Hi all I've been doing some serious diet flip flopping I keep switching diets it's crazy! I really like ww's but I don't seem to loose very fast but then again I didn't follow it exactly either. I'm having financial problems right now so I'm going to do it at home with the materials I have I have this years newest plan so I should be ok for a while. I'm going to be coming here for support so hopefully I won't need the meetings.

I lost a lot of weight w/ weight watchers at home when I knew enough people around me who were on the plan and did go to meetings. Now that I"ve moved, meetings are more important to me.

I think that as long as you have a support system, you'll be fine... I had 'meetings' of my own when I would meet up with friends and they'd share with me what happenned at thier meetings.

good luck!

support is key.... i had to return to meetings as i have little support.

I don't go to meetings but I have my husband and family as my support AND
3fc. On WW I was complaining that I lose weight to slowly but then it hit me last night that there is a reason why we lose weight slowly on WW. Because its an effective weight loss program to make sure that you lose it slowly so you can keep it off.

WOW! I am trying to do it at home but I am not having any luck. I don't feel like I have a good support system at home but I sometimes feel like I am overreacting. Should I feel guilty going to the Y to work out and leaving my family at home? I do, so I don't!!!! I don't know what else to do! Did you guys always have the support or did you have to work at it? If so what did you do to open their eyes?

You need to take time for yourself Don't feel guilty going to work out tell them this is your time and you deserve it. I don't if you have children and what there ages are but if you have younger one's make it a game with them have them learn points and help you. As far as a husband explain that you need support and it would help you if he gave you some. Hope you feel more supported soon. But come here as much as you need.

I'm with you... I bought WW information from eBay a couple of years ago & I've never been to meetings. I'm just getting ready to start again... I've been on a long "break" (ha ha) after having a baby last year, and I need to get back on the program!

Hey Amy! When did you have your baby? I had a baby boy in April of 2006 and swore to myself once he was born I was going to lose weight and here I am a year later 8lbs lighter than my pregnancy weight! Maybe we both can get on track! Good Luck!
Tracy

I joined WW online in April, and during weeks I counted points and weeks I didn't, I ended up losing 9 pounds. I find that I don't need meetings. I used the message boards there just like we can here for support. I spent a lot of money and the only thing I really liked was the online points finder. It has made counting points easier. But, I don't have money to burn, and since I have the materials I need to do WW on my own, I'm gonna just start writing it down and subtracting on my own. I think I can handle it. When I have trouble is when I don't keep track. I don't need meetings to be accountable. All I have to do is look at my swimming pool knowing that right now, how I look in a bathing suit just doesn't cut it!

I did WW for a year going to meetings. Thought I could do it at home on my own and I couldn't. I gained back most of the weight and then more due to medication I was put on. It took going back to meetings to get to the point I am now. I really needed the support system. If you have that at home or at work, then I would say great. My DH was very supportive of me, but has never dieted, nor has ever had to! I needed someone who was going through what I was going through and wasn't able to find it (I had also moved to a new state and didn't know anyone here at the time). SO... as long as you have some people to talk to and share recipes, experiences, etc go for it and !

If you can't afford WW, but you really seem to need meetings for accountability, you might want to check if you have a TOPS group in your area (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly). You aren't obligated to follow the "official" diet (in fact in a lot of groups No one is following the official diet, which is an exchange plan based on the diabetic diet exchange if I remember correctly diet) The book has a lot of good information in it besides the diet rules part, and you can borrow it from either the library or usually TOPS groups keep a library of TOPS books and pamphlets you can check out. You can attend a meeting free, and find out if you can afford the yearly and weekly charge. I'm not a current member, and it's been a few years so things might have changed, but when I was going the yearly dues were less than 2 WW meetings (I think it was around $20), and each group sets its own weekly dues. One group I went to the weekly dues wer 50 cents (it was a really big group) and another it was $2. I've even heard of groups that operate without weekly dues. In some groups, every week they passed a hat, that you put in (you didn't have to participate, but most people did) a quarter for each pound if you gained (in one group a dime), and the person who lost the most that week took the kitty home. Sometimes there'd be small money prizes for weight loss or contests (that came out of the groups treasury).

A lot of the ladies in the group were following WW, because they'd either became frustrated or like you, unable to afford the weekly fees.

My best advice is "Don't be afraid" I know it sounds trite, but it's true. I spent a huge portion of my life enormously overweight and believing it was my destiny to remain so. Until one day I woke up and was finished with that. I'd tried weight watchers a couple of years before and had the materials on hand so I went back to that. That was about two years ago now and I managed to lose about 85lbs without ever going to a meeting (also because I couldn't afford it). I've had some ups and downs since then and am still working at it, but now, I know I can do this. I know it's not easy, but keep telling yourself that you can do it and eventually you'll convince yourself. It does get easier, so hang in there.

You are truly an inspiration!!! I've been very hopeful about my ultimate success, but after reading what you've accomplished, I KNOW I WILL DO IT!!! Thanks!

I did WW about 3 years ago. Lost 25 pounds and was down to around 160. Over the next 2 years ... up to 200 I went - and fast!! Over the last year (since meeting my boyfriend) I am now tipping the scale at 246. It is absolutely ridiculous. I hate looking at myself and now with summer here, the dreaded BATHING SUIT SEASON - ugh! I am going to attempt to do WW at home and just got an elliptical machine. I will be looking to 3fc for some major support . Good luck everyone!

I'm also with you on not being able to afford the meetings. However, I really do need to go because I need the support. I'm hoping in the near future to go back to meetings, but until then I'm trying to follow the program at home. I'm really not following it as well as I should be though.