Hi I am here visiting from another 3FC forum. I am thinking of joining WW soon. Do you have to decide right away if you are going to do CORE or Points? Or do they give you the information on both plans and then you can decide after reading the literature.

I did POINTS a few years ago and liked it but I would also like to find out about CORE.

One important thing is that I am not a "COOK" by any means. I usually don't use that many ingredients. I don't spend a lot of time chopping etc. I am mostly sticking frozen things in a microwave or under the broiler in the toaster oven. Knowing this should I lean more towards one or the other plans? Since I recently got a microwave (after not having one for several years) I thought the POINTS might be easy since I could just go by the points on the WW frozen entrees etc.
Any ideas? Thanks, Pookie

You get the information on both plans and can read and look at both of them and decide which is better for you.

If you eat a lot of frozen meals (which are in no way shape or form Core) and eat a lot of processed foods then Core will probably not be for you. You tend to spend more time cooking real, whole foods (simply though because if a recipe has more than 1 non Core Food item it is not a core food any longer) than you can tend to do on Flex. I tend to eat more like Core but follow Flex for points and portions.

Thanks Kelly, It's good to know that I don't have to decide right away at the 1st meeting.

Even though I do have frozen entrees I also do things like stick a piece of fresh salmon or fresh chicken under the broiler (very plain nothing fancy). For breakfast I have things like an egg or a portion of oatmeal etc. For lunch I sometimes have tuna salad or cottage cheese or yogurt.

So I actually do a MIX of frozen entrees and "whole" foods like tuna & oatmeal & salmon & cottage cheese. These particular whole foods don't require much cooking. So I don't know if that is somewhere IN BETWEEN both plans??


P.S. I remember there was a leader that I really liked who had lost over 100lbs. I am very happy because I just called and she is still a leader. So I will be attending one of her meetings on Sunday morning. --Pookie

Eating like that you would probably do well with core. I gained with Core because I never felt satisified. Also you do get 35 Weekly Points Allowance (sort of like the 35 FlexPoints) to use for nonCore foods like bread, real cheeses, 2% cheeses, etc.

I also felt Core was too much like a DIET (I know the D word)..I felt restrained and deprived on Core.

I have been using FlexPoints plan since I joined in May 2004. I got to my goal weight at end of August. Maintenance was a tough 6 weeks, and I'm 2 pounds above Lifetime membership now. But I'm close! I will get there by the end of the month.

Since I had gone thru the whole program on Points, I am staying with that. I like writing down and tracking every single thing. It helps me know exactly what has worked and exactly what needs to change. For example, I gained a couple of pounds 2 weeks in a row--turned out I was eating a lot of cheese (even reduced-fat cheese is pretty calorically dense). My leader looked at my QuikTrak and pointed this out to me right away.

I don't think Core would work for me--too much anxiety about eating without counting. But plenty of people seem to like it.

Best wishes.

Thanks Kelly and Elana for your replies!

--Pookie

Pookie, when I read your first post up there, I was chuckling out loud. It sounds so much like me! Are we related? lol

I've lost weight over the past 2 years, but I have been at a standstill for over 2 months now. It doesn't matter how much or how little I eat, I still within 3 pounds. I've been considering going back to meetings, but I really hate the drive and spending the money.

Best wishes on whatever you decide to do.

Thanks Tammy,

Yes I am going to try a meeting tomorrow morning. I liked this particular leader in the past so I would like to give it a try again. Congrats on losing for the past 2 years. Maybe going to a meeting would get you past this recent bump in the road?

You were laughing about my top post on this thread. Tonight I took a cucumber and by the time I peeled it and sliced it - I said OK I'm done being domestic tonight!

I am so amazed when I see those Chefs on TV. They make it look soooo easy --They say "You can do this in just 30 minutes!!!" But all those spices and herbs and ingredients just don't appear by magic in their cabinets and refrigerator. Someone has to constantly think about what ingredients they need and walk up and down those supermarket aisles and get them home from the stores to keep those beautiful cabinets so well stocked. And what about all those pots and pans and plates and bowls and food processors --WHO washes all of them on those cooking shows --not the Chef I'm sure!!!!!

Here I go sticking a Lean Cusine in my new Microwave. I have a SENSOR feature on my new machine so I don't even have to punch in the minutes---
the microwave somehow KNOWS when it is done. More MAGIC

Keeping toes crossed about WW on Sunday --Pookie

You know I am not the best cook but not the worst either. I do many meals that seem like extravagance but are really simple (and of course W/W friendly). W/W has a great book that is called 15-Minute Meals and most of them have 5 or less ingredients and all are very simple but taste gourmet.

I tend to stay away from the Lean Cuisine or Smart Ones because of the sodium and the fact that many of my meals (usually which are left overs) are great frozen and I get much more food for less or the same points.

When they say in 30-minutes it means all the ingredients have been bought. That is where planning comes into play. A basic filled spice rack usually has all you need. Then as you use them you replace them.

Yeah shopping is a chore but once you get a basic grocery list you can just add a few things here and there. My basic list is:

lean meats (chicken, beef, pork -- boneless skinless breast; boneless skinless thighs; steaks, round steak, london broil, roasts; center cut pork chops, pork tenderloin, pork roast; lean lunch meats)
veggies -- fresh, frozen, canned
fruits -- fresh, frozen (without sugars or syrups), canned
dairy -- skim milk, cheese (block usually -- don't like much in the way of processed slices and it is cheaper to shred it myself -- you can also get 2% or fat-free but I don't), yogurt
complex carbs -- pasta (most people get whole wheat but we don't like it my home but then again it is not a trigger for us), breads (whole grains as much as possible)

Then if I need spices or other ingredients for recipe I am going to have or would like to have I put it on it too.

As for washing dishes if you have a dishwasher everything including pots and pans can go in there but I don't even have that where I live...I wash everything by hand...2 plates, 2 sets of silverware (usually at least a fork), glasses, a couple mixing bowls on occassion and maybe a pot or pan or two. I do many things in the microwave -- like my Instant Potatoes 4 points for 1 cup; Instant Rice (if I don't do regular in my steamer).

Really there is so much simple that you can cook with little dishes and little ingredients.

Thanks Kelly for your informative post. I like your shopping list and spice rack tips.

I did join Weight Watchers today as planned. I was glad when my leader explained that I did not have to choose either CORE or FLEX points FOREVER. I could try CORE for a week and then POINTS for a week etc to see which one is best for my lifestyle. She said the only thing is once you start the week on either plan make sure you stick it out for the entire week before switching. I was going to wait a week to post this (after seeing how I did). But instead I am putting it out on the forum now as a sort of PUBLIC commitment to trying something new.

I was going to do FLEX Points but I think for this week I will try the new WW CORE plan. I know that Points works for me from the past, but I am interested to see how well I can do on CORE as well. It seems to have a lot of the foods I have been eating already such as cottage cheese & tuna & oatmeal & chicken & eggplant & cucumbers etc. The main thing I will be giving up is the ease of the frozen entrees but I think it will be OK. We'll see!

I joined Weight Watchers because....

I need:

A place to go and get weighed each week
An inspirational leader / speaker (this leader has lost over 100 lbs)
Group support
Some kind of STRUCTURED eating plan
eating & exercise tips
Accountability
little stars for losing each 5 lbs
Discussions about HEAD HUNGER etc

Thanks to Kelly and Tammy and Elana for your posts.

OK that's my story and I am sticking to it! --Pookie

Pookie, Your reasons are a lot like mine!

Keep us informed and don't let small losses or maintains get you down and remember setbacks aren't fatal they are human!

Pookie - You go girl!!!

I may just have to join you, but I think I'll wait until after the first of the year. Chicken????

I just wanted to thank you all and let you know that I did well my first week with WW.

I enjoy going to the meeting and hearing the leader and getting tips. It is encouraging to see what the leader used to look like and what she looks like now. My leader has lost over 100 lbs. It is also interesting and informative to hear the stories and tips of the other members at the meeting.

Of course the big topic of this week's meeting was Thanksgiving Dinner.

--Pookie

Good luck, Pookie, I'm sure you will do a great job. I'm too chicken to try CORE because I also don't like to cook that much. I also just don't think that I've taught myself to be a healthy enough of an eater to try CORE just yet. Good luck to you, keep us posted!
Cat