This is my first post- so I guess first I should say HI!!
I started PP online about 3.5 weeks ago. I have lost 5 pounds over those weeks but I stepped on the scale this morning and I am up 1.6 pounds from my last weigh in.
I am a big girl (290 when I started) and seriously can't believe that I am not losing- but gaining instead. i track EVERY bite, weigh all my food, eat out only at places with nutritional values available so there is no guessing. I've drank what seems like gallons of water every day, no caffeinated coffee and only diet carbonated drinks. I eat VERY healthy- large salads, no fried foods, lean protein at every meal, not too much fruit, whole grain bread and crackers. I watch my salt intake too.
I have only twice used any weekly points- and even then it was only 5 or 6. I have even given up my daily X-Large Tim Horton's coffee with double cream and replaced it with a once weekly with 1 cream.
Please help!! Any one else experience this? What can I do to make that scale move in the right direction?
Did you weigh in 1.6 pounds or is that just on your home scale midweek? This will be a long process, and our bodies are made up of chemicals and every day different factors affect how we hold onto water, waste, etc. Potassium, sodium, etc. - so many variables. Sometimes the loss is right before the weigih in, too - ... you have to give it time - the time is goign to pass no matter what and you're eating healthy so that's a bonus, too. Maybe you need the extra weekly points - experiment with them.
i know its counterintuative but you need to eat most/all of the weekly points to lose weight. i did the same thing when i first started and saw a stall and was so frustrated because i was doing everything right and couldnt see how eating more was going to help me lose, but i just did it and the scale started moving again. adding in some healthy fats i think helped also, i had been eating very low fat (because fatty foods tended to have a lot of points) but maybe use some weekly points on a tb of peanut butter or something
Don't be afraid of the weekly points! Like goodday says, it seems counterintuitive, but they are there for a reason. Are you eating all of your daily points? And make sure you're meeting all of the Good Health Guidelines, too.
I've had the same thing happen to me. We all have. It takes patience and persistance.
I lost on my third week, but only 0.8 pounds. I was a little surprised, but the body is going to do what it's doing to do. It's adjusting to the changes just like you are. I'm coming up on my 8th weigh in and I'm down 16 pounds.
I never weigh in at home, I don't even keep a scale at home. I weigh in at two places-doctor's office and weight watchers meetings. And I know the doctor's office scales have me at 1 lb lighter.
It could be that you're coming to AF. We pack on a lot of water weight during that week or so.
If it was at a meeting that you weighed in. Try some of the suggestions here. Then if you still aren't losing, ask your leader about it. I bet she makes sure you're eating all your points for the day, being active and she/he might suggest using some of the weekly points too!
Good luck! Keep at it!! WW is proven to work so you just need to figure out how to make it work for you!!
After 4 weeks I'm only down 3.6 lbs. I actually gained .4 last night (so frustrating!). I have over 30 lbs to lose so I can't figure out why it's so s-l-o-w. I'm a returning lifetime member, doing points plus. I definitely make better choices on points plus. Before I would choose a one-point bar (WW or fibre one for example) over an apple. Now I don't even buy much of those snacks as they are higher points value and not even nutritional for me. Anyways, I just wanted to chime in and let you know that you aren't the only one who feels a little frustrated! I'm definitely sticking with it though, even if I fall off track a bit I'm not giving up!!
Thanks for your help, everyone!! I know it's a slow process... and I am okay with that. It's just nice sometimes to know that I am not the only one who is experiencing this type of thing.
I definitely agree about the snack-type bars. I've decided only Kashi bars for me- they are still 3 and 4 points+ but they are yummy, and made with better ingredients than many others. I have been surprised a few times about the points of things that I'd gotten used to eating on other WW points plans- things that were once low-point treats are now huge splurges. I have definitely had to find some new treats!
Are you keeping all variables the same when you weigh in? I always weigh in before I've had anything to eat or drink for the day, without clothes on and after I've gone to the bathroom. That is the best way I've found to keep weigh-ins as accurate as possible.
I don't agree with the statement that you need to eat most/all of your weekly points to lose weight. My weekly points are rarely used and I have been losing consistently so it's totally different for everyone. That said, they are perfectly fine to use but I wouldn't say that you need to eat them. Keep doing what you're doing and maybe try walking more, see if that helps! You can also enter a day of food into a calorie tracker online to see if you're eating too many calories.
FWIW, I haven't found that I need to eat all/most of my weekly points to lose. For me, I lose more if I ate fewer of them. If you look at WW patent application materials it is fairly clear that they expect that if you eat all your weekly points that you will lose about .5 a pound less.
That said, it varies by individual and some people aren't going to stay on the program without using most of the weekly points.
FWIW, I find weight very variable during the week. Yesterday morning I weighed in at home. This morning I weighed in a full pound higher and had a good week!. Of course, today was my official weigh in at WW so that was annoying to me.
I know how frustrating this entire process can be, I've had MANY gains throughout my journey. Don't give up! I'm sure the small gain you're experiencing is due to water retention, you don't have to necessarily eat salty foods for your body to hold onto water. Are you working out? You may not be eating enough!
I burn between 1000/2000 calories per day at the gym and I found that when I started eating my activity points, the scale started to move in the right direction. I was stuck in the 160's for 3 months!
We've all been frustrated at one point or another, don't give up!
Week 3- feeling frustrated already.
