HI GUYS!!

This is my first time on Core! Ok. I TRIED to do it a few times - but NEVER made it though one day. So by the end of that day just counted my day on points and made it a wash.

THIS time - I actually made it through day one - and am currently on the 5th day! That day one was the TOUGHEST - I was obsessed with what I couldn't have. As each day goes by - I find more and more that I CAN have, and to be honest I'm getting frightened that I might not lose with all the possible food choices. Sounds too good to be true. I actually AM getting my glasses of milk in (avoided the points sacrifice on flex) -I eat more fruits - and starchy veggies than I did on flex. As a whole I am eating healthier - am happier, not suffering from intense daily (hourly) cravings of sugary foods.

I'm loving it so far - but am afraid I won't lose. I felt pretty positive the first few days, but am having doubts as weigh in day draws closer (Tuesday).

All this said - I was shocked about a few discoveries:

FF Cream cheese - Not core
Olives - CORE?! WOW!
Deli Meat - not core thats tough (I DID have some roast beef I bought earlier this week for lunch, but will be more careful moving forward - does anyone allow themselves deli meat and NOT have problems with it affecting the weight loss?)

Potatoes and Corn - CORE!

There's so much that we CAN have! some things I don't quite get or think are a huge issue (FF SF Flavored yogurt - I know it's from the added corn starch or whatever - but I can't imagine it's that much of an impact) I am trying to stick to the plan, and am enjoying it so far.

It's hard to get out of the habit of 'saving' WPA - for the weekend for instance. I mean, I had eggs and toast for b-fast - and only counted 1 pt for the toast. I just had a tblspn of nuts and some FF SF Instant chocolate pudding and a tall glass of skim milk for a snack - only had 1 pt in the nuts - the rest was core. It feels too good to be true..

I might sacrifice and have a pizza with 1 pt Tortilla, Core sauce, ff cheese, seasonings, maybe a bit of olive oil, veggies - maybe some diced chicken... all of it for 1 pt. Maybe I'll allow some light cheese instead and get another 2 pts or so -for 3 pts total

Does it really really really work??? I know atkins does - I know Somersizing worked for me (slowly), I also know that flex works for me - this just feels so LIBERATING. and the recipes!! I just spent an hour building a grocery list for some nummy foods.



Tina

Well you've come to the right place...people here are really knowledgeable about Core...I'm a newbie, somewhat...but, it really does work, so enjoy!

Rhonda

Tina, boy can I bend your ear about Core. I'm cooking dinner now but I'll try to come back later or first thing in the morning to spill my guts. Let me tell you....it works if you follow the program.

Keep at it. And in the meantime, drink as much water as you can. It seems to be way more important with Core than even with Flex.

Hi Tina, welcome to Core! I doubt you will be sorry, and yes "it" works if "you" work how the program was written. Great choices in your past 5 days!! I believe you will see the scale trend down, and what a great feeling that is.
As far as what WW has chosen to be Core and Non Core - well all I can say for certainty is that there are 'valid' reasons for the why's and why not's.
They have worked out all the kinks for us!!!
It is kind a fabulous when you plan a meal and only come up with 1pt to count, and that point was able to allow you to have toast with your eggs...not a bad deal And don't forget after a few weeks (if you are just starting) you can start to use Exercise Pts so, that one pt bread can wind up being no pts for the day, if you choose to use them. Do you attend meetings??
Just keep in mind to be 'aware' of your comfort zone, don't eat until the point (no pun intended) of feeling *stuffed* Be mindful of how you are feeling with being *satisfied* - - - that is Key!! Lord knows we all can eat to the point of feeling stuffed....just Check In with yourself while eating each meal.
There is what some call The Sigh Theory. It happens while you are eating and all of a sudden you'll feel a sigh come over you...it's kind of your body telling you, it has had enough (for now) Maybe you have felt that already??
Some people feel it, some don't. Check and see if you become aware of the "sigh" and you'll see what I mean. Take time to eat your meal, and don't eat mindlessly, enjoy and savor what is on you plate.

If you have Week 1 Booklet-Getting Started you should see in there about the Comfort Zone.
From what I see you have made some fantastic choices your first 5 days.

I have done Flex for a good 4 years so I understand the habit to break away from counting each and every pt including our WPA.
Hang in there, it'll be fine, and I am sure Tuesday will go great for you. Keep doing what you are doing, stick with the program as written and you just may be pleasantly surprised
I follow Core but I STILL have to and need to measure, but that's just me.

Didn't mean to "talk" so much, usually never do, but I wanted to assure you that it will be fine, and keep up the Good Work.
I always say to people...It Works If You Work It, So Work It, You're Worth It.
Just my 2 cents...
Have a Great Day!!!

Tejas and Vickie - thank you (Vickie - I look forward to any info you can share )

L.J. - I attend meetings - and I've been on WW now for about (well this time around - for about 5-6 wks. I did Flex up until last week. I still keep feeling that this is all too good to be true. I'm HOPING it pans out. I just had some baked oatmeal (a recipe I think I found here but it wasn't called baked oatmeal - maybe oatmeal bread or something - I treat it as baked oatmeal though, I made it like Tuesday night and just had the last piece today - with a little sf pancake syrup .. MMM) I was wanting something sweet after the spicy mexican taco salad for lunch.

I'm thinking that 3 pts a day on average would be good for accessorizing, for me, and on the weekends - maybe 6-8 per day - which pretty closely hits the 35 per week. the one thing my leader told me that was a bit different, was that the WPA are meant to be used on Core, more so than on Flex. She said with Flex, they are meant to be more of an emergency fund to pull from and use as needed. With Core, it's more expected to use them all. To use them to add to our normal core menu - As for the activity points, I guess I am afraid to use them - I'm afraid I'm not going to lose! lol I can't tell you how tough it is to not get the scales out and test weigh before the weigh in. I"m trying very hard to avoid weighing 'between' weigh ins. Tuesday night is the big night..

Thanks for your input really! I am working on the 'comfort' level. It's just so liberating to eat what you 'need' - not that I was starving on Flex, but I just kept thinking I had to reserve points just incase I got hungry so I wouldn't feel famished. Now - if I get hungry at any given time - a piece of fruit is perfect.

Well - we'll see. I was up last week due to the Halloween nightmare "One for you, 2 for me, one for you, 2 for me.." I had WAY too many - I think I counted like 60 pts in CANDY in one day. Seem extreme? well 4 fun size bars in the morning, another 4 around lunch - add 8 over the 2 hours AT Trick or treat time - and another 4 or so later in the day - thats 20 bars x 2.5 on avg pts each. It didn't help that I was PMS'ing - chocolate and PMS are horrible together. Or good together - depends on how you look at it. So yes - I was up 1.8 lbs - could have been worse. The candy downfall was only the beginning, I got the "I blew it " attitude, and had a cheeseburger and pizza that day as well. Don't even ask what the total points came to - just think that 60 alone went to candy, now add multiple glasses of milk to wash the chocolate down, pizza, cheeseburger, fries -

So Sunday and Monday were horrible (monday I gave in cause tuesday started the new week, and I wanted to start fresh - see the twisted logic?)

Started Core Tuesday. I had lost about 10 lbs my first month on WW - was up the last weigh in, so I've no clue what is in store on Tuesday. Hopefully I'll have lost the 1.8 at least...



thanks again!!

Tina

Tina, I've had tremendous success on Core. I started back in September 2004 and lost 45 pounds pretty darned painlessly. Then I had some medical issues that prevented me from exercising. I continued to eat Core even though I couldn't exercise much or consistently for the past year and have managed to keep about 35 pounds off. I'm about to ramble but here goes.

I adore Core and believe I can eat this way for the rest of my life. When I am "really working" the program, I carefully track only the items on the Core journal; water, oil, veggies/fruit. As I mentioned I try to drink 8-12 ozs of just water a day. It makes a huge difference. All I did was treadmill in the early days and it was plenty. I almost always use all of my 35 points but resisted using my WPA's unless something really special or unexpected came up. I'm 50 and permenopausal so I cannot count on my metabolism being good. I don't lose anywhere as good as I used to.

I made bad choices on Flex and was always starving. I, too, would never use my points on milk and refused to drink skim. I didn't want to waste points on fruit either. Now I eat 3-5 meals/snacks a day. I drink at least 2 servings of milk and have no trouble with the 5 fruits/veggies. I've had a ball making new recipes and have a nice rotation of entrees that I regularly cook. I do struggle a bit at lunch but try to have dinner LO's to use for that. So to me....water and some type of exercise is critical. It doesn't have to be heavy duty exercise. Just at least walk. I'd also recommend allowing Core to detox you from sugar. I try not to eat any sugar because it triggers food cravings in me. If I'm craving chocolate, I try to make my Core Chocolate Fudge Frosty smoothie first. Or, I'll drink SF hot cocoa. If that doesn't work then I pay points for WW mint patties or Dove Dark chocolate. I feel much better when I'm primarily off of sugar. I also try to underserve myself, knowing that I can go back later and have more. I'm a clean plate girl and have a tendency to eat all I've served myself rather than listen to my satiety level. I continued to work on this.

My last bit of advice is to give Core at least a month. My losses were odd on Core. I'd lose -.8, -3.4, +.2, -2,8, etc. I'd just stick with it. It was easy since I decided this is how I would eat for life. I don't know why it hapens this way but lots of folks tell me this happened to them too.

And....try to get over that mentality that a slip means the whole day is blown. It's not. Just get back on program with the next meal.

Good Luck! I can't wait to hear how you do.

I am pretty new to Core myself--have been Lifetime for 2 years but I lost/maintained/got to Lifetime all on Flex so didn't want to make the change. I decided to try Core when I realized I was very burned out on tracking food and needed a break.

Core has helped me with eating more vegetables, eating more ff dairy and improving my awareness of what I eat.

It's been hard to de-tox from a sugar/chocolate craving that had gotten more out of hand than I realized. Plus I love Middle Eastern food but would have to use lots of points to eat it.

I exercise almost every day and eat the additional points.

Good luck!

Hi Tina,

I just started my 3rd week on Core and I love it. Like you, I am so excited that I don't have those strong sugar cravings. After I got past the first couple days, it was a breeze. My last few W/Is have been as follows:

10/14-Flex = -.2
10/21-Flex = -.8
10/28-Core = -1.2
11/4-Core = -2.4

I've had better weigh ins on Core.

Wishing you much success on your weight loss journey.

Thank you to you all!!!! I am still enjoying this - and the first weigh in was good! Not great - but good - I was up last week, so was expecting more I guess this week - more of a change that is - but here's the numbers:

11/07/06 - 4.0 lbs Core
10/30/06 + 1.8 lbs Flex
10/24/06 -0.8 lbs Flex
10/17/06 -2.0 lbs Flex
10/10/06 -4.2 lbs Flex
10/03/06 -3.2 lbs Flex
09/26/06 -- Starting date

Four pounds! I guess I'd be happier but basically I'm only down 2.2 over 2 wks -so the average isn't too great. Ok I guess...

Anyhow - thanks again to everyone for their input I'm sticking with Core again this week. I'm hoping that I can get 2.6 off this week - that puts me at 15. Fingers crossed

Tina

Tina, down 4 is amazing! Congratulations. You should be celebrating. Stop looking back since what's done is done. Just because you gain it fast doesn't mean you'll get it off fast. You just have to move from this point forward. I'm glad you're happy with Core!

Hi everyone, I am new here, but have been on the core plan for close to five months now. I have lost 33lbs. to date and I couldn't be happier. I am reaching out now, looking for some support as the holidays draw near and I am starting to struggle. I have been pretty good this week, but have had a tough month. I had 85 lbs to lose total, so I am about 50 lbs. from goal. Most people have not even noticed that I have lost over 30 lbs!!! I will never switch to flex and will continue to eat this way forever - that is the plan. I have great family support and my 21year old daughter is on program with me. I personally feel that the core plan is a near perfect diet. I try to exercise daily, but as I said, the last month has been tough. I hope to meet some great people here and give and receive some great advice and tips. I have lost weight every single week, with the exception of the last two. Not even much of a gain to count- two tenths of a lb. But, I want to nip it now!!! Looking forward to meeting some fellow core planners!

Hi beckley and welcome! Congrats on your fantastic loss on Core - it can be done! Glad to have you onboard - we are all here helping each other out as much as we can.

Please hop onto the core chat board (we usually start a new one each sunday) and join in. You should also visit the Coreporate profile board to read about us and post about yourself as well.

Frouf

Hi all,

I have been thinking Core is the way to go, but are all the FF items necessary. I mean can I use 1percent milk and part skim cheeses. I think the ff is nasty. Any comment would be appreciated. Thanks

Cindy0129

I decided to keep it honest and only buy the ff dairy. I was crushed (and I mean crushed) to learn that ff 1/2 and 1/2 (for my AM coffee) was not a Core food, so I count 1 point for it.

I can deal with the ff plain yogurt--sometimes I put cut-up fruit in it for an afternoon snack. When I mix ff cottage cheese with silken tofu, add spices and serve w/raw vegetables, it's a very filling (and high protein) snack.

You can use low fat and 1% dairy but you will have to count the points. You can get used to FF dairy. Mix some skim with the 1% and gradually increase the amount of skim.