Weight Watchers is changing the way I approach my fitness

[Tricia]

Bumping to jumpstart the summer.
Edit: This thread was created from posts in the "No Injuries, just aging pains" thread
It turned into a real Weight Watchers discussion
Please note: If you are thinking about joining Weight Watchers, please reach out to one of us who has already joined. It gives the referred and the referral BOTH a free month.


A little over two years ago my mom needed knee replacement, but her doctor wouldn't do it until she lost "at least 60 lbs".
The women in my family have always struggled with weight issues, especially my mom. She was on Weight Watchers for 10 years and stayed a size 9. By the time I was going into Middle School she stopped doing WW and got huge, never to be thin again. She started WW again, at her doctors suggestion, and lost over 80 lbs!!!
She's got 10 months on her new knee, and she's acting and feeling younger at 71 than she has in 40 years.

Why the story about my mom? I went into spring with an extra 20 lbs that I don't want or need. Because of her weight loss and new activity, she inspired me to join WW and change my summer focus.

Instead of getting out to ride bike 2 days a week, we're committing to at least a 1-2 hr hike or mountain bike ride at least 5 days a week if not 6.

I've been on WW for 2 weeks now and can say its feeling amazing. My energy is up, my body is more toned and I feel stronger, not to mention I've lost 6.5 lbs.

I've tried the low carb thing, I've cut out alcohol, I've cut back on sugar...none of this worked long term. I feel like WW is going to change my relationship with food (it already has) and create a more active lifestyle than I already have.

 

[Tricia]

Bumping to jumpstart the summer.


A little over two years ago my mom needed knee replacement, but her doctor wouldn't do it until she lost "at least 60 lbs".
The women in my family have always struggled with weight issues, especially my mom. She was on Weight Watchers for 10 years and stayed a size 9. By the time I was going into Middle School she stopped doing WW and got huge, never to be thin again. She started WW again, at her doctors suggestion, and lost over 80 lbs!!!
She's got 10 months on her knew knee, and she's acting and feeling younger at 71 than she has in 40 years.

Why the story about my mom? I went into spring with an extra 20 lbs that I don't want or need. Because of her weight loss and new activity, she inspired me to join WW and change my summer focus.

Instead of getting out to ride bike 2 days a week, we're committing to at least a 1-2 hr hike or mountain bike ride at least 5 days a week if not 6.

I've been on WW for 2 weeks now and can say its feeling amazing. My energy is up, my body is more toned and I feel stronger, not to mention I've lost 6.5 lbs.

I've tried the low carb thing, I've cut out alcohol, I've cut back on sugar...none of this worked long term. I feel like WW is going to change my relationship with food (it already has) and create a more active lifestyle than I already have.

What does it say about this new journey that I have these three tabs open on my browser?
Pugski, Weight Watchers Tracker, and Strava

 

[Andy Mink]

I found out that yard work makes you sore. Moving retaining wall blocks and digging holes. Sore elbow, sore back. Nuts on that!

 

[slowrider]

 

[Tricia]

I found out that yard work makes you sore. Moving retaining wall blocks and digging holes. Sore elbow, sore back. Nuts on that!

You could get WW Fit points for that.

 

[Plai]

I've been on WW for 2 weeks now and can say its feeling amazing. My energy is up, my body is more toned and I feel stronger, not to mention I've lost 6.5 lbs.

I've tried the low carb thing, I've cut out alcohol, I've cut back on sugar...none of this worked long term. I feel like WW is going to change my relationship with food (it already has) and create a more active lifestyle than I already have.

Just for my understanding, what's the idea/philosophy behind WW? TIA

 

[Pequenita]

Just for my understanding, what's the idea/philosophy behind WW? TIA

Roughly, food and beverages are assigned points based on their nutrition. Nothing is off limits, but participants stay under a certain number of points over a specific period of time.

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

Just for my understanding, what's the idea/philosophy behind WW? TIA

The main idea is to encourage healthy eating. A lot of healthy foods (fruits, veggies, skinless chicken breast, eggs) are assigned 0 points and are "technically" unlimited. I say that because too much of anything will cause weight gain. Fruit is like candy to me so I can never allow myself unlimited fruit! However, @Tricia has inspired me and I am now also on WW for the summer months.

 

[Tricia]

Just for my understanding, what's the idea/philosophy behind WW? TIA

Roughly, food and beverages are assigned points based on their nutrition. Nothing is off limits, but participants stay under a certain number of points over a specific period of time.

Yes this!

The main idea is to encourage healthy eating. A lot of healthy foods (fruits, veggies, skinless chicken breast, eggs) are assigned 0 points and are "technically" unlimited. I say that because too much of anything will cause weight gain. Fruit is like candy to me so I can never allow myself unlimited fruit! However, @Tricia has inspired me and I am now also on WW for the summer months.

...And this!

I like how the points system encourages healthy choices, whether its measuring your portions, choosing a piece of fruit over a piece of candy, or encouraging you to get out and get more physically active.
Keeping track of the points for food and activities has been really fun and something that I can easily see changing my lifestyle for the better long term, as opposed to dieting then going off the diet, only to yoyo.
For instance, today I made a chicken fiesta salad with seasoned grilled chicken tenderloins, lettuce, tomato, black beans, and 6 tortilla chips crunched up in it.
For the dressing I used salsa and 1 Tbs of ranch dressing. The entire meal, which is really filling for me, was 5 points.
You can drink alcohol, which also has points allotted.
You really aren't deprived of any food as long as you stay within the points.
Want a piece of cake? Go ahead and eat it but you may be searching for zero points items for dinner like hard boiled eggs.
What this has done for me is made me aware of the grazing I do between meals, and measuring things made me aware of what my real life portions were compared to what I thought they were.

After my day yesterday, I had 11 of my 23 allowed points left and I never felt deprived.
I used the remaining points to have a glass of scotch 4 7/8 oz to be exact.

 

[Tricia]

Oh and if anyone else is inspired to sign up, let one of us know and we can send you a referral. If you do that, you and the person who referred you get a month free.
Win/Win

 

[pete]

I found out that yard work makes you sore. Moving retaining wall blocks and digging holes. Sore elbow, sore back. Nuts on that!

Funny, I empathize with you. I foolishly offered a larger Intex type pool to my youngest having built a 16 foot inner radius retaining wall for a 16 foot pool 5 yrs ago. had to up the radius to 20 foot inside, would of done larger but it fights with landscaping. Given it's small but biggish, had to disassemble 2/3 of a half arc, pattern it out into a wider one which meant some 20 extra blocks, 3+ tons of limestone (over 7 loads hand shoveled into my topped truck) and matching, aligning with existing level. Then digging down 2+ foot the existing backfill to re-lay Geo Grid for the wall.

Mostly done, I can say moving the existing block, added block (all at 80lbs each),gravel, fill, drain tile, etc was one way to start some exercise. Honestly minded the physical stuff less than the damn bugs this year .. bug-soother ... yes !!!

Roughly, food and beverages are assigned points based on their nutrition. Nothing is off limits, but participants stay under a certain number of points over a specific period of time.

yeah, idea is that it's easier to count points than calories as one only needs to learn basic rough idea of intake needed verses our supersize society.

pretty simple and overall clever ...

 

[pete]

Yes this!



...And this!

I like how the points system encourages healthy choices, whether its measuring your portions, choosing a piece of fruit over a piece of candy, or encouraging you to get out and get more physically active.
Keeping track of the points for food and activities has been really fun and something that I can easily see changing my lifestyle for the better long term, as opposed to dieting then going off the diet, only to yoyo.
For instance, today I made a chicken fiesta salad with seasoned grilled chicken tenderloins, lettuce, tomato, black beans, and 6 tortilla chips crunched up in it.
For the dressing I used salsa and 1 Tbs of ranch dressing. The entire meal, which is really filling for me, was 5 points.
You can drink alcohol, which also has points allotted.
You really aren't deprived of any food as long as you stay within the points.
Want a piece of cake? Go ahead and eat it but you may be searching for zero points items for dinner like hard boiled eggs.
What this has done for me is made me aware of the grazing I do between meals, and measuring things made me aware of what my real life portions were compared to what I thought they were.

After my day yesterday, I had 11 of my 23 allowed points left and I never felt deprived.
I used the remaining points to have a glass of scotch 4 7/8 oz to be exact.
View attachment 76202

Lunch !

 

[Tricia]

The main idea is to encourage healthy eating. A lot of healthy foods (fruits, veggies, skinless chicken breast, eggs) are assigned 0 points and are "technically" unlimited. I say that because too much of anything will cause weight gain. Fruit is like candy to me so I can never allow myself unlimited fruit! However, @Tricia has inspired me and I am now also on WW for the summer months.

Did you see that they have activity groups you can join?

The Skiing group is not active, but the app says there are 97 in the group.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I'm actually thinking about joining ww.i hate diets and saying I can't have something doesn't work for me. WW with its point system is something that would work for me. I'm excellent at maintaining my current weight but 15lb lower would be ideal for me. I think I can succeed in ww.

 

[Paul Lutes]

.......

After my day yesterday, I had 11 of my 23 allowed points left and I never felt deprived.
I used the remaining points to have a glass of scotch 4 7/8 oz to be exact.
View attachment 76202

Wait..... a 5 oz "glass" of scotch?!?!?

Here's looking at you, kid!

 

[coskigirl]

I’m currently experimenting with intermittent fasting on a 16/8 schedule. There is a lot of research around the benefits which include helping with insulin resistance and some early indicators that it may help asthma. I’m not logging food right now while I get used to the schedule but I don’t think I’m eating close to what I was since I don’t have time to get in 3 meals. I’ve been shocked that I don’t really feel hungry in hours 14-16 of my fast period even if I do a workout in that time. We’ll see how results turn out.

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

Did you see that they have activity groups you can join?

The Skiing group is not active, but the app says there are 97 in the group.
View attachment 76205

I didn't. I did discover that I only had enough points left over for 3 1/2 ounces of scotch! But I had already eaten lunch so tomorrow will be better!

 

[Andy Mink]

I'm having pretzels with peanut butter on them. I'm sure I've gone over the "single serving" on both.

 

[slowrider]

Lol

 

[Tricia]

Wait..... a 5 oz "glass" of scotch?!?!?

Here's looking at you, kid!

Right!!

And after my "choices" today, I have 16 points left. Imagine what I can do with that