http://www.dottisweightlosszone.com

somewhere on the page you will find the early program. she may list the exchanges. or check your local library for a copy of the original WW cookbook. I bought one on e-bay for 25 cents.

For the person who was interested in "A" and "B" vegetables, all the specifics of the 1972 program are here: http://www.dottisweightlosszone.com/old1972ww.html

Thanks a bunch for the url. Everything was there.

I was a "clerk" for WW back in 1972. I remember when they began to allow us pasta in place of a bread (only once a day tho),
then I remembered when they added a tablespoon of margarine. Then they allowed you to have a serving of cereal in place of a bread. We boiled tomato juice down for catsup ... we sliced one slice of bread in half so we could have two slices. Then they gave us bananas, apples, cherries, grapes ... but you could have them only once a week, and not the same fruit two weeks in a row. I remember looking down on my dinner plate and seeing SIX hot dogs to eat (6oz. COOKED is a LOT of hot dogs). Loved liver so that was never a problem. I remember making NO BAKE CHEESECAKE with cottage cheese, skim milk powder, envelope of gelatin, pineapple. Our selection of Diet Sodas was pretty much limited to TAB and FRESCA (GAG) ... but you know, I got to goal on that diet! Now I am struggling to lose weight ...sometimes have 19 pts. in Hershey's kisses ... (that could be why I am struggling!). I did MUCH BETTER when I didn't have so many choices! Now I am 80 lbs. heavier than I was then ... and all these almost 29 years have been going to WW. The difference could also be I am 29 years OLDER now ... metabolism is pretty well shot. But I have been tempted to go back and get strict with myself again ... but then I crave the chocolate, cookies, cakes, soda, ice cream, candy, etc. and I am back off track. Sometimes I think lots of choices are NOT good ... even tho we want them. I am really shocked at the number of members who are not reaching their goals. Every day I start out well, and every day I seem to mess up. BIG SIGH. I have no problem getting in my exercise, drinking my water ... it is the desire for the "sweets" that leads me astray.

Aprill

for chocolate cravings, you can get some plain quick oats oatmeal (2pts for 1/4 cup) and add some hot chocolate powder, like quik. add water. yummy chocolate thing with some nutritional benefits.

chocolate luna bars are also good (4pts), and those are vaguely healthy too.

Sometimes I am not so sure that we don't do better without all the choices. I was a WW way back when too. I remember when catsup became "legal" and the other things too. I remember the cheesecake made with unflavored jello-----the whole nine yards. 5 fish meals a week was awful, but I ate them. I used to gag down the liver, but it taught me to like it. I never could cook and eat it (I have to devein it), but my mother would cook it for me. Now that she's not here anymore I buy it at Luby's. Skim milk is the same thing------I used to gag it down. Now, I can't drink any other kind. So the old WW taught me some good habits that I still use. I am seriously considering going on the old plan for about 2 or 3 months. I got to goal in 1976. I am like you Aprill---the junk food gets me. I really think I do better when I don't have any of it at all. The refined sugar just makes me want more, and more, and more. It is a vicious circle. I wonder what would happen if a group of "strugglers" banded together and followed the old plan. It is worth a thought. Any takers?

Thank heavens for the new plan!

I first started with WW in the early 80's and remember having to eat liver! (*shudder!*)
I NEVER touch it now, preferring whitefish and poultry.

#11 would have me screaming for the door! Just the thought of a "prohibited food list" would be enough for me to put up complete mental barriers.

I commend those who had the willpwer and the internal desire to follow that program!

What I would love to have is a copy of the Fat and Fibre program in a file like that one......with the fat and fibre listings of foods. Can anyone help?

I understand completely what you are saying, and you do have a point. However, to this day I HATE fish and anything remotely connected to gelatin. That's all because of the year I spent on the "original" 1970 program with WW.

We have a great deal of freedom to be sure. What we need is the character (ouch!) to make the right choices for us. I believe if most of the time we made better selections nutritionally, then, the days of eating pizza and M&Ms (all within point range) would not de-rail us.

Hi,

As I mentioned earlier, I've never done well with the older WW programs. I relish the flexibility and choices this latest approach gives me. I prefer this new method in which we're given a basic structure and the information we need to make the structure work. Then it's up to us to make appropriate choices. It's often both harder and easier than the older, more rigid style of program. But, I've noticed that for me, in the long run, I've learned more about what I need to do to get and, more importantly, keep the weight off in my three years on this program than I did in over 25 years of going on and off the more restricted programs.

But, even if I wanted to go back to that strict regimen, it would not be a great idea. I still have over 100 pounds to lose. My body would go straight into starvation mode if I restricted my food to that caloric level, especially the "Quick Start" types that had a super restricted first few weeks. Plus, I cannot eat that high protein diet. I feel ill when I eat that way. According to the WW booklets for Winning Points, I need to eat t.he high complex carb plan. Since I started doing that, I've felt more energetic and healthier than I have in years.

One of my other reasons for not using it today is that there has been a lot of research between 1970 and now about what constitutes a healthy diet. The old one is basically OK, but there are some things that nutrition experts would probably change. Some examples: The serving size of animal protein products and the overall amount of animal protein you'd eat in a week would probably be cut down. There most likely wouldn't be as many vegetable and fruit restricitons. You'd be allowed to eat nuts, avocado, and other similar foods. The liver would go because it's so full of saturated fat. And vegetarian meals would be allowed more often.

The other changes that would likely be made would be to get rid of the sillier rules that don't make a difference one way or another. Things like not being allowed to eat dinner food for breakfast or breakfast food for dinner. Or only being allowed to eat bread at breakfast and lunch. Not being allowed to eat pasta, rice, etc.

I sympathize with those of you who would prefer to be told what to eat, when to eat it, and exactly how much to eat, but I think that overall, we'll all be more able to keep off what we lose if we're forced from the beginning to learn how to make the best choices. Maybe that process means slower weight loss, since we don't always make the best choices. But I think that forcing us to choose results in us building habits that we can rely on to keep us at goal weight once we get there. We're not following a super restricted, super structured plan and only when we reach goal expected to figure out what to do with that piece of cake we're now allowed to eat. And, WW didn't really support people on maintenance that well because the maintenance program wasn't what the majority of people followed. You were basically on your own. With this program, it doesn't matter where you are in your journey, you get support because it's essentially the same program.

Lin

I couldn't do that program now, the food is just too revolting to me. But for those who want precise menus to follow, you might take a look at the http//:www.ediets.com site. For $35 for three months they will send you daily nenus, shopping lists, and so on. Or just make up seven days worth of menus that follow the "old" program so that all your planning is done on one day. I'd substitute some similar foods(like Boca burgers, f/f hotdogs, Kashi, and HC spaghetti sauce)that didn't exist in 1970.