weight watchers

carol101
carol101 Member Posts: 584
edited 27. Mar 2010, 16:19 in Community Chit-chat archive
Has anyone ever done weight watchers? I'm thinking about doing it online. I couldn't go to the meetings really as i do shift work so would miss 1 out of every 3 anyway. I know people who have done it sucessfully but then when they reach their goal weight and stop going, they put it all back on again. I'm not so sure i want to mess about weighing out all my food before eating every time!

Carol x

Comments

  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    My daughter did. She was sceptical of WW and similar and tried to lose weight on her own. She got to a certain weight and just could not shift anymore. She did not have a huge amount from the start to lose, around 3 stone.

    She joined WW and although she has been her ideal weight for 3 years she goes every week to be weighed. She cooks many of their recipes for herself and her partner and makes lots of soups.

    As she really loves her food, she is incredibly active with swimming of late which uses up lots of calories. Before that she did go to the gym while on WW but got fed up of it.

    Wishing you the best of luck of you go down that road :D

    Luv
    Elna x
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Carol,
    I was going to join but decided to try myself by just cutting down.It is also a £5 a week so thought I could save some money instead.
    So far have lost 5lbs but came from a big weight gain of 1 and a half stone over this year.I do find that when I take my methotrexate I just eat and eat and eat.......

    What to do ??????
    Elizabeth
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • ninakang
    ninakang Member Posts: 1,367
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Carol

    I've never joined a slimming group but do know that you shouldn't just stop going when you reach target weight, they all advise you to carry on attending the slimming class on a regular basis to keep motivated (and to help others, I suppose).

    I've found in the last couple of years that it's life style changes that are the most important in losing and keeping off weight. To lose weight, you need to use up more calories than you consume and to keep it off you need to use the same amount of calories you consume. I find that I can each pretty much whatever I like because I go swimming twice a week and go to one yoga/ pilates class at the weekend.

    I think finding a physical activity you can do and enjoy is the key. Exercise releases endorphins in the brain, making you feel better about yourself so you tend to eat less anyway.

    Nx
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    There is a WW book of recipes and also a book of well known pubs and restaurants with suggestions of what you should choose and the calorie intake. Tips and suggestions are talked about at the weekly weigh ins. Perhaps when you know you will be weighed every week and it will be noted, that this may stop you eating something you do not really need!!

    Definitely exercise helps to keep weight down as Nina says.

    Luv
    Elna x
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • carol101
    carol101 Member Posts: 584
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I know the logic, eat less calories than you burn, but with my shift and sleep pattern, i hardley eat anything during the week and still put on weight! How does that work? And my job is physical, i might add, plus i know i'm not fit, but i do go for long walks with my dog. When i'm working i have 1 meal a day which could be a propper dinner, or just a couple of slices of toast. So if i put on weight like that, how am i supposed to have breakfast, lunch, dinner and healthy snacks and not put on weight? Plus, i don't get the time for 3 meals a day when working. Like when i'm on 6am to 2pm shift, i certainly don't want to be having breakfast around 4.30am, i have 2 20min breaks at work, just enough time for a cuppa and to be honest i'm not usually hungry by then anyway. Finish at 2pm and i don't want anything then because i have cooked dinner around 5-6pm, then by 10 i'm in bed because i have to be up at 4.30 next day.

    I don't mean to be negative, i really want to loose weight, i just get so frustrated that i know i'm eating less than most people and still overweight.
    CArol x
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I read time and time again that by eating only one meal a day, your body thinks it is suffering from a famine, so it starts to "hoard" every calorie it gets.

    Instead, you should eat several small meals throughout the day---especially breakfast. Eating a (healthy) breakfast will "wake up" your metabolism, and get your body's motor running.

    I do not practice what I read :oops: but I do not have to think about my weight other than I should perhaps weigh more.

    Perhaps best to ask a dietician about your eating pattern and shift work and what to do for the best.

    Love
    Elna x
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Carol

    I know my stepmum joined WW last year, and lost quite a bit of weight, without feeling hungry. But her class is only 2 minutes up the road!! I always thought it was a bit of a cheek, charging a fiver to weigh you once a week, but I suppose the idea is you've got the support of other people around you.



    Elizabeth, I'm glad it's not just me who eats and eats on methotrexate!!!!! I thought it was just me being piggy :oops: I take mine on Sunday nights, and find I spend the whole evening pigging out - talk about the munchies!!!!! Is this normal do you
    think?

    Hi Lynn,
    Some people cant eat on methotrexate.I wish i was one of them! When Lucy was born in Oct 03 I just could not eat and had lost 2 stone by christmas.When I started MTX the weight cameback on and then more ad more and more. It is that awful nausea/taste in the mouth and I just eat to combat that really.
    I am encouraged to read that your mum lost weight AND did not feel hungry. Maybe I weill take a look at the website after all
    Elizabeth
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • malc7747
    malc7747 Member Posts: 73
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Carol,

    I did the other diet "SW" and lost loads :) sadly I put it back on :(

    What with my aches and pains I cannot really be bothered to diet I just try not to be too NAUGHTY.

    Good luck and take care
    Malc
    :D
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    carol101 wrote:
    I know the logic, eat less calories than you burn, but with my shift and sleep pattern, i hardley eat anything during the week and still put on weight! How does that work? And my job is physical, i might add, plus i know i'm not fit, but i do go for long walks with my dog. When i'm working i have 1 meal a day which could be a propper dinner, or just a couple of slices of toast. So if i put on weight like that, how am i supposed to have breakfast, lunch, dinner and healthy snacks and not put on weight? Plus, i don't get the time for 3 meals a day when working. Like when i'm on 6am to 2pm shift, i certainly don't want to be having breakfast around 4.30am, i have 2 20min breaks at work, just enough time for a cuppa and to be honest i'm not usually hungry by then anyway. Finish at 2pm and i don't want anything then because i have cooked dinner around 5-6pm, then by 10 i'm in bed because i have to be up at 4.30 next day.

    I don't mean to be negative, i really want to loose weight, i just get so frustrated that i know i'm eating less than most people and still overweight.
    CArol x

    Hi Carol,
    It is not easy to lose weight as I have found. But I do know that if you write everything you eat down you start to see a pattern of where the weight could be going on. I dont think I eat much but sometimes with very little exercise we have to be really careful .
    Dont beat yourself up though as that can make you feel worse and reach for the biccys!
    Elizabeth
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • ninakang
    ninakang Member Posts: 1,367
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Carol

    I'm sorry to hear you feel so down about not being able to lose weight. My husband works shifs as a bus driver so I know how difficult it is, he never seems to be able to lose his belly (which I quite like anyway :-)).

    Like the others have said, having one big meal a day probably isn't doing you any favours at all as your body is just storing fat thinking it's starving. It's better to try and take healthy snacks with you to work, like fruit and sticks of vegetables with humous or other dips to munch on. Then after work try having a light snack like beans on one slice of toast.

    I'm a bit concerned (it's the mother in me!) that from what I read, you only seem to be sleeping about 6 hours a night? Did I read that right? Your body needs at least 8 hours sleep at night and I really can't think how you manage on such little sleep!

    Nina X
  • pheebs
    pheebs Member Posts: 202
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Carol,

    I agree with Elna and Nina - maybe you should try changing your eating pattern - adjusting your lifestyle is sometimes the best way forward. Smaller portions and more of them, rather than wait for one meal.

    Whatever you do, don't do the diet that involves liquids and nutrition bars (don't want to mention it by name in case I get into trouble!!). My friend did that and I know of others who have tried it and as soom as they start back on food/alcohol the weight just goes back on. And it's not cheap either.

    Best wishes, and I hope you manage to sort something out.

    Pheebs x
  • carol101
    carol101 Member Posts: 584
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    ninakang wrote:
    Hi Carol

    I'm sorry to hear you feel so down about not being able to lose weight. My husband works shifs as a bus driver so I know how difficult it is, he never seems to be able to lose his belly (which I quite like anyway :-)).

    Like the others have said, having one big meal a day probably isn't doing you any favours at all as your body is just storing fat thinking it's starving. It's better to try and take healthy snacks with you to work, like fruit and sticks of vegetables with humous or other dips to munch on. Then after work try having a light snack like beans on one slice of toast.

    I'm a bit concerned (it's the mother in me!) that from what I read, you only seem to be sleeping about 6 hours a night? Did I read that right? Your body needs at least 8 hours sleep at night and I really can't think how you manage on such little sleep!

    Nina X
  • carol101
    carol101 Member Posts: 584
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    ninakang wrote:
    Hi Carol

    I'm sorry to hear you feel so down about not being able to lose weight. My husband works shifs as a bus driver so I know how difficult it is, he never seems to be able to lose his belly (which I quite like anyway :-)).

    Like the others have said, having one big meal a day probably isn't doing you any favours at all as your body is just storing fat thinking it's starving. It's better to try and take healthy snacks with you to work, like fruit and sticks of vegetables with humous or other dips to munch on. Then after work try having a light snack like beans on one slice of toast.

    I'm a bit concerned (it's the mother in me!) that from what I read, you only seem to be sleeping about 6 hours a night? Did I read that right? Your body needs at least 8 hours sleep at night and I really can't think how you manage on such little sleep!

    Nina X

    If i was to get 8hrs sleep when on early shift i would have to be going to bed at 8.30! Also on night shft, finishing work at 6am, have a couple of hours wind down, i'd be getting up at 4pm, would mean cooking dinner nearly as soon as i get up, bit of house work, then leave the house again at 9pm. It's not as easy as working a 9-5 job.
    Carol x
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Exactly Lynn!

    Elizabeth xxxxx
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • salamander
    salamander Member Posts: 1,906
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I'm on WW now. Lost 10 1/2 lbs in under six weeks. Haven't got much more to lose just the weight I put on with steroids. I find it quite easy to do but think it is better if I go to meetings, otherwise I cheat!
    It worked for me before, I lost 18 lbs and kept it off for years, until I got arthritis and couldn't exercise and was put on steroids. I don't find the Mtx makes me hungry, more like nausea than hunger!
  • ninakang
    ninakang Member Posts: 1,367
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Salamander, that's a huge achievement! Well done!

    Nx