Ok...so that was a crazy big title... But I wanted to be specific... :P

I've had this issue before, and I want to see if I can avoid doing it again!!!!

So I'm doing Weight Watchers--Flex plan (the old style from...2 or so years ago?) And I'm hovering about 24-22 points/week. (I'm on the verge of the loss, so I'm hitting either/or this week!)

I'm an Irish Dance instructor and dancer in an Irish Dance company (if you've seen Riverdance--I do that full time... lol), so I get a TON of exercise!! And yet I've gained weight on my own... (I guess eating whatever I want does have repercussions!! lol). And there's people on Irish Dance message boards that say they can't lose weight, either--so I know it's not just me!!!

However-- and this is the problem that I've had before-- I'll do weight watchers, lower my calorie intake, heighten my fiber intake, and drink as much water as possible-- and I'll lose (maybe) 10 pounds! Then after this mark, I maintain for about a month, then slowly start gaining more than I had lost in the first place... All the while I'm still following WW consistently--not going over my 35 extra points, or anything...

Does anyone else have this problem? People who were active before starting to diet? Or people who plateau and gain after becoming active on their diet plan? Any help would be awesome!! *grin*

Thanks everyone!!!
~Kat



GOAL:
185.2/176.6/135(ish)
Mini GOAL:
185.2/176.6/166.7
10% by St. Patrick's Day! I want to fit into my Dress!! Aiee!!!

If you are following the points "range" plan, then the points range goes down when you get into 150-175 pound range (goes to 20-25 if I remember correctly from 22-27 if you are in the 175 - 200 pound range). You look like you are very close to moving your points range down. Maybe you can try that? (I think that was for people under a certain age, but in their 20's for sure)

If you are active every day, you shouldn't be counting your "normal" activity as exercise. Anything over your normal everyday activity should be counted as exercise.

Also, make sure you are really controlling your portions. Some people start to get "used" to portion sizes and over time what they think of as 3 oz or a cup is really more. Do you have a scale and measuring cups (non-liquid)?

You also might think about trying the new system. The new points quiz takes into account how much normal daily activity you get, your age, etc. It might give you a better idea of how many points you should really be getting in a day.

If you don't mind I'll move this to the WW general forum you will definitely get more response there...

Sounds great! I wasn't sure which to post in, so I tried the "workout" post first
Thanks!
~Kat

GOAL:
185.2/176.6/135(ish)
Mini GOAL:
185.2/176.6/166.7
10% by St. Patrick's Day! I want to fit into my Dress!! Aiee!!!

Hey Kat, I think ModKitten has a good point about trying the new system for figuring out your daily points target. She had posted something in another thread about the points actually being less under the old plan.

There's a possiblity that restricting your pts. too much in the beginning of your program might be slowing things down as you progress. If your body feels it's going into starvation mode it will store fat instead of burning it.

Also, I was recently reading an article about Atkins which talked about eating a variety of foods (funny you don't associate Atkins with food variety, to me it's meat, cheese and eggs). Anyway, in that article it said that your body can develop a tolerance to foods if you eat the same thing over and over, so if you're eating say oatmeal every day for breakfast and yogurt and fruit every day for lunch after awhile your body gets used to that and you won't lose as well with that menu as you did when you started.

Good luck to you!

Thanks so much for the advice! I'm having success so far... It's just in the past I've had this problem, and I don't want to be stuck with it again (call it a preemptive strike, if you will...)!
I'm still working my way down for now, but if I find I'm having troubles, I will spring the $11/week to rejoin WW to understand the new system.

Funny.. Variety in Atkins????