HI. I remember reading a post from you a while back (last summer, maybe??) As I recall, you talked about what you did this time around that helped to get you to goal. I think you talked about needing a higher number of points than WW recommended, to keep you satisfied. That part really hit home :) ! Could you re-post that somewhere OR tell me where I can find it on the board? I think it was very good. I would like to read it again.

Thanks.

Wormtown, I've posted soooo much stuff here (yawn ;)) that it's hard for me to recall which post you might be recalling. Here's the success story that I posted last year about this time. Hopefully this is what you were thinking of. It's funny to read it one year later, because I wouldn't change a thing in what I said. Thanks for reminding me that I had even posted this (and I'm sooo happy I actually saved this one).

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Here I am: http://www.picturetrail.com/Rupertsmom (password 'Lori')

...At my heaviest, I was well over 200lbs and with child. For over a decade as an adult I struggled with my weight, until February99 I put all the pieces together and got down to business. At the time I started my weight loss effort, I was 180lbs and horribly unhappy and unhealthy feeling (in part due to years of yo-yo'ing up and down). I'm now at my goal weight and maintaining and feeling confident enough to post a "Success" story! :)

Essentially, I'm a firm believer that we're all individuals and very few commercial diet plans will suit all people. If you're like most people (myself included) you've been on a thousand diets and could probably write a book yourself, right? I could write 10...Same subject, different approach!

What ultimately worked for me was formulating my own plan. I looked at all the diets that I had tried over the years and "failed" at (a long list including WW, Slimfast, Carbohydrate Addict's Diet (CAD), the Zone, the McDougall Plan, Dexatrim, Starvation, you name it...) Out of each of these plans, I took those things that seemed to work for me and decided that I would bundle them together to create a unique solution for myself. Creative, huh? ;)

From each plan, these are the positives that I learned and that I ultimately applied in my own plan:

*WW-Portion control counts, especially with my trigger foods: bread and pasta.

*Slimfast-I need "real" food to be satisfied;

*CAD/Zone-Adding fat and protein to my diet while reducing refined carbohydrates (like bread and pasta) helps me lose;

*McDougall Plan- Non-Starchy vegetables should serve as the "bulk" of my diet because of their capacity to fill up a tummy and their essential nutritional value. Refined carbohydrates (breads, pastas, white rice) should be limited because the effect on the body is similar to eating table sugar. (But I thought pasta was a complex carb and is good for you??? ;))

*Dexatrim- Makes me irritable and grouchy and should be avoided at all costs!

*Starvation/Severe Calorie Deficit- Doesn't work in the long run. My weight loss stalls and I end up eating less and less to lose weight.

Combining my experience with ALL of my dieting attempts, the most important lesson I learned is that I CANNOT follow anyone else's diet plan. All of them, in some capacity are too restrictive for my personality, which inevitably results in feelings of deprivation. Personal choice in all aspects of my diet, in conjunction with some good common sense and self-control with respect to nutrition and exercise, has been my personal prescription for solving my problem.

So, what was my prescription? After sitting down and thinking about it, I decided on my own kind of eating plan that uses WW123 as my help-mechanism for portion control. I could just as easily have counted calories rather than using the WW Materials, but I had the WW123 program materials in hand from a prior (unsuccessful) attempt so I figured I'd put it to use and get my money's worth! ;) The food choices I made were based on a balance of protein/carbs/fat with a definite self-imposed limitation on refined carbohydrates. I allowed my daily caloric intake to fluctuate according to my own hunger, on average consuming around 1800 cal/day (38pts based on journals). I journaled my food intake religiously which enabled me to really analyze my dietary choices and track progress. I exercised routinely, not like a fiend, but with regularity.

Finally, after putting it together and making the commitment to change my lifestyle, I used this board as my 24-hour a day support system, I exercised regularly, and in 10 months (slowly) I lost the weight! Not magic, by any means, but it worked!

It's an interesting thing, this process of weight loss. More amazing is the healing effect it has on our bodies. Prior to losing the weight and getting my eating habits under control, I had alot of back trouble, I was always hungry and wanting more & more of the foods I loved, and I was just plain unhappy. As I started to lose the weight, though, it seemed as if my body was getting back to a state of equilibrium. The aches and pains were gone, the urge to overeat was greatly diminished, and I started to feel upbeat and happy again. I attribute some of the positive changes to the food choices that I've learned to make, but I also attribute some of the changes to the simple act of losing weight and the healing effect it by itself has on the body.

Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it! It's the formula that I will apply in my daily life to maintain my weight, because it works for me and is an easy way of eating. I still struggle with some of the emotional aspects of eating, but I imagine I always will. I've learned that there's no magic solution for me, just one based on good judgement and moderation. :)



[This message has been edited by Rupertsmom (edited 01-15-2001).]

Wow, you lost weight on 38 points a day?? That's impressive! Are you tall and generally active?

--Lauren

I have utterly NO explanation as to how I actually lost weight eating THAT many points. I'm 5'6" with I guess you'd say a med/large frame (big hips/thighs) and have active hobbies (gardening/landscaping). Growing up, I did everything in my power to be thin, and that basically meant not eating. For years, I survived on very little food (1000 cal/day or less). In my early 20s, I got mono and I got married and with those 2 things stopped dieting. Given that I had no clue as to how to eat a "normal" amount of calories, I theorize that I went the other way (overeating) and packed 40+ lbs on very quickly. I kept those 40+ lbs on for about 10 years, while losing some weight here and there on all the diets listed above. THEN, I decided to give "dieting" at a higher caloric level a try. I think I got the idea from a Susan Powter book (oddly enough) that really impressed me with the fact that you've got to eat to lose weight. The first few weeks on my last attempt at WW, I stuck to their points range and was dying from hunger. I made a decision to up my intake and to find that point (for my body) where I could eat the most while still losing weight. For me, it was, on average, 38pts. It still shocks me, because I always thought my metabolism was destroyed from years of near-anorexic behavior. As it turns out, I believe that eating at the higher range was what ultimately enabled me to make it to goal (and now maintain). It's something I wish that WW would encourage for more of their members. I do realize that we're all different, but I wish that the emphasis of their program would be to help members find that particular caloric level that will enable them to maximize eating while still losing weight. This is more than you wanted to know, probably, but I wanted to share this (so you all don't go hating me, thinking that I have a magic metabolism-because I don't feel that I do).

[This message has been edited by Rupertsmom (edited 01-15-2001).]

Actually, Rupertsmom, I'll bet you earned those extra points (well, some of them) through some of your activity.

I'm trying to figure out how much I should be eating, based on doing 45 minutes of moderate exercise (aerobics + strength training) at my weight (219). I suspect it's more than the two points I've been allotting myself, and that may be why I've been so hungry. Maybe I'll add another couple points and just see what happens. (I'm doing WW at home so don't have the materials.)

Thanks for the ideas.

--Lauren

I wholeheartedly agree with Rupertsmom. I feel like more women than you would think are actually eating too little on the WW plan. I experimented as well with my points and found I actually lost better eating about 4 points above the top of my range.

If you are someone who is having problems losing even though you are sticking religiously to the plan, I would suggest that you just try the experiment for a couple of weeks and see what happens. Just add a few extra points at a time. It won't be the answer for everyone, but I bet it will help some of you!

WOW! Thanks so much for the quick response. Your approach makes a lot of sense to me. I know that I can't really restrict myself, or eat food I really don't care for, to get weight off. At this point, whatever I do has to be something I can realistically do for the rest of my life. I'm trying to take an approach of I'm good now, but if I amwilling to do the work to get this weight off,--I'm going to look great (and be much healthier)! It's going to take a long time, so I need to be happy with myself along the way. And, ultimately, I gotta start putting better fuel in my body. I've got a feeling that bagels, coffee, chocolate, and wine aren't really a well balanced diet :rolleyes: .

Lauren H,

I'm sure that my activities help, but even when I don't exercise I now seem to be able to maintain at about the same points range. One thing, though, that is painfully evident is that if I go over for an extended period of time, I gain weight quickly (and we all know how easy it is to have a day that is in the 2000+ range of calories). Some things never change, I guess. :D

wormtown,

One thing I want to add, is that if you take this approach be prepared for slower weight loss. I did WW on my own (until I got within 10 lbs of goal) and didn't have the pressure of the weekly weigh-in to become disappointed over. I rarely saw 2 consecutive weeks (except the first 2) where I lost weight. My weight seemed to come off in "chunks" (sounds nice, doesn't it) where I'd maintain for 2 weeks, lose 2-3lbs, maintain for another 2 weeks, lose 2-3lbs, and so on. I think that's why record keeping was so critical for me. Keeping an eye on the overall downward trend, as opposed to week-to-week losses, was important to keep my motivation going. Good luck. You can do it!

Rupertsmom,

I totally agree with your approach toward weightloss and maintenance. Unfortunantly, I didn't "get it" until I was in the maintenance phase of my weight loss. I think that when I was losing weight I was just too afraid that eating more would slow my progress too much, and I was in a hurry.

When I got to maintenance I found that in order to stop losing I had to keep adding points to my range every week. Now, after around 7 months of maintenance I am eating 37-44 points and I'm still losing a pound or so every couple of weeks. Then I treat myself to a really fattening weekend and add another point to my range the next week. Hopefully eventually I'll figure out where I need to be! Now, I really wish I had tried to eat as much as I could during the losing phase like I am now in the maintenance phase.

I have a friend who lost weight on WW and actually gave me the motivation to try it. She prides her self on how little she can eat--I do NOT want to be that way. My goal is to eat as much as I can and not gain (and not lose).

I'm with you--I wish WW would encourage members to get to know their own bodies. I think a lot of people could eat more than they expect and continue to lose weight. I really think WW made a mistake taking away the two points at the top of the weight ranges with Winning Points. I know you can earn it back with exercize, but geez 18-23 points sure seems low. I'm glad I don't have to eat at that level now.

Anyway, enough of my rambling! I just wanted to thank you, Rupertsmom, for giving me the courage to learn to know my own body and to eat as much as I can without gaining!

Melanie

Lifetime
197-137

Rupertsmom--Yes, I *think* I understand that this approach will be slow. But I really need to find a way to eat healthy--that I can stick with. "Diets" just get me into terrible cycles of deprivation and then totally uncontrolled eating. I hope weight will come off...but I think stopping this on/off diet mentality is more important. I've been reading some of the stuff on the Eating Disorder Thread, which is very helpful, but I feel I need to add some "gentle" contols to their approach. And I think Rupertsmom's approach is very sound.

Thanks to all for the input and encouragement. This really is a great board!

This is a great topic. I have basicly been doing the same thing and losing too. I talked to my doctor about it and she advised me to never go under 1200 calories a day and to eat 1800 if I wanted. I would just lose weight a little slower. It is working for me. I think the key is healthy foods and portion control. Two things I have learned a lot about since I joined weight watchers. And I don't exercise except for the stretching and toning exercises.

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The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight
because by then, your body and your fat are really good friends.

Rupertsmom has probably hit the nail on the head. Active people need food.

For me, getting myself off of the dieting see saw was a very important step. I've shared that I was not an overweight individual in my youth, but my methods to be thin were far from sound. It's always my first reaction, when I overeat, to think, "Oh no...I need to starve myself for a while to pay for this." Breaking out of that cycle and getting the "I need to eat to maintain my weight" philosophy firmly in my mind took some time, but I'm really happy to say that after 2 years (since starting my program) I think I've finally grasped the concept. I still lapse into days (heck, weeks) of overeating sometimes, but I'm pleased that my prescription to fix the problem is to get back to my program and not to starve myself back to goal.

Thanks all of you for this thread. I am just starting WW on my own again, Jan 3rd, and I'm hungry, and exercising a lot ( avg 1 hr cardio per day). AND I'm eating at the low end of my range. I lost the first week, but I'm stalling already. I have to realize that I can and probably should enjoy myself more, and use up all my points, and the ones I earn in exercise. If this is going to be a lifestyle and not a diet, I need to live a little as I lose a lot.
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