[slimkim]

Hi everyone.. I have done weight watchers before.. always the flex plan and i did it successfully when it was the 123 plan.. you know you had a range.. now they give you a target and say you can choose to use the flex.. well i never seem to want to use them..feeling guilty.. so i was not losing.... then i started counting calories... not sure exactly where i am supposed to be in the scheme of things so i looked around and for my build, weight, age and activity it says about 2500 so i i want to lose weight knock off some calories.. so i was taking in about 1900 calories a day and .5 a week was coming off( i am exercising 4-5 days a week 25 min a day.. (WATP) video....
I tried cutting back.. 1300-1500 a day and the weight pretty much stopped coming off and creeping up.. i am scared.. i am trying soooooo hard to lose this weight.. I eat alot of core foods.. and I could very well exist on the core plan ..but i wanted to hear from all of you.. do you still watch amounts or time of night eating and other things?? how much did u lose in how long.. ?
so if you see any thing you can tell me to help i would love to hear from you.. suggestions, or anything.. thanks so much.. I am a 43 yr young mom, 232 lbs 5'8 i am a stay at home mom.. thanks..Kim

[Katpo]

To lose 2 pounds a week, you'd have to stay around the 1,500 calorie mark. I'd say that the kinds of foods you eat are more important than the amount though. Make sure they're whole, satisfying foods that are low on the glycemic index. Drink all your water, make sure you get in some healthy oil each day (2 t. is the recommended amount), and at least two servings of dairy.

You can lose weight on Core but in my opinion, it's a difficult thing because they leave the limits up to the individual. "Eating til satisfied" is different for everyone, and most overweight people obviously don't know the signs of being full. I recommend that you still count your calories (or points) while eating from the Core list of foods and see how you do with it.

In order to see a loss, you have to create a calorie deficit which means taking in less than you use. It's the only healthy way to do it. The myth of "you're not eating enough" is baloney, in my opinion.

My two cents' worth. And welcome!

[mauvaisroux]

Katpo is right. It is very difficult to maintain weight loss without combining proper eating and exercise - so please continue exercising. And I totally agree on the quality of what you are eating to be just as important as portion control.

I know some people will argue with me on this one but portion control is still important on core. If you don't watch it you could end up eating more than you think you are. As Katpo pointed out "feeling satisfied" is different for each person.

Maybe keeping a diary for a week (but not counting points) will let you see where you may not be eating enough or where you may be overdoing it. Then you can adjust your day as needed i.e. some people need to eat more in the morning and less in the evening and vice versa.

I find that changing your lifestyle and way of eating is always a work in progress as you gain new information and learn about yourself. Don't lose heart and hang in there - you can do it!

[Vickie]

I say yes! I lost 45 pounds (and gained back 8 by not exercising). I intend to lose the rest of my 125 pounds by following the Core program. I did not make good choices on Flex. Even if it takes me a long time to lose it, at least I am eating good healthy foods. You must follow the healthy guidelines and water seems even more crucial on Core than Flex. All those whole grains must need more water to flush them out! Exercise was also key for me when I was losing great. The last thing is portion control/eating to satisfied is something that you really must master. I always start with a single serving and then really analyze whether or not I'm still hungry before I eat more. If I am then I do.

Good Luck!

[sunshinedaizy]

I started Core about 2 weeks ago. Week 1 I lost 2 pounds. Which for me was great. I only lose 1 pound a week doing flex.

I have a hard time with the whole eat til you are satisfied. I dont feel hungry or full unless I am starving or Over filled. So what I did was still use the "portion" size of the food.
For instance, with Fruits, I had 1 cup or 1 piece. Meats, I stick to white meats (chicken, egg whites, fish, seafood) I had 3 oz. Veggies, I did not measure but I usually had salad and had about 1 1/2 cups of lettuce, half a tomatoe and cucumber.
So I did limit my portions. not to the extent I did with Flex but It did have a limit.
I also ate small meals, 6 times a day. Did not eat the bread and carbs that I did on Flex.

I also write down everything, and figure points kind of...the first week. I found that I was eating much more food (Good foods) then with Flex but using less points. Most foods I was eating were 0 or 1 points, besides my meat that was 3 points.

I plan on using Core to lose the rest of my weight. It is more managable to me then measuring and weighing. I am just too busy to do that right now..I have 5 kids to take care of and dont have time to do that right now. So It has been a life saver for me.

[andreaphilip3]

one thing i find helpful on core is to either measure 1-2 portions and go from there or use a small plate bowl spoon whatever and go from there.

[QuilterInVA]

When making up my plate, I do 1/4th protein, 1/4 starch and 1/2 vegetables and don't heap it. It's a simple way to get a decent balance.