Did someone say they were joining weight watchers has anyone had success with it long term? I'm really thinking about joining and my sister in law might also?I don't know if i would be able to follow the points thing and all like actually get it what all of the points are and such but i think i would have a great time talking to people at the meetings hearing about accomplishments and all and getting rewards even if they are small.

By Brandy on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 09:27 pm:

Oh yeah anyone got any extra money for me to join lol just kidding although i'm wondering if they have a program that's cheaper or something if your dh is deployed?

By Sunny on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 09:59 pm:

I joined WW at Home a few weeks ago. I knew I wouldn't be able to make the weekly meetings, but the program interested me. I know the weekly meetings help with motivation and are a great resource for tips and encouragement. I have all the literature and my sister and I have been doing it together. I've lost about 7 1/2lbs so far.

The points system isn't hard to follow once you understand how it works. Basically, every food is given a point value. You CAN eat whatever you want, but the higher the caloric and fat content, the higher the point value. They give you a points target - how many points you must eat in a day - and flex points. These are points you can use throughout the week. Check out the website www.dwlz.com. It is a wealth of information concerning WW.

By Mommyathome on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 10:13 pm:

I have a good friend that has lost 60 pounds in 6 months on weight watchers. She looks amazing. She swears by it! Now that she has reached her goal weight, she is a lifetime member for free.

She likes the program because you can earn extra points for exercising, and you also get bonus points.

By Amy~moderator on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 10:48 pm:

I've done WW and lost an average of 2 to 4 pounds a week following the program. It's a great program, easy to follow, and yes you can eat anything you want (just not a whole lot of the fattening foods). And you get pts for exercising, too! I hate dieting, but actually enjoyed WW. I highly recommend it!

By My2girlygirls on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 08:14 am:

I just started WW 3 weeks ago, I have lost 3 so far (maybe more, I weigh in tomorrow) I did it last year and lost 12 lbs. I was 4 from my goal weight and got cocky and quit going to meetings and slowly it crept back on. I would have gone back sooner but I like going with someone and all of my friends had quit going. Finally I just decided that I had to do something with or without friends coming along. Luckily, a friend decided to go too and she has lost like 12 lbs.!! It is an easy system and it does work. I also do the online WW. It has a great "Points Tracker" and tons of tips!

By Ilovetom on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 08:41 am:

I joined back in November. Now granted I only wanted to lose a few pounds now. But I am always on a diet and never losing anything.

It worked for me. I lost 10 pounds and even if I gain a pound back over a weekend - I know what to do to lose it.

Meeting new people- sharing recipes and that kind of thing was fun.

And I became a lifetime member!

It was serious fun. More like a game counting points and stuff. I highly recommend it for losing weight.

ps- do drink water. I really lost when I started drinking more.

By Kathym on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 09:40 am:

I went to WW after all three births (60lbs, 45 lbs. and 45lbs) and was able to maintain my weight to reach lifetime. However, since I turned 4o I have had a heck of a time losing any weight. DH finally got me a few sessions with a personal trainer and that has seemed to jumpstart me a bit. The weigh ins are what keep me honest! I try to follow the program whenever I can.

By Insaneusmcwife on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 10:38 am:

WW'S is great. I started 3 weeks ago but missed my last meeting because that was the day dh came home. I weighted my self yesterday at the doctors and according to that scale I have lost 15lbs but we will see tomorrow when I weight in at the meeting. The meetings for military are only $5.00 wether the military member is deployed or not. Just show your ID. I agree with the water, drink drink drink.

By Insaneusmcwife on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 10:54 am:

Weight Watchers Specials!

Join Meetings Now. Attend Our
Open House Days.
Attend a Weight Watchers Meeting for FREE during our Open House Days. If you choose to join, pay only the registration fee! Hurry, offer ends April 11, 2004. Find a meeting

By Brandy on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 11:02 am:

Wow Kristie i hope that's true about the price for here too that's great.Gives me even more of a chance of going lol... = ) Oh i drink my water too like crazy i've been drinking about 100 oz. for about 3 months and i'm slowly upping that one too..Thanks all.

By Brandy on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 11:14 am:

Well unfortunately for my franchise in Indiana they don't offer any discounts for military.So it's $16 the first week and then $12 every week after that.

By Insaneusmcwife on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 11:19 am:

Thats good that your drinking a lot of water...You can count Crystal Lite as water too, but only after you get in 24oz of water first. They also have an online program too but I need the face to face support and the official weigh in to keep me honest. Good Luck, I hope this works out for you.

By Pamt on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 02:47 pm:

I joined WW after I gained my "freshman 15" in college. I lost 15 pounds in about 6 weeks and found the program really easy to follow. It's the best weight loss because it is changing your eating habits, NOT dieting. I actually couldn't even eat all of the point I had in a day if I was making healthy choices. Too much food! I'm thinking about joining online b/c I'd like to drop about 15 lbs again. I'd highly recommend WW.

By Amecmom on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 05:25 pm:

I love WW. I joined just before I became pg. I had to stop going to meetings, but I've stuck with the plan. It's really helping me eat healthy and not over-gain. I've just finished my 4th month and I've gained a total of 3 pounds. Not too bad, considering that by this time with my first pregnancy, I had gained about 12!
Good luck!
Ame

By Oliviasmom on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 09:36 pm:

I joined 2 yrs ago and lost 21 lbs in 8 weeks. I am about 4-6 lbs up, but I can get rid of that in a week if I go back on the points strict. I loved it because I could choose what I wanted to eat. I'm a picky eater. I found it easy but.....my advice...

Be prepared - have the food available, I labelled my food so I knew it's point value per serving. I never left the house without food in my bag (I'm a junk food junkie).

I never attended the meetings - hated them, BUT I did go weigh in every week and found that "scale" motivating. If I lost 3lbs this week doing "this", than what if I cut out "this"???

It's a good framework I think.

Good luck!

By Brandy on Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - 09:43 pm:

Thanks all i need to talk to my husband about actually joining though i don't really want to do that lol..

By Brandy on Thursday, March 25, 2004 - 08:09 pm:

Okay i talked to him and i am joining on Saturday March 27,2004 and a year from that date i will be at goal and i will be lifetime !

By Mommyathome on Thursday, March 25, 2004 - 08:21 pm:

Good for you Brandy!! Keep us updated on how it's going. I'm sure you'll do great

By Brandy on Thursday, March 25, 2004 - 08:36 pm:

I sure will Robin...

By Insaneusmcwife on Thursday, March 25, 2004 - 11:14 pm:

OK, I just got back from my meeting and according to their scale I have lost a total of 13.2lbs in 3 weeks. I'm so excited.....Good Luck Brandy...If I can do it you surely can. I have a recipe book and I can email you some recipes if you'd like, just let me know what you are looking for. The Weight Watchers Desserts that you get in the freezer section are awsome and for only 1 point each you can break a LFgram cracker in half and spread 2 tablespoons of the FFCool Whip between the halves, Freeze them and they are great...and the kids love them too!

By Paulas on Thursday, March 25, 2004 - 11:28 pm:

I was thinking about joining also. A new chapter is opening here but it's $164CAD for the first 3 months. That seems pretty high to me.

By Insaneusmcwife on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 02:26 am:

Paula, have you thought about participating online? I'm not sure how much money that is here.

By Cat on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 10:24 am:

Can someone post a sample daily menu or some examples of what points some common foods would be? Like cereal, bread, cheese, fruits, etc. TIA

By Insaneusmcwife on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 10:48 am:

I'll post a sample menu that they have in my book:

Day 1
Breakfast
2 low-fat frozen waffles, toasted with 2TBSP low Calorie pancake syrup 4points
1 grande cappaccino made with fat free milk (or heat 1 cup fat free milk and mix with 1 cup coffee) 2 points
Breakfast total 6 points

Lunch
Speedy Burrito
Top a 6" corn tortailla with 1/4 cup each cooked black beans, chopped tomato and shredded low fat Monterey jack Cheese. Roll up and microwave for 45 seconds. Serve with 1 TBSP fat free sour cream and shredded lettuce 4 points
12 reduced fat tortilla chips with 2 Tbsp salsa 2 points
1 small apple 1 point
Lunch total 7 points

Dinner
2 cups tossed salad with 2 TBSP fat free dressing 1 point
1 broiled lean pork chop 3 points
Steamed Pierogies and Vegetables, steam 3 lowfat frozen potato and cheese pierogies in 1/4 cup lowfat beef broth. Add 1 cup frozen stir-fry-style mixed vegetables and 1 TBSP low-sodium so9y sauce cook until vegetables are heated. 4 points
Dinner Total 8 points

Snacks/Dessert
Cream topped Pudding
Top 1/2 cup fat free sugar free chocolate pudding, made form mix using fat free milk with 2 TBSP whipped cream 2 points
1 cup grapes 1 point
1 cup Garden Vegetable soup (weight watchers recipe) 0 points
Snack/Dessert total 3 points

This is the point plan for someone on 24 points. The point scale is based on how much you weigh. If there is a specific food that you would like me to look up for you please let me know.

By Sunny on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 12:14 pm:

Cat, you can figure out how many points a food serving as long as you have the nutrition facts. The formula is calories/50 - *Fiber/5 + grams of fat/12. *Fiber is capped at 4 grams. So, for something like a slice of wheat bread it would be 90/50 - 3/5 + 1/12 = 1.283 or 1 point. Now, one chocolate chip cookie would be 110/50 - 1/5 + 5/12 = 2.156 or 2 points.

Vegetables, because of their high fiber content, are usually 0 points, but any add-ons like cheese or sauces would be counted. There is a garden vegetable soup recipe that is 0 points. Let me know if you want it and I can email it to you.

By Brandy on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 12:19 pm:

okay i weigh in at 168 does anyone know how many ppoints i can have?

By Sunny on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 12:25 pm:

Brandy, your points target is 22 (same as me! ).

By Cat on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 12:42 pm:

Thanx, Kristie and Sunny. The point formula seems simple enough. Is there a formula to figure out your target points? I'm 140lbs--goal weight, 125(ish). Thanx (in advance!).

By Vicki on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 12:51 pm:

Sunny, I really don't mean to appear stupid, but what does the / mean in your example? How did you figure out those points? Weight Watchers is something that I have always thought about doing and am very interested in this. I am sure once you post it I will feel so silly, but for the life of me I can't figure out how you got that total!!

By Kolbysmom on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 12:57 pm:

I'm not Sunny...but, the / means divide.

By Cat on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 12:59 pm:

Vicki, the / means divided by.

By Sunny on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 01:38 pm:

Cat and Nikki beat me to the answer.
I did the problem on a graphing calculator because I'm too lazy to do it on paper. LOL WW sells a points calculator which makes it really easy because all you do is put in the calories, fat and fiber and it gives you an answer.

Cat, the number of points per day is based on your weight. For people under 150lbs, the points target is 20.

By Brandy on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 02:09 pm:

Okay Sunny i know someone told me the food was expensive even though i know you don't have to buy their food is it any more expensive then everything else and will i starve lol.I know i won't but that seems like only a little points

By Brandy on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 02:11 pm:

Okay sooner or later weight watchers is going to be overloaded with all of us joining at the same time lol..

By Vicki on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 02:17 pm:

Is there anything else you need to know to do this besides how to figure points and what your points per day should be? Is there any other reason to join online besides that? I don't have one local to me, so I would have to do the online version if I tried it, but it seems easy enough to follow if someone would be so kind as to post the weight/point chart! Is there recipes and a chat board and that kind of thing with the online thing?

By Brandy on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 02:25 pm:

http://www.weightwatchers.com/index.aspx

By Vicki on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 04:19 pm:

Never mind...I got a copy of the chart! Thanks anyway!!

By Vicki on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 04:28 pm:

Sunny, could you please email me the 0 soup recipe please!! Thanks

pvcatlin@adelphia.net

By Sunny on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 05:30 pm:

Vicki, I just sent it. I put "Vegetable Soup" in the subject line.

By Brandy on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 10:22 am:

Well i just got home and it was exciting to hear of the successes of the pounds lost this week.I got the book and i think i'm eating 3 point cereal lol..If not can someone tell me it's the strawberry,blueberry Kellogg's stuff with almonds.

By Brandy on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 10:23 am:

Oh btw on thier scales i weighed in at 173.6 of course i was dressed lol but i did take my shoes off = )

By Mommyof4 on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 10:33 am:

Brandy,
Is this the cereal Kellogg's Just Right Fruit & Nut. If so 1 cup is worth 4 points. I got this from the on line points calculator. If that isn't the right cereal give the exact name and I can look it up. Did you use your point calculator tool (sorry I don't know the technical name for it)?

Tammie

By Vicki on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 10:34 am:

Thanks Sunny! I got it and am making my list as we speak to go tot he grocery store. I am going to get the stuff and make it!! Sounds good, but I am sure you get sick of eating it!! I am going to look for some of the desserts too. Chocolate cravings are the worst and if I can find some things with only 1 or 2 points, I will be thrilled!!!! Thanks again!!

By Brandy on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 11:54 am:

Kellogg's Fruit Harvest is the name of it.

By Brandy on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 11:55 am:

and i had 3/4 of a cup..= )

By Emine on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 01:49 pm:

It's been forever since I've been here and something just made me come today. I haven't read all of the posts, but...

WW does have a "scholarship" program. If you call the offices they will send you an application. You have to give all your financial information...how much you make and what your bills are. My friend did it and got to attend the meetings for free. You can also check with your health insurance, some do cover part of the fees.

I'm going to be a positive spokesperson for WW. I joined about 1 year ago and lost 60 lbs in 6 months. I've kept it off for 6 months now and it's been a breeze. Now I do work out alot too so keep that in mind. I have found it very simple to follow once I learned the points values for the foods I like to eat.

For chocolate cravings....get the Smart Ones brand chocolate popcicles or the ice cream sandwiches. the popcicles are 1 point and the ice cream sandwiches are 2 points. I had one every evening last summer and still lost about 2 lbs per week average! They also have awesome desserts that are 3 or 4 points

By Brandy on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 02:14 pm:

Great to see you posting Emine how have you been sounds like you've been great = ) hope to see you around here more often.How are the girls? Nice to see you.

By Vicki on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 02:22 pm:

Hello Emine!! Sounds like your looking good!! Maybe we should get together sometime again!!