What's up with Weight Watchers?

There is a lot up and down with Weight Watchers. They don’t work for everyone. Personally, I don’t believe in counting calories or points and diets don’t work. It’s all about cutting out processed foods (especially carbs and sugars) and eating more fruits and vegetables and changing your eating habits (for example, eating only until full and sticking to it) as well as doing some activity that you like to keep yourself fit.

You might feel better if you spread out your calories. I’m not really sure how WW works, but I have to assume at least some of it is based on caloric intake.
For example – whole grain breads and pastas tend to be higher in calories than white (though better for you, of course.)
Off of the top of my head I’ll throw out a guess that your average slice of white bread has 80 calories and your average slice of whole grain bread has 115 calories. Double that, since you had two pieces of toast – then 2 tbsp of peanut butter for about 190 calories, and I’m guessing 70 for the yogurt. (I’m guessing these numbers, I’m not saying they are exact.)
That means that you had a 500 calorie breakfast, and not exactly a ton of food.

However, suppose you had 1c. Rice Krispies with ½ cup of skim milk for 150 calories, throw in 1 tablespoon of sunflower kernels for 50 calories. Add a medium banana for 100 calories, and you can still have the same yogurt for 70 calories. That’s an equally filling meal – for 130 fewer calories than what you ate. That 130 calories (or, I have to assume “points”) turns into a snack later in the day.

My point is, that I’m sure there will be days that you eat a lot of food and still have points left over. Sweet veggies (like corn) tend to be higher in calories than other vegetables. Lettuce and cucumber are very low in calories, you would probably have to eat an entire head of lettuce to even reach 100 calories worth of food.. but I bet you would be pretty stuffed afterward.

Anyhow, all points and schticks and gimmicks aside, you made healthy choices today, and that should really be what matters. Pat yourself on the back.

When I tried Weight Watchers, I always found myslef needing a bit more than my points allowed so I had to go aginst the system and freelance a bit. The only thing that I always made sure was that when I did do i point over here and a point over thee is was someething that I would have normaly in my “food Plan” and thta it wasn’t something that I continued to do the entire time I was on the WW diet. After getting my body used to the smaller awounts of food I started to ween myself off the “extras.
Now I just pay Richard Simmons to come to my house and beat me while dressed like Lady Gaga. It seems to be working. Although last time he forgot to un-tie me and he only comes once a week so after a week of not eating anything ( he must have been a boy scout because he knows his knots) I did loose a significant amount of weight. LOL good luck with everything.

My wife sometimes has a bit of trouble eating all of her points for the day unless she goes and does something silly like eat some fast/processed food. I am pretty sure that your teriyaki-soaked chicken ate up a good chunk of your points. Fried tofu also makes points disappear fast, as does salad dressing. And if all else fails, cookies are a delicious way to fill in a few points.

@sonataking05 Please clarify, are you dressed as Lady GaGa, or is Richard Simmons?

For WW, remember, you don’t have to eat all your points every day. If you are under, it helps you lose more easily.

I tried WW when my ex was on it a long time ago. It bothered me how much of the food is processed. Actual foods (fruits and vegetables and meats) will help you meet your point goals and still be healthy.

What gives??? No vegetables.

You need to start each meal on WW with Veggies, then add your protein, then choose whether or not you want to waist your points on any other carbs.

A few people must not have read my question right, because I’m saying that I WASN’T having trouble reaching my points like some others are. I thought it was a good amount of food…not too much at all. That’s the issue.

@jerv Actually, the teriyaki was 0 points (though I counted it as 2 to be safe) and a large chicken breast was 7 points. What made up for a good bit of points was my breakfast. Looks like I’ll be changing that meal from now on.

@SpatzieLover Corn is a vegetable! haha. My soup had veggies in it as well. I’m bad with vegetables. I can’t stand salad. I can sometimes shove a few raw carrots down my throat if I can disguise the taste in Light Ranch. I’ve tried every veggie under the sun. I just can’t do it. Forcing myself to do it just ends in me giving up on the diet completely. I’ve lost weight with no to no veggies before, and I’ll do it again. I try to make up for it by making my grains healthy grains.

I did Atkins for 4 months about two years ago. I lost the weight, but I’ll never do low-carb again. You don’t even know how many meats I refuse to eat because of that time.

@lbwhite89 Have you ever tried juicing? You can get down some pretty disgusting veggies once you add a bit of apple, pineapple and carrot to the juice.

I was once like you: a picky eater. (that shows clearly from your choices listed above)

If you really want optimal health and a great metabolism, you’re going to have to branch out a bit.

Yes, I understood that you are feeling like you have plenty of points for the day. But I am wondering if the weight is really coming off for you with the choices you are making?

Yes, corn is a veggie…however it is not a nutrient dense food. You’d lose quicker and keep your body slimmer choosing nutrient dense foods.

@lbwhite89 I feel it necessary to add, that if you want to feel fuller a great way to do that is to drink a can of low sodium V-8 before your meals. this can easily be chugged down in less than a minute And, if you just can’t imagine being able to do that, then eat one small apple before each meal.

Give it a few weeks.

My first few weeks on WW was so easy. I experienced the same thing you did. The first little while is easy. Your resolve and motivation are high, and you’re likely making WW a big priority so you’re planning your meals.

See how you do when faced with birthday cake, or splitting a pizza, or drunkenly making choices from a late night menu, or at a buffet, or at a restaurant…

@zenvelo Richard Simmons is dressed as Gaga… link.

@Likeradar We are trying to be supportive. Ibwhite89 knows the downfalls of Dieting and is looking for support and helpful ways to bolster the diet that she has chosen.

@sonataking05 I didn’t say you guys weren’t. I answered her question about what’s up with WW being so easy on the 1st day.

Just the end part of your statement about the trials when being around ultra craveable foods like cake, pizza, and a whole buffet. I understand your not trying to be negative, but she is obviously stressing about the diet not working for her right now and maybe having to think about whats going to happen down the road isn’t the best thing to get her thinking about right now. I’m sorry I hope I didn’t come across as Jerky. Just trying to lookout. I think we can all agree that dieting is a toy that the universe uses to control any one with a weight problem. Once again Sorry.

@sonataking05 OH crap! I thought she was saying WW was too easy. I totally misread. :/

However, @lbwhite89 , having 3 points + activity points left over is just fine. Also, although you say you’ve lost weight without veggies before, maybe WW isn’t the best plan for you if you intend to try to do it veggie-free.

I joined WW about 5 weeks ago. A girl around my age said that she has a hard time reaching her 29 points as well, I RARELY have a hard time eating my full 29 point allowance. This week though, I have barely touched my 49 extra points or my 21 activity points I’ve earned. But I’ve still been eating my 29 a day (I just haven’t been drinking). I really recommend going to some meetings – they’re super helpful and it’s a great way to get ideas about changing up your food options (people tend to eat the same shit and get bored/discouraged easily).

@lbwhite89, sometimes people don’t lose weight because they don’t enough food and their metabolism slows down. And there’s a mental thing with starting a diet that you should starve. The fact that you were able to eat the points, and be neither starving nor overly full is a good thing. You are probably going to want to up green veggies if you can.

Weight Watchers is Simple calorie counting. It’s just marketed to people who feel overwhelmed in doing their own leg work (no pun intended), and points are just easier for them to keep track of.

It’s been effective in those I know who stuck with it!