It ALWAYS works for me!
Written: Jun 15 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: ALWAYS works if done correctly.
Cons: Not always a convenient meeting time/place.
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| sgentile's Full Review: Weight Watchers 1-2-3 Success Traditional Meetings |
I am a BIG fan of Weight Watchers… Want to know why? I have used this easy-to-follow program 3 different times and it has ALWAYS worked for me; and for everyone I convinced to try Weight Watchers. It doesn’t matter if you have 300 pounds to lose or just those last stubborn 10. This program works because if you follow the program correctly, you should NOT feel hungry or deprived. You can “legally” fit the foods you love in, and there is no regimented “diet” for you to follow. I wouldn't recommend this, but if you wanted to eat Twinkies all day, you could! (really.)
The “Traditional” program is a “pay as you go” program. You pay a registration fee ($15), and then a weekly fee ($8.95). Please call or look for "special introductory deals". You don't have to buy special foods, very little measuring, you will meet a lot of NICE people, and there is a website forum where you can find LOTS of great recipes or chat with other members. Weight Watchers isn't a diet; it is a new way to think about eating.
* My Diet Success Stories. *
Please note that one of the reasons that Weight Watchers is successful and that its members tend to keep the weight off is that losses are done at a realistic and S-L-O-W pace. Although it is possible to lose quickly at first, you will most likely see slow but steady progress; Two or three pounds a week is great for a small framed person like me.
My first experience
The first time I joined Weight Watchers I had only a stubborn 5-8 pounds leftover from the winter season and a vacation that March. I wanted to lose them before my wedding in May and wanted the motivation. I shed my unwanted weight in 3 or 4 weeks and maintained it. . . until (see next topic).
Quit Smoking – 12 pound gain lost in 2 months.
Did I hear you gasp? Yes, I know it’s surprising, but smoking was a left-over high school and college habit. I’m proud to tell you I quit the year before trying to conceive my first child. I gained 12 pounds in the process and didn’t want to start pregnancy with this extra weight. Off to Weight Watchers I went; 2 months later the extra weight was gone. I had also returned to my older more healthy eating habits, while still being able to treat myself regularly. Because I met my “goal” I attained Lifetime Membership status (I will explain this wonderful perk below).
First Baby – 55 pounds gained lost in 6 months.
OK, before you get up from off the floor, can I please explain? It is truly my belief that some women “pack on” weight during pregnancy, and some (the lucky) don’t. During my first (and second) pregnancy I ate well, continued to exercise yet still the weight joined me. I only put this in because I think it is unfair to assume that any pregnant woman who gains a lot of weight during gestation simply let herself go. I actually lost 20 pounds the first week after my daughter was born (including the birth of my baby), so 35 was leftover.
Here’s the great deal I got as a Lifetime member returning after having a baby.
. . . A lifetime member who is at her goal weight before becoming pregnant is entitled to a three-month grace period to return to her weight goal, beginning after the member has stopped nursing, or after the baby is 6 months old. After this 3-month grace period, member must follow regular lifetime rules unless presents a note from her physician extending the grace period. So my entire weight loss was FREE! I only paid for all the wonderful Weight Watcher cookbooks and products I purchased.
*How Does it Work?*
It always works, and is EASY to stay on this program because you can eat whatever you want, as long as you count and record what you eat. You must pay more attention to portions and the point-values of foods, but there is very little measuring or weighing. The base of the program is based calories, fat and fiber. Using a secret formula, each food is assigned a point value. Your current weight determines how many points MUST eat per day. You get a daily range (minimum number you must use to maximum number you CAN use. I can’t get into the specifics, because I think you are supposed to join to learn the secrets. But I will tell you that you can save points all week to allow for a splurge here and there. And doing extra exercise earns you points too.
*What you Get with Membership.*
• Point-O-meter contraption.
I don't know the real name of this item, but it is a hardy cardboard meter reader that will assist you in determining how many “points” each food you eat has. Try to get two so you can leave one in your kitchen, and keep one in your purse or at your desk at work.
• Weekly motivational booklets.
These contain recipes, food counts, tips, exercise ideas, etc.
• Food journals.
Little paper pamphlets that you will use to record what you’ve consumed at each meal, snacks, and water consumption.
• Meetings.
The meetings are included as part of your weekly fee. You can choose between many different times, days and locations. There are 30-minute “Express” meetings, and regular 1-hour meetings. You can also show up just to weigh-in. My advise, go to a few different meetings until you find the most enthusiastic and fun leader you can find and stick with a regular meeting time. This way your weigh-ins will be more reliable (same time if day, same scale). I always choose a Thursday meeting because that allows me to enjoy my weekend without too much guilt, and then Sunday through Thursday I am extremely good.
• Rewards & support.
At the end of each meeting gold stars are given out to all members reaching a 5-pound loss achievement. This includes your first 5 pounds, when you’ve reached a 10-pound loss, and so forth. There are bookmarks rewarded for the larger achievements. The last one I received was for 25 pounds lost; I have a 5-pound star stuck on that bookmark. Funny as it may sound, you don’t expect to want these silly rewards or the applause, but mark-my-words... you be so proud of yourself that you will really get excited about them! (Mine are still on my refrigerator to remind me that all of this pregnancy weight DOES and WILL come off!).
*How did I do it?*
This isn't the recommended strategy, but it works for me. I stayed on program for 5-6 days and then let myself eat whatever I wanted during one meal a week, usually on the Saturday nights. I averaged an 8-pound loss each month (2 lbs. lost a week). My philosophy with this weight loss program is “A loss is a loss is a loss is a loss….” Even if I only lost 2 ounces, I would be happy. At least I wasn’t gaining. I did all of the things I describe below. As you start seeing your weight melt off you will become more and more enthusiastic, and do better and better.
My Recommendations for greater success.
I recommend that you
• Don’t stop going after you’ve learned “How.”
This is a BIG mistake many people make. They think that after they learn how to follow the program that they can continue on their own. I’m here to tell you it WON’T work that way!!! The thing that “keeps you honest” is the knowing you will be weighed in on a certain day. Your weight will be recorded (privately) in your little book, and you’ll want to do well. Also, knowing you are paying money tends to motivate people too. Once you stop going, it becomes too easy to “cheat” more than once a week.
• Purchase WW’s “supermarket” and “dining out” companions.
These books provide the food counts for so many different foods, it makes it MUCH easier not to cheat. I think they are about $6 each. (I’ll let you know in a few months when I return).
• Write down everything you eat!
Really you must do this. After you get weighed in, write down how much you gained/lost on the front page of your journal. SAVE the ones where you lost 2 or more pounds so you can refer to these (see what meals you ate that week). Also, when in doubt of the number of points, guess "higher" to ensure you are not cheating.
• Bring your point-o-meter with you to the food store, and a permanent marker.
This way you can calculate points per serving before you purchase something, and write the number of points right on the box. This saves you time later.
• Write the "point" count on all you foods.
This will save you time, and keep you from eating high point snacks when you only have 3 points left for that day.
• Keep your point-o-meter in a magnetic photo frame on your refrigerator where it can be found quickly and easily.
• Do your 20-minutes a day of exercise!
Even if you can only manage 2 10-minute walks, do it faithfully. I used to walk 20 minutes a day with my daughter in my front pack every day. If the weather was not good, we walked the mall (at a quick pace) from one end to the other. Most malls open at least a half an hour before the stores do.
• Buy STARS!!!!!
This was my best idea…. To motivate myself I purchased a package of those miniature self-stick stars from my local pharmacy. (I believe Staples carrys them too. Any sticker will do.) On my hang-up calendar I put a sticker up on every day I did my 20 minutes of exercise. If I did 40 minutes or walked twice that day, I gave myself two stickers. I can’t tell you how proud I was of myself as my calendar became more decorated with stars showing my accomplishments. It got so that I would walk JUST so I could put that star up there!
• Purchase the point calculator.
This one tool is a time saver! It works like a calculator; you input the calories, fiber and fat content of any food, hit enter and this gadget calculates the points for you. It will even keep tract of your daily points for you. This is especially great for Lifetime members who may not be going to meetings.
• Try to get a friend to join with you.
If you have someone else involved, it becomes social. You can get excited together about the new “low point” foods you have discovered, exercise together, share recipes, and congratulate each other.
• Don’t eat salty foods closer than 2 days before weigh-ins.
This means eat Chinese food early on in the week (right AFTER being weighed in). If you don’t, your disappointment on the scale could be due to water gain.
*Why Join?*
Why should you join and continue to attend? Well. . . it won't work as well unless you join... The weekly "weigh-ins" keep you (more) honest with yourself... If you know you will be formally weighed (it's private), you are "good" for at least 2-4 days before weigh-in... which is usually better than you would be if you weren't going... Once you see how easy & fast the weight comes off, you just get motivated.
Want to know a way to “save money”?
Shhhhhh, this is a secret… To save money I recommend setting a higher "goal weight" than you really want (say instead of a goal of 130 pounds, make it 140). Because once you reach your goal and keep it off for 2 weeks, you become a "lifetime member."
LIFETIME Membership:
After maintaining your goal weight for two weeks, you only need to weigh-in once a month. But you CAN continue to come in ever week, weigh-in, and attend meetings for free. As long as you don’t gain more than two pounds over your goal weight, you don’t have to pay. If you gain more than those two pounds, then you must pay the meeting fee.
*Should I REALLY attend the Meetings?*
The meetings REALLY do help. Please don’t give up on them if you don’t enjoy the first one or two you try. I have found that the “leader” (and the group) make a HUGE difference. Attend different days, nights and times until you find a “fun” meeting. It will make all the difference in the world.
At the meetings you will get great ideas on yummy foods and low-point snacks. Other people will share the secrets to THEIR success. Your leader will have a new topic each week that will either motivate you to be really good the next week, or help you to think about something in a new way, etc.
*Can you tell I REALLY like Weight Watchers?*
I can’t wait to have my baby and start attending again. I enjoy it so much (and get sooooo enthusiastic about this wonderful program) that I have often thought one day I might become a "leader" myself. I am a real cheerleader about this, and invite you all to lose weight with me. I will probably start sometime in Mid-July to early-August. Once again I have 55 pounds to lose.
Call 1-800-651-6000 for a location and meeting times near you.
www.weightwatchers.com
Cost (Ask about "Introductory" specials):
$15 registration fee
$8.95 weekly fee.
Here's a few great "points" resources:
great restaurant site:
http://dottisweightlosszone.com/restaurants.html
Two other favorite:
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/6548/
www.3fatchicks.com
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
sgentile
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 - Top 500 |
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Location: New England, United States
Reviews written: 249
Trusted by: 478 members
About Me:
I'm a mother who focuses on safety, fun, & value. I write from experience.
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