it? Has anyone else experienced such horrible results. I hate the fact that I worked out even to point of causing myself some pain and it be all for naught. If you were in my place what would you do? Any tips? Thanx

[girlsenberry]

Well it sounds like you're on the right track. It would help if we saw what you ate to see if something could be tweaked there. Maybe post your tracker for the last week on this thread? I don't recall point values for the old plan, so make sure to include the amount you ate, and it's point value.

Don't look at it as for naught, you made some incredible healthy changes for yourself for a month- to have that willpower and stamina is an amazing thing. Keep it up! Good will come out of it.

[fitbyforty]

You might not be eating enough.With that much exercise you should eat your weeklies too.Are you getting in all your good health guidelines?

[girlsenberry]

Originally Posted by fitbyforty

With that much exercise you should eat your weeklies too.

I would add to this only to say *try* eating some weeklies to see if that makes a difference, because I know personally, I can't touch them or I will maintain, if not gain, whether I exercise or not... and I only use my activity points for drinking a protein shake after workouts. The first month or two, at least, is all trial and error- finding what works and what doesn't. I just found drinking diet soda once a day for the last 2 weeks is not conducive to loss- I've been maintaining and it sucks, but now I know better and will make better choices.

[Lovely]

Some good advice given!

1) All for naught, you say?! Horrible results, you say?! Forget the scale for just a moment. You have achieved... FOR MORE THAN AN ENTIRE MONTH... the ability to eat healthier, and exercise more. Do you know some people aren't even able to do that for a week or even two days, much less a WHOLE MONTH AND THEN SOME!

I am amazed and proud of you!

Now let's bring the scale back in. Since you haven't weighed yourself each week, you do not know whether you lost weight the last couple of weeks and this week is just a fluke week -- one of those gain weeks where it balances out with the other weeks -- or whether or not it's a T.O.M issue or some saltier food. You just don't know. The scale is unfortunately not the most accurate, it's just convenient. It won't tell us if the weight on our bodies is water, fat, muscle, organs, bones, etc. It just knows weight. Not percentages.

Even if you have truly maintained, let's appreciate how much of a success that is. Let's pretend you didn't make any changes. You could've easily GAINED five pounds in a month without eating healthfully or exercising. Maintaining is a success.

2) Let's all take a look at the details of what you've been doing for the last month.

Exercise is good. Keep that up.

Food -- Food is (for many people) the most important part of losing excess weight. We have to eat less than we were, and often eat better kinds of foods.

Here's where we can help: You list out your entire food choices for last week. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks -- And their Points values. We will then be able to go over the choices you've made with a fine-toothed comb and make suggestions.

Maybe then someone's suggestions will trigger a thought to change something you're doing for the better! Maybe we'll notice something that you hadn't noticed.

Weight loss on ANY program is trial and error. You had a great long trial. Now let's put our heads together and see what we can do to tweak the program so that it still fits your life and gives you the results you want to see.

[Selena125t]

Ok here goes my sample week and I am including AP as well...
Sun:
1 whole egg 2 egg whites- 3 homemade biscuit - 5
kashi granola bar - 2 1/2 cup rice and 2 tbsp gravy - 3
palm size meat patty - 6 1/2 cup mixed veggies - 1
1/2 doughnut - 3 (whole doughnut palm sized, guessed because it was homemade)
1/4 cup rice and 2 tbsp gravy - 2 meat patty - 5
1/2 cup mixed veggies - 1
Mon:
thin bagel with 1 tbsp almond butter - 4 healthy choice meal - 5
green salad with spray dressing - 1
1 slice bread and 1/2 tbsp nutella - 2 (sara lee 45 calorie bread high fiber)
5oz hamburger steak and 1/2 cup sauteed potatoes - 7
1 cup strawberries, 1 cup mandarine oranges, 2 cups spinach, spray dressing - 5
1 serving kettle chips - 3
AP 2
Tues:
turkey bacon - 2 bagel with 2 tbsp cream cheese - 4
3.5 oz lean sirloin with broccoli - 5.5 gumbo with 2 tbsp rice - 12
3.5 oz lean sirloin - 5.5 (other half of 7 oz)
AP 3
Wed:
scrambled egg whites with mushrooms, spinach, and 1 slice turkey sausage - 2
bread - 1
orange - 1
homemade burger (bread, mayo, ketchup, mustard, 5oz meat patty) - 9
1 serving kettle chips - 3
coffee (splenda, sugar free creamer) - 1
burger - 9 1/2 serving chips - 2
1/2 cup frozen yogurt - 2
AP 3
Thurs:
Bagel with almond butter - 4 orange - 1
baked chicken - 5 with green beans
1/2 can tuna with mayo and 4 melba toasts - 4
turkey sandwich, bread, mayo, 3 slices luncheon meat - 2.5
1/2 serving kettle chips - 2 1 slice toast with 1 tbsp nutella - 3
orange and raspberries - 2 1 cup Hood milk - 2
AP 2
Fri:
scrambled egg whites with mushrooms, spinach, olive oil - 6
turkey bacon - 2 1 cup milk - 2
1/4 cup rice and 2 tbsp gravy - 2 3- 1oz meatballs - 3
coffee - 1 (green salad)
rice, gravy, meatballs, and green salad - 5 orange, 2 kiwis, raspberries - 3
1/2 turkey sandwich, and 1/2 serving kettle chips - 3
AP 3
Sat:
turkey bacon, egg whites, thin bagel - 4 1 cup milk - 2
granola bar - 2 1 cup mac and meat sauce - 7
green salad with 1 tbsp ranch - 2 1/2 cup mac and meat sauce - 5
2 kiwis and raspberries - 2 1/2 serving kettle chips

I put my stats in an online calculator to track my activity points. I calculated how much calories I burn on the stationary bike and count 1 AP for every 100 calories.

[Selena125t]

I don't drink sodas, or eat candy, I do notice I eat a lot of chips, but I find myself at the end of the day, under 7 points so I try to eat something with the most point value and the least volume, I usually range from 26-30 points a day depending on how many activity points I earned. Should I stop eating those? I have been trying to get in more milk lately too. Maybe I should cut back on the carbs? I could try not to eat any rice and maybe half the amount of bread. It's a really good bread. 90 calories for 2 slices and like 5-7 grams of fiber 1 g of fat and 1 point so I really enjoy it. Oh, maybe I calculated my points wrong. Maybe my daily points are too many- I weigh 208 now and I calculated 27 points a day... Thanx for all your help in this!!

[fitbyforty]

You are eating a lot of carbs and processed food.You should be following the good health guidelines.You are not getting your oils in and not enough dairy.Lots of sodium which leads to water retention.I think you might be underestimating some of the points values as well.

[Somni]

I never followed the old program so don't know about the points values, but looks like some days you are low on fruits/veggies, oil, and/or dairy and yeah as you said heavy on the carbs.

Instead of finding more chances to add another glass of milk, maybe you'd find it easier to add yogurt or a smoothie (and smoothies are awesome in the summer when it's easy to get lots of fresh produce!). Also a great way to get in more fruits/vegs if you are lacking. I personally just tried spinach in one the other day among other goodies after reading the smoothie thread on the main ww forum, just 1/4 cup to see how it blended in. I couldn't even taste it and will add more next time now that I experimented hehe. (Not that I mind the taste of spinach, just the idea of a 'spinachy' drink doesn't appeal. )

Nuts can be a great way to get in points fast so you don't need to turn to chips just to get in points. Personally I love almonds and walnuts and love to add one or the other to yogurt, salads, or steamed green beans. Or instead of nut butter with bagel/toast type stuff every time, maybe mix it up sometimes and have it with a fruit like banana or apple, or mix it into a smoothie.

There are lots of good choices too. (That spinach salad with the orange/strawberry sounds yummy btw.) But when we hit these road blocks, it gives us a chance to see what we could do even better!

[Selena125t]

Ok, so I forgot to mention something... I have lost 50 pounds over the last 2 years NOT on the WW plan. It was a combination of diet pills for a few months and low carb for a few months and exercising like a demon for a few months, which is how I injured my hips and got bursitis in both, which is why it hurts when I exercise now, but I digress... I cannot for the life of me figure out how I got the weight to keep coming off. I have been stuck at 208 for almost a year. I am going to give WW a little longer since that is my M.O. but I was hoping someone could elaborate on a previous comment about the processed foods.
Do you think it's the turkey bacon and luncheon meat? Are are we talking about anything that is pre-made? I am a little confused only because "processed" can mean different things to different people. I go through phases where I crave something for a while so that is all I'll eat- hence the turkey sandwiches-but I didn't see them as being "bad" so to speak.
But by all means, critique away- I need the help and I'm willing to change. Gotta go to the grocery store this week any way.
Oh and as far as vegetables, I didn't write them if they had no points, but I do eat a salad of cucumbers and tomatoes with every meal, sometimes breakfast too. But I guess I need more. Thanx for all the help so far and to come!

[fitbyforty]

Processed foods Are things like deli meats,snack bars,donuts,canned or frozen meals.All of these things are high in sodium.Have you tried plugging that menu you posted into something like fitday or live strong,daily plate.It would be a good idea to see the number of calories you are consuming as well as a breakdown of nutrients.

[patchymama]

Can I ask how you are figuring points? Honestly, a lot of your point values seem to be off or underestimated. (the bagel with cream cheese is just one example I think... 4 is awfully low for that)

Is there a reason you are doing the old plan and not the new one?

Other than that, I'd drop some carbs and increase your green intake. Some people just hold onto some foods differently than others.

[Selena125t]

As far as the points values, I use a Points calculator. I plug in the nutritional information and it gives me the points value. I've heard a lot of bad things about PointsPlus and it has made me leery about using it. I used to know someone who lost a lot of weight following the old Points system and so I use it. Unfortunately I cannot pick their brain about it because we are no longer in touch. I guess I'll just have to see for myself.

[Lovely]

Couple of things, and some of them are separate thoughts.

1) You might actually be surprised about PointsPlus if you keep an open mind. There are members who don't like it as much as the TurnAround/Momentum plan, but I actually like it more. I find it to be more specific, and it does promote eating healthier foods all around. You might want to consider joining a WW center for 2 months to check out the plan in person. Not only would you get the materials, but you'd have the meetings and a leader to help you figure out things as you go along. You could then decide if it's the right plan for you. (If you're willing to give this a little while, then why not the new plan?)

2) I do see a lot of chips (as you mentioned). So you might want to replace those with nuts instead, or a half serving of nuts if what you're doing is trying to boost your daily points.

3) Some of these numbers do seem a little low even considering that they're the old Points plan. Are you using an actual Points calculator or an online one for the food points? Would you be willing to post the nutritional info of that bagel & cream cheese (for example) to make sure that the Points are being calculated accurately?

[Koshka]

When people don't lose it is almost always because they are eating more food than they think they are or they are overestimating activity points.

For activity points if you aren't losing I really urge you to simply count your activity points based upon low intensity not based upon other methods. If that doesn't help then don't eat the activity points at all.

I'm not quite sure I understand why someone starting out with WW would use Momentum. I understand why people already doing it and used to it and succeeding with it would. But I don't understand doing it when you are starting new. Bear in mind, that WW did a lot of research and updated its program for the current science. Doing Momentum is flying in the face of that. It is fine for those used to it and who like it or who don't succeed at Points Plus. However, you will find a lot more support for Points Plus.

Do you go to WW meetings? Are you an online member? Suggest doing that and getting support.

You do seem to eat a lot of carbs of low value (i.e. refined carbs). Some people are really sensitive to carbs and just can't eat like that and lose weight.

I'm not sure about your calculations for points since it has been awhile since I did that plan but some of your points seem low to me.