This is my 6th time on Weight Watchers. I love Weight Watchers, I love the meetings, I love the accountability. I love how WW is basically a way of calorie counting without so many numbers. I love feeling like I belong to a club, I even like organizing my kitchen, buying safe foods, measuring and weighing my portions, and labeling my boxes of food with the correct points per serving.
SO WHYYYy...do I "mess" up so often? As this is my 6th time around, it isn't all that new to me so I am finding myself slipping up a lot sooner than I used to. I just rejoined last week. This is only week 2 and already I am just stuffing myself silly and then feeling horribly ashamed afterwards.
I had a bad day today, but I wrote it all down anyway and I made myself a wonderfully delicious and very healthy 6point dinner. So I am determined to forge ahead and not say 'Oh well, today is ruined so lets keep destroying it". but I am tempted.
What I want to know...is WHY do I do it in the first place? At the gym today, I was on the treadmill and looking at my reflection in the mirror, I was so grossed out. That should be enough motivation for me.
Damn me and my sweet tooth! Please tell me I am not alone in my struggles!
Of course you're not alone! We all go through that, although I'm not a WW Chick. I think I mess up because eating right is more work than eating crap is. But the thing that makes it work is not to give up on a day when you've overdone it. Make it the best that you can, so you won't feel so bad tomorrow.
What seems to keep me motivated is a goal that I really want. I have to see how I look now and not be able to stand it anymore, then set goals for how I want to look and feel. It just keeps me motivated and going.
Everybody struggles. What helped me was having a good friend start WW. We checked in on each other almost everyday and that kept up the excitement and accountability level. After awhile it just becomes second nature. Keep up an exercise program and drink plenty of water. Once I started WW, the weight was coming off slowly. It wasn't until I committed to exercising that the weight started melting off. As my clothes didn't fit anymore, I gave them away. I have bought new clothes and soon they didn't fit anymore either. I went from a size 18 and am now in a size 10/12. The extra cost of buying clothes that I soon found myself too small for was insignicant to me. It was my reward for the work and dedication and a testament that this diet and exercise program was working for me. I also go to the WW meetings and the group there is so supportive. I look forward to the meetings and I feel accountable. I think most of us find that we are all dealing with the same struggles. Life is busy and it is so easy to blow it, and then feel like a failure. I think that planning is critical. Also, if you have a sweet tooth, then find something that will satisfy you and that is legal. I indulge in the WW treates and feel totally satisfied and legal. Hang in there and keep trying, it becomes a way of life.
I've been through this sooo many times.. I hate to say this out loud, even to myself..but for me, starting the program is so much more "exciting" (for lack of a better word) than the day-to-day of it when you're about 3 or 4 weeks in. I've had to REALLY REALLY work to shake the mindset that this is a "diet" and it's not a case of being off or on. I say this from the perspectivce of someone who has pretty much been on/off a diet for 43 years. At the end of the day, like you said, WW is just another way to make a shortcut of counting calories while incorporating all the things we already know (the good health guidelines). There are no magic beans!
Do you incorporate small amounts of sweets in to your day? You mentioned your sweet tooth - maybe you should try the opposite of what you're doing. Some people do better cutting out everything sweet and refined like white flour (just because of the glucose response in the blood) in order to stay on the wagon, and others can't do that, they just need to have small substitutions every day. Maybe if you tend to always use one method, you could try the other and see if that helps you stay on track?
You are SO not alone in this struggle! I have a serious sweet tooth - so much so that the desserts was one of the first things I checked out when considering joining WW. Sad but true. I knew I was not going to be able to stick to something that was going to make me feel deprived, especially from sweets. With WW - you CAN have sweets but like everything else, it should be in moderation. What I like about the point system is that I am in control - its up to me to decide how I want to use those points. So, if I'm having a craving for sweets I can satisfy that craving by switching my points around to fit it in. You can gain control of your cravings and splurges - you are already off to a good start by not "throwing in the towel" or giving up just because you had a bad day. Stay Strong and
I just wanted to add (as I know this thread is a little old), I have WW candies on me at all times so that when I'm *really* tempted to have other sweets, I just have a couple of those. The dietorelle ones we have here in the Netherlands is something ridiculous like half a bag for 1 or 2 points. I end up only eating like 4 max (if you eat too many, you'll be running for the loo!). Check out what sweet things are available at your WW meeting and stock up. You can even plan them into every day if it's really so important.
I think also if you eat quite a balanced diet (that includes plenty of fruit and veg) you won't crave sweets as much anymore. I generally now only crave them when I'm about to meet TOM
Maybe you want to start a diary or a blog to keep you on track through your journey as well. I find when I'm posting to the universe I tend to do better than when I keep it to myself.
why do I do this?
I have a serious sweet tooth - so much so that the desserts was one of the first things I checked out when considering joining WW. Sad but true. 
I knew I was not going to be able to stick to something that was going to make me feel deprived, especially from sweets. With WW - you CAN have sweets but like everything else, it should be in moderation. What I like about the point system is that I am in control - its up to me to decide how I want to use those points. So, if I'm having a craving for sweets I can satisfy that craving by switching my points around to fit it in. You can gain control of your cravings and splurges - you are already off to a good start by not "throwing in the towel" or giving up just because you had a bad day. Stay Strong and 
