Hello. Brief history - my name is Kelly. I started out weighing 245 pounds but I have lost around 105 pounds (give or take a couple that keep bouncing back and forth) so far. I would like to get to 130, but I have been stuck at this weight since last SUMMER!

Lately I have had a hard time with my eating, so I thought maybe WW might be a good idea to get these last few pounds moving. I think I need some sort of group support to keep me in line.

My problems are:

1) I work and have children and time is VERY limited since DH works opposite shifts as me and 'free' time to myself is pretty much NIL. Would the online version of WW be worth paying the money for, or is it similar to free message boards like you find here? Are the online meetings as helpful as the ones IRL?

2) Cost is also an issue. If I pay $10/week (for IRL mtgs) ... that is almost as much as the gym membership I have been really wanting to get (but couldn't afford). If I dig up the money for WW, I need to be sure I am doing the right thing. I guess I just want reassurance!

3) Do you have to be doing the point system to go to meetings?

That's all I can think of for now. Thanks SO much in advance for your input. I really appreciate it.

Kelly

hello. i think weight watchers would be great for you to do. some good sites are:

http://groups.msn.com/pointingmywaytoanewlife

http://groups.msn.com/weightwatchersrecipestips

http://www.dwlz.com

Those are all great sites however the $14.95/mo or $29.95 for 3 months for the online gives you all the tools you will need to do W/W including the database for food points, points calculators, activity calculators and dining out information (however the individual websites as well as Dotti's are usually better updated). You can access the message boards there for free by just registering so that is not a big deal. You also get the Recipe Builder (although I find it to be wrong a majority of the time) and a few other perks. I pay for meetings (need to be accountable to someone other than myself), online (for journal tracking and points calculating) and a YMCA Gym membership.

You could go to one meeting and see if it fits with your lifestyle/schedule. Right now they are having free registration, so all you'd have to pay for is the meeting and you would get all the information to look over. If you know the basics of the program and follow this website for good information that should be enough of a guideline for you-the gym membership may be the only thing you would need to pay for to stick with the weight loss. Congrats on the big loss and keep up the great work!

You have had wonderful success! Weigh to go! I would love to see you join WW's because it would help you knock off the last few pounds that you'd like to lose *and*
it would give you invaluable maintenance tips and support to keep the weight off. I personally would join WW's and exercise at home with tapes, but that's a decision only you can make. Good luck and here's a for such a great accomplishment.
Judy
234/213.6/thinner

As I said to a coworker tonight, WW is the only viable alternative because you can do it for life, without having to deny yourself something. It's the quickest way I know to get me to go after the wrong thing - tell me I can't have it! So it is the most sensible way to go.

There are a lot of people I know who do the on line version, because there are no meetings near them. If budget is an issue, I've seen people who do it all from the message boards, get the info they need, go to those sites mentioned and work from there. Some people have also bought the material off of eBay, so they have the booklets and work from them.

The thing you really need is commitment. If you're doing it on your own, sites like this is where you'll get the support and help you need. You've already had great success, so you're well on the way.

If free time is NIL, is the gym going to be feasible for you? For me, I just have an exercise bike that I get on in the livingroom, and will only allow myself to watch certain tv shows or videos when I'm on the bike. It can be a great motivator! And even getting a couple of Sweatin' to the Oldies can do more than paying out for a gym membership, so that's something to consider. And the great thing with something like that is the kids can get involved as well, because the music is fun.