Weight Watchers

[Danny19]

hello guys. well ive been working out and eating normally. and i havent lost weight. i have literally let myself go. and now i wanna lose weight. One of my options is weight watchers. but i wanna know if any of you have gone. I want some opinions about it. Does it work? how does it work? and if its better to go the meetings or is online?

thanks in advance

[darkcheesse]

the answers is it maily depends on yuo and what is right for you, people with hetic shedual will benifit more from online, but i've found with weight loss, paying for some service isn't the only way it depends on how commited you are to it, if you have the will power to stick to a diet and exercise regiem that you device its alot cheaper but if you occainsionaly need support from time to time i sudjest joining a wieght loss group.

but the main thing it depends on is you, and what help you need.

[Mogget]

There's also overeaters anonymous, which is free.

[thedreamwatch]

My mom lost a TON of weight in Weight Watchers. And I don't know EXACTLY how it works, except that you record what you're eating and things have a certain amount of points and you get a certain amount of points per day, depending on your metabolism and how much you work out, etc. Things like fruits and veggies are 0 points too, which is awesome, so you can eat as much of that as you want. It also recommends like how much dairy you should have and how much protein, etc.

So, if that sounds good to you, then Weight Watchers is probably the right way to go, though you might want to do more research on how it works other than listening to me, I only have a vague understanding of the whole process.

And I'd assume going to an actual physical group would be helpful because that kind of thing encourages you to keep going and you'll meet people in the same boat. It's good for motivation.

Good luck

[ezkill]

Hi Danny, I know you posted this a little over a week ago, so I hope you will read this. Before I begin, I am in no way, shape, or form a doctor or a nutrition specialist, but I will give you some tips that have helped me out in losing a bit of fat over my tummy.

I have never even been slightly over weight, but I have had luck losing extra fat over my belly (mostly motivated to see my six pack!).

When you exercise, your heart has to be beating within a certain range of beats per minute. There is a range for weight loss, cardio training, and optimal fat burning. If you are working out and you don't really break a sweat, you are probably not working out with the right intensity or at long enough intervals. You can find charts online that tell you what your optimal heart rate is, just use Google (I don't think I can post links here, so good luck!).

Interval training is a great way to lose weight... basically when I go to the gym, I do 20 minutes of cardio before hitting the weights. Most of the time I do interval training, which involves me running faster than 6.0 mph on the treadmill for a period of a 1.5 to 2 minutes, and then turning the speed down between 4.0-4.5 mph and walking really fast for another 1.5 to 2 minutes. I repeat this for 20-30 minutes. By the end I am soaked in sweat, but not out of breath.

Also, when you start working out more, you need to eat slightly more than you normally do (unless you are eating too much). If you want to gain muscle or retain the muscle mass you already have, it is important to do a bit of "weight training" or resistance training a few days of the week so that you do not lose the muscle you already have. Having more muscle weight means you burn more fat during the day, so you definitely don't want to lose your muscle.

Just exercising, however, won't do the trick alone. You also need to be eating nutritious meals at least 5 to 6 times a day. I usually start with a fairly large breakfast (~600 calories) and then space my meals 2-3 hours apart, with a lean protein/meat with each meal. Chicken, salmon, or tilapia (sp?) is a great choice. Depending on your weight, height, and level of physical activity, the calories per meal you need to consume will be different. Eating a lot of fruits and vegetables provides you with micro-nutrients that help cleanse your system. Also, drinking at least 6-8 large glasses of water a day is recommended. There are studies out there (again, Google) that show that drinking water (especially after waking up) increases your metabolism by up to 27-30% for a period of time.

It's important to watch what you eat, but don't obsess with calorie counting. Calories aren't necessarily bad, but saturated and trans fats are. It's better to burn off these fats and replace them with healthier monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats. Also, I tend to stay away from carbohydrates that come mostly from sugar.

Anyways, here is a sample menu of what I eat during the day:

Meal 1: 4 egg whites + 1 whole egg (large eggs); half a cup of oats; and half a cup of berries; 2 large glasses of water

Meal 2: two slices of bread with 1 tbsp almond butter on each, and a banana.

Meal 3: (lunch) one or two chicken breasts, and a salad with half a tablespoon of olive oil for dressing. plus a side of a few strawberries

Meal 4: Sweet potatoes and a handful of almonds, plus a protein shake (pure whey protein mixed with water, not milk)

WORKOUT for an hour

Meal 5: Another protein shake, same as before. Plus maybe a small salad or snack (healthy one of course)

Meal 6: Low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese.

BEDTIME!

I think you get the point by now. Try to work in one serving of fruit and vegetable or equivalently nutritious food for each meal, or at least for 2-3 meals out of the day. Eating constantly like this (without overdoing the calories) and exercising helps keep your metabolism up and steady throughout the day, in turn helping you lose weight.
Anyways, I hope this helps you out. Let us know your progress

[kiersten]

Weight Watchers, like Jenny Craig, is a really good way to lose weight, but they can sometimes be annoying when making the pitch to sell their own food, which isn't mandatory, but still, it kinda seems a tad self-serving at times...

One of the big ways to lose weight - drink lots of water, cut out junk food & pop (soda for my American friends! :P), also lose the booze, so no alcohol if you do drink (beer is especially bad for ya when trying to lose weight) and maybe just go walking about an hour everyday. That's obviously not the ONLY things you should do, as eating healthy is a big part of it too, but these things cost you nothing (actually, you'll end up saving a bit of money!) and are a really good starting point to get you on your way!

[ezkill]

Well eating healthy DOES cost a little bit extra, at least here in the United States... However, the way I think about it, you are investing in your health, and that's an investment that is actually worth time and effort.

[kiersten]

That is true ezkill! It is certainly worth the investment to be healthier! But I think fresh produce & being diligent in reading product labels at the grocery store is probably cheaper than the name-brand weight-loss food they sell. Just my opinion, plus I'd rather hit the store, buy a fresh orange or other fruit or vegetable rather than eat some of the prepackaged stuff which, while being endorsed by Weight Watchers, is still prepackaged & may contain preservatives that aren't necessarily the best for one's health. I'm diabetic, for example, so I try to avoid as much prepackaged foods as possible. But it really comes down to a matter of personal choice & preference really.

[sjg545]

Personally, I think the weight watchers program is a little too much measuring. I know people who have been very successful on it and it DOES work; you just have to be very dedicated. I've recently lost 50 lbs (I still want to lose 20 more) by restricting my carbohydrate intake as well as exercising. It's kind of a combo of Atkins and south beach. I stuck hardcore to induction (less than 20g carbs/day) and lost 15 lbs in the first two weeks! I think it's worth a try if you want to lose weight. Plus, Atkins/south beach is free but the food is a little pricier so I guess it kind of evens it out.

[malachite]

have you given it a realistic amount of time? You won't loose weight over night, keep eatting right and working out.

[ezkill]

Kiersten, agreed.

Honestly guys (and girls), you can do this without a program, unless you need one for motivation and to keep you on track. They work if you keep the same amount of dedication --- the programs are also easier if you don't have time to prepare your own meals. I prepare my meals for the week ahead of time since I work a lot (incidentally I spend some work time here).

You might be better off seeing a nutritionist so you can get lasting results. You won't be paying for and eating pre-made meals forever, at least I assume so, and the sooner you learn to cook/prepare healthy alternatives, the better off and better prepared you will be for the future. Not only that, but this ensures that you have the proper tools to maintain your weight loss. It takes a lot of time and research to do this, but again it is totally worth it.

I used to eat like crap, like most college students, and I had fast food about once a week. Again, I was never even slightly overweight, but the effects of eating junk were apparent in other ways. Not only did I have sporadic acne outbreaks, but digestive problems, exhaustion, and lack of focus and ambition were some other side effects. As soon as I started changing my diet and exercising daily, I found that I could easily wake up in the morning without feeling groggy or needing a coffee. I found that I could stay awake and alert throughout the day, and lastly I found that I could sleep more soundly at night.

Even if you don't need to lose weight, a nutritional diet (or rather, meal plan I would call it) is beneficial. You significantly reduce your risk of cancer, and you make yourself more productive by improving the way your body functions. I haven't been sick in many years.

Anyways, I wish anyone that wishes to embark on this sort of journey the best of luck! Not that any of you need it, I'm sure :-)

[zerogravity]

Forget weight watchers - If you want to be ripped, it takes time and discipline. The most important thing is exercise - from there you will just naturally go towards a proper diet. My personal routine is as follows:

6am 1.5 hours yoga
8am breakfast (fruit, yogurt, bran, coffee, BCAA (amino acids), multivitamin, omega 3)
12pm sandwich and piece of fruit
4pm snack (juice and banana)
5pm 1.5 hours biking
7pm supper (1 protein, 1 carb, salad)
10pm cottage cheese / or protein shake

That is basically what I do 6 days a week. When I am travelling or on my day off I might do something different. So you can see there are 5 small meals in there, and around 3 hours of exercise. Breakfast is my biggest meal (I feel full after). Lunch and supper are smaller meals for me.

I don't eat before yoga, just a small glass of water when I wake up. I sleep around 7 hours but I wish I could get more - I think it's important to get good sleep because you crave less sugar throughout the day.

[Danny19]

thanks to everyone to posted on here. you all give good responses...

Originally Posted by ezkill

Hi Danny, I know you posted this a little over a week ago, so I hope you will read this. Before I begin, I am in no way, shape, or form a doctor or a nutrition specialist, but I will give you some tips that have helped me out in losing a bit of fat over my tummy.

I have never even been slightly over weight, but I have had luck losing extra fat over my belly (mostly motivated to see my six pack!).

When you exercise, your heart has to be beating within a certain range of beats per minute. There is a range for weight loss, cardio training, and optimal fat burning. If you are working out and you don't really break a sweat, you are probably not working out with the right intensity or at long enough intervals. You can find charts online that tell you what your optimal heart rate is, just use Google (I don't think I can post links here, so good luck!).

Interval training is a great way to lose weight... basically when I go to the gym, I do 20 minutes of cardio before hitting the weights. Most of the time I do interval training, which involves me running faster than 6.0 mph on the treadmill for a period of a 1.5 to 2 minutes, and then turning the speed down between 4.0-4.5 mph and walking really fast for another 1.5 to 2 minutes. I repeat this for 20-30 minutes. By the end I am soaked in sweat, but not out of breath.

Also, when you start working out more, you need to eat slightly more than you normally do (unless you are eating too much). If you want to gain muscle or retain the muscle mass you already have, it is important to do a bit of "weight training" or resistance training a few days of the week so that you do not lose the muscle you already have. Having more muscle weight means you burn more fat during the day, so you definitely don't want to lose your muscle.

Just exercising, however, won't do the trick alone. You also need to be eating nutritious meals at least 5 to 6 times a day. I usually start with a fairly large breakfast (~600 calories) and then space my meals 2-3 hours apart, with a lean protein/meat with each meal. Chicken, salmon, or tilapia (sp?) is a great choice. Depending on your weight, height, and level of physical activity, the calories per meal you need to consume will be different. Eating a lot of fruits and vegetables provides you with micro-nutrients that help cleanse your system. Also, drinking at least 6-8 large glasses of water a day is recommended. There are studies out there (again, Google) that show that drinking water (especially after waking up) increases your metabolism by up to 27-30% for a period of time.

It's important to watch what you eat, but don't obsess with calorie counting. Calories aren't necessarily bad, but saturated and trans fats are. It's better to burn off these fats and replace them with healthier monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats. Also, I tend to stay away from carbohydrates that come mostly from sugar.

Anyways, here is a sample menu of what I eat during the day:

Meal 1: 4 egg whites + 1 whole egg (large eggs); half a cup of oats; and half a cup of berries; 2 large glasses of water

Meal 2: two slices of bread with 1 tbsp almond butter on each, and a banana.

Meal 3: (lunch) one or two chicken breasts, and a salad with half a tablespoon of olive oil for dressing. plus a side of a few strawberries

Meal 4: Sweet potatoes and a handful of almonds, plus a protein shake (pure whey protein mixed with water, not milk)

WORKOUT for an hour

Meal 5: Another protein shake, same as before. Plus maybe a small salad or snack (healthy one of course)

Meal 6: Low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese.

BEDTIME!

I think you get the point by now. Try to work in one serving of fruit and vegetable or equivalently nutritious food for each meal, or at least for 2-3 meals out of the day. Eating constantly like this (without overdoing the calories) and exercising helps keep your metabolism up and steady throughout the day, in turn helping you lose weight.
Anyways, I hope this helps you out. Let us know your progress

wow, you said your not nutritionist or doctor, but you sure know your stuff. I really liked everything you said.. I think im going to wait a little before going to weight watchers. Im going to do my own thing and try to lose weight to see if i can do it on my own. Im going to try this for maybe a month. Hopefully i can discipline myself enough to do some of the things you do. If it doesnt work, then ill go. But i have done diets before. i know what to eat and what not. and i think can do this... thanks for the advice...it would be awesome if you got any more tips to share

[zeratul]

Everything said is great, buy Danny, try to substitute the meals they said with yor favorite foods, the point is, you won't follow through if you don't like it!

The most important deal with maintaining low body fat is to maintain high metabolism throughout the day, and to do that, eat more frequently with less portions. The only meal to indulge on in terms of calorie count is breakfast, and decrease calories as the day goes on. There are also dietary supplements to help maintain metabolism, made from natural extracts of berries or green tea.

Exercise only enough to maintain metabolism and your appetite. If you notice your appetite decreasing and you become less energetic, exercise slightly doing anything u want until your heartrate goes up and you feel warm, then eat some carbohydrates and proteins within 30 minutes of the end of exercise. If you over exercise, you will lose energy and your metabolism will go down.

In summary, maintain metabolism through eating, dietary supplements and exercise based on how you feel (body and mind/soul connection) and trust your body to "sculpt" itself over time. If you feel good about the process and have real patience, you will experience good results. If you feel anxious about it have have no patience, you will only become more unhealthy.

[Danny19]

thanks Zeratul. thats makes sense. with all this advice here i dont even think i need to go to any program. lol. you guys know your stuff...

i also got another question. well i started working out and not eating healthy but im not eating junk food or drinking soda. anyways i have been getting hungry very frequently. is that normal?

[Bi As A Kite]

When i was at school, i used to walk almost 2 miles there and back, it became the daily background routine. Then there was walking from class to class. I didn't really regulate my diet then, but i fitted into skintight jeans and had a flat stomach, which was awesome :]. So i guess I'm saying: walk a lot whenever you can, try and incorporate it into a routine so you don't even think about it, and you may as well cut out processed sugar too.

[zeratul]

Originally Posted by Danny19

thanks Zeratul. thats makes sense. with all this advice here i dont even think i need to go to any program. lol. you guys know your stuff...

i also got another question. well i started working out and not eating healthy but im not eating junk food or drinking soda. anyways i have been getting hungry very frequently. is that normal?

Yep that is perfectly normal. In fact, when this happens, this is a wonderful sign, your body is signalling that you are now experiencing a fast metabolism, as opposed to the starvation mode that causes your body to store calories in fat tissue. Now is the time to start eating healthy.

When you feel hungry frequently, assuming you notice it by lightheadedness and numb blood vessels, this is NOT the time to ignore it. If you do, you may end up with irregulated blood sugar control function and in severe cases lead to diebetes. Don't overeat either. Just eat a piece of fruit. Fruits have lots of natural sugars in them and will be able to sustain your feeling of hunger. My favorite is what they call trail mix. Dried pieces of nuts and fruits mixed together, sold in the same section as chips in the grocery store usually.

[flymetothemoon]

I know a lot of people have said you don't need a program, and that is absolutely true. However, you also have to think about what is best for you. What I would suggest doing if you are interested in Weight Watchers is at least going in and signing up and going to an introductory meeting. If you think it might work for you, get the points calculator (and I might suggest the books that give points values for things as well) and then you can really do the program on your own without extra cost. You don't have to keep going back to meetings. When I did it, I was very successful, and I only went to meetings once a month to help keep me on track, not once a week. Although I know I don't need a program, I really liked this one because it let me eat what I wanted, I just had to not exceed my points for the day, and it allowed you to have extra points for the week that were optional so if you went over one day by a little, you didn't have to feel bad. I think I do better on that sort of program because if I'm constantly beating myself up over the fact that I went to get ice cream with a friend, I just get frustrated, but if I know it's allowed once in a while I do pretty well.

[maverick]

Everyone I know who has done Weight Watchers has done fantastic on it, it's to the point I'm thinking of picking it up myself.

[Danny19]

i ate a burger last night, and i feel so guilty