Hi,

I have been trying to count points for quite awhile, and am getting tired of it. I face a few obstacles on my weight loss journey---right now I am just really discouraged. I take medication that causes weight gain and have put on about 65 pounds because of it. Have gone through a lot of trial and error and have to deal with taking this medicine indefinitely.

I recently had a check-up and have very high cholesterol and trilgycerides, but managed to avoid type II diabetes, which was threatening to make an appearance. I need to get healthier and lose the weight. I keep thinking of trying Core, but am afraid I won't lose or there isn't enough structure. I am trying weighing myself only once or twice a month right now, and as you can see, I managed to lose a little the first month. I cannot afford the meetings, so am doing it on my own. Plus I got burnt out on the meetings. Didn' t seem to be much support for Core, and when our leader talked about successes with it, it seemed to be mostly guys who were successful.

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. I feel like quitting again, so I need to get on to something I can stay on and get results, despite my challenges. Thank you very much.

Hi Kathy, since you are ready to try Core, I think you should do just that. You won't know if it's for you or not until you try. Many members with health challenges are successful with WW. The support and encouragement here is wonderful. You mentioned getting "on" a program, but WW isn't something you go on and off of. You will be making healthful changes for the rest of your life. But, the only day you have to worry about is today. Get your plan in place, take it one day at a time, and I feel sure you'll succeed. These Core gals are knowledgeable and friendly, so if you need help, I bet they'll jump in to guide you. Happy planning!

Dear Kathy:

Give Core a try. If it's not for you, then you just go back to Flex. Or, do what some of us and call it "flore." That is, we eat Core foods but keep track of the calories, or points. Soon you'll learn how much you can eat and what and will be less dependent on counting.

The biggest drawback seems to be learning when you are full and stopping eating then, not many calories later.

But, for certain, Core is very healthy!

C'mon over to the Chat board, which is slow some weeks and very chatty during other times. Right now, a few members are on vacation and not posting, but as Jane said we are knowledgeable and friendly.

Good luck to you!


Rhonda

Kathy, For me, core is the way to go. You are never hungry, although you are also never full if you do it right. If you start to get hungry, there is always something core that you can eat. You still have 35 points to use throughout the week, but I have found that my points aren't going for junk food, but going for bread, or for a point or two on a recipe that has a non-core ingredient, that I have to count. You really lose your cravings for the bad things. I'm not saying that if the bad things are right there in front of you, you won't eat them. You have to have the will power to say no. But that's the same with flex.
There are so many wonderful core recipes, and once you get the hang of it, I'm sure you will be able to take many of your favorite recipes, and make them core or almost core.
The great thing about core, is that you are supposed to get in 2 servings of milk or dairy, 5 fruits/veggies and 2 tsp healthy oil. Fruits and veggies are core, and as long as you drink ff milk or eat ff dairy(plain yogurt) and your 2 tsp of healthy oil, you don't have to count any points for them. Anything over the 2 tsp healthy oil per day would have to be counted, so you can't deep fry stuff in healthy oil or anything like that. Plus, smoothies are great. FF milk, plain yogurt and some fruit and splenda(I freeze my fruit) and you have an awesome smoothie(kind of like icecream, actually). It's all core!
You can have 94% ff popcorn(or air popped), add your 2 tsp healthy oil(I thought it would be yucky, until I tried it. Makes it taste like buttery popcorn) and it's all core, plus you are getting in your healthy oil. Others have put the oil in their smoothies, just to get the oil in. Can't tell it's there and you are getting in your oil.
There are so many possibilities with core. You can make polenta chips(quite easy and kind of tastes like tortilla chips) add some ff cheese and extra lean ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning, put other toppings on it for chips & cheese deluxe. They are awesome, and all core! Or you can just use the polenta chips for salsa or other core dips.
There are many great recipes if you have a sweet tooth also. I am more of a salty snack girl than a sweet tooth.
Sorry for such a long post, just wanted to point out how many great things there are to eat on core, without counting points.

If starting it seems overwhelming(I can relate) you could always ease into it by making some changes toward the diet each week. You could begin by
leaving off sweets and processed white flour and bread and adding in
more fruits and vegetables.

When we started I just stuck with grilled lean meats or fish with salads
and vegetables for dinner. Then I gradually learned more recipes.
My husband took his lunch so he went ahead and used points to have a
sandwich at lunch.

I felt better very fast by not eating the flour products and sweets.
It took a few weeks before I saw the scale move but it has gradually
moved 10 pounds.

Hi. I just started Core this week after trying many other diets, mostly lo carb. I missed fruit! While it opens up many food choices, you do have to watch portion sizes and you need to vary your day (ie not eating the same thing all day). I am eating a lot more fruit and veggies. My only issue is the evenings - I find I am still a little hungry but I have not depleted all my veggies/fruits and water so I am going to try to increase my consumption of those items.

I am about 1.5lb down (started Sunday) and had a glass of wine on Sunday and still eat my LF LS chococlate ice cream pops.

I'm committed to one month - bought the pass.

momofsteel, if hungry at night, you might try the 94% ff popcorn, and if you don't have your oil in, add a couple tsp of canola oil to the popcorn. Hard to believe, but it makes it taste like butter popcorn. It's so good and I love crunchy salty things at night. I don't eat this the night before I wi, as the salt might cause you to retain water. Or have a smoothie, made with ff milk, ff plain yogurt, frozen fruit(I usually have frozen strawberrie in it, and add a couple of packets of splenda. Tastes like strawberry icecream, gets in a serving of milk and fruit. Also, ff sf pudding is great. It only takes a couple of minutes to make, and I think you let it set for about 5 minutes and it's awesome. Also, you can dip strawberries in the chocolate ff sf pudding and it tastes like chocolate covered strawberries. And all these snacks are core!!