Watching our weight
Well, we finally did it! After visiting my doctor on Wednesday for my semi-annual check-up, and at my doctor's suggestion, hubby and I took the plunge and joined Weight Watchers this afternoon.You see, ever since both of us (1) quit smoking and (2) quit working, we have watched our weight increase expotentially as our ages also increased. We now find ourselves in the unenviable position of being not only overweight, but also out of shape. And we don't like it. We joined a health club several months ago so we could exercise. We have gained a little muscle but have not lost any weight so far.
Being overweight has decreased our stamina, limited our activities, and made us feel horrible. I'm scheduled for knee surgery very shortly. My increased weight has exacerbated my lack of stamina, made me lose muscle tone, caused my back to hurt all the time, and made all my weight-bearing joints sing mightily when I'm on my feet. Walking any distances has been out of the question for some time now. Thank goodness for those electric carts in most large stores. Otherwise I would be sitting in the car while husband shopped.
How pitiful is that!
That's why we decided (I actually decided and husband is going along for the ride) to join the wonderful world of those who wish to be young and slim again. When we arrived at the meeting place, I expected us to be embarassed beyond belief. Fortunately, the opposite was true. It seems we knew a lot of people there and we were welcomed with opened arms. Great.
Now all we have to do is drink six 8-ounce bottles of water and three glasses of fat-free milk a day (gads, I hate milk), measure and count units for every little thing we put in our mouths, read a lot of food labels, go crazy trying to figure out how to cook using their method (damn, no more cheese), and learn how to shop for foods that fit into the Plan. And, we get to pay and pay and pay to lose a couple of pounds.
Maybe we should just call Jenny Craig. I saw Kirstie Alley on TV the other day and she said she lost 60 pounds already eating Jenny's food. Nothing to prepare -- just throw it in the microwave. And, she gets to eat chocolate. How sweet is that?
We are now obligated to attend weekly meetings and to weigh in. If we lose 10 pounds, we get a bookmark. For each additional 10 pounds we lose, we get a gold star to put on the bookmark. I saw one friend's bookmark loaded with gold stars. I just had to give her a nice pat on the back for the wonderful job she's done. She looks wonderful and is an inspiration to us all (way to go, Mary Helen). Maybe we're not lost causes after all and maybe I'll look like Kirstie Alley one day.
posted by Motherkitty @ 10:03 PM
16 comments
16 Comments:
my friend is also doing WW
at WalMart they have WW frozen dinners, and I have seen WW entrees at some restaurants....
I will give you a bookmark already, why wait for 10 lbs?
I say, take things gradually, like just start with more water....and maybe milk in your cereal for breakfast....
don't forget that you want a lifestyle change you can live with for the rest of your life....
don't give up, i am sure you can find lots of food combinations that will fit your tastes and their plan....
I guess I wouldn't fit in with WW because I am lactose intolerant - no milk for me or my stomach revolts. Good luck with it - I am sure once you settle in and learn the system it will be easy.
Like alipurr said this is a life style change - not some fad diet you lose a few pounds on then regain them again.
My mother used to follow every diet that came out till she wised up and just started eating less and watching what she ate.
I am losing weight - like you those extra pounds put some real pain on those joints.
Good luck on your plan, WW is great. Just think, you already got a jumpstart on weight loss after your bout earlier this week!
I don't know where your information came from, but it sure isn't the weight watchers I know. The flex plan that I follow does not require that I eat any special foods, drink milk, or for gods' sake give up cheese! All you do is keep track of what you eat, whatever that may be (a food journal). You get so many points/day based on your weight. (cal/50 + fat/12 - fiber/4 = points) There are suggested guide lines for you to follow for more healthy choices. However, I found that I started making better choices for what I eat because I want each point to "really count." There are no rules, no I can't have this or that, no special foods to buy. It is also no quick fix. As in most things in life, you get out of it what you put into it. Personally I love it and it is the only thing that works for me. Good luck, I really hope you and your husband give it a chance and are successful in your efforts.
Go to weightwatcher.com and check it out.
Kathy
Kathy, thanks for stopping by. I really appreciate the advice on WW's diets. I realize that there's a lot we have to learn about this program and that's why we joined and are willing to give it our all. We only attended one meeting yesterday afternoon so we certainly don't know very much about what we can and can't eat at this point. We are just trying to get over the hunger pangs right now.
My post was kind of flippant and intended to amuse. I can see where some of the things I wrote might seem "misinformation." We were told, however, by our group leader that we were to drink three glasses of fat-free milk (or milk equivalents) per day for those over the age of 50. And, I realize, after looking over my books this morning, that you can eat a limited amount of cheese.
I hope you come back and visit -- and offer more advice and encouragement. We need all the help we can get. Do you have a blog?
I'm trying to lose some weight, too. I'm eating better but not excercising so It's not doing much good. I need to get off my lazy butt once in awhile.
Good for you and husband! I am so happy for you both and maybe it will rub off on Papa Bear and I. We need to be on a diet also.... we just haven't been motivated enough to do it. Too depressed and too many aches and pains but we think about it all the time. Maybe reading more about your success will get us going! I tried WW several years ago. I did the points system too.
I wish you two the best of luck. Thanks for posting this it makes me think about my own problem with weight. Maybe it will get me to thinking more. Maybe I will pull out the WW book and get started!!!
Thanks Motherkitty!
Mama Bear
Hi Motherkitty!
I tried to post yesterday, but my server has been playing up, and refused to let me say anything to you.
Just to back up Kathy's comment - I have also done Weight Watchers, to lose some post-baby kilos, and found it a very healthy way to eat. Fruit is very low in points, most veges are no points, etc. As`far as counting points - yes, the first week it's annoying. But you'll find after that, you keep eating mostly the same foods, so you stop having to figure points out all the time, and are just keeping a tally of them, which is straightforward.
Best of luck!
Jelly
This diet is hard, guys. My stomach is rumbling and I feel like eating the entire refrigerator.
We went grocery shopping this afternoon and spent A LOT OF MONEY and TIME reading labels before we got all our goodies home. We found lots of items in the store that were Weight Watchers dinners, low fat, no fat, had points printed on the package, and low calorie. We even bought some soy burgers and soy sausage. Never in my lifetime did I think I could put stuff like that in my mouth.
It was difficult choosing because I wanted to eat everything in the store right then and there. Fortunately I have the best check mate in the world -- I look at something and my mate says we don't need it. The proof is in the pudding, so they say, and we shall find out if we've been honest with ourselves when we get on the scales next week.
Losing weight is always a challenge. My hubby and I did it together also!
Once you have your knees fixed, the walking will help you lose/and or maintain.
We didn't follow WW, but instead did the DASH (dietary approach to stopping hypertension) Lots of fresh fruit, veggies, whole grains, lean meats. Try googling it, if you're interested. It is the one our Dr. recommended. I lost 44# and hubby lost 38#.
Good luck,
Sue
Motherkitty...if you like veggies most are free to eat with no points.
Take a magic marker and label your stuff with the point values so that you don't have to stop and count it when you are hungry...you'll just have to write it down in your journal as you eat it, to keep tract of your daily allowance.
Weight Watcher's is a really good life style change...teaches you how to eat the right sized portions.
I think the right sized portions is the key to it all. I think that is the secret to weight loss.
I lost 2 lbs a week with WW, but when I lost 14 lbs. I quit. It really does work, but I had a hard time eating up all my points and they told me if I ate all my points I would lose more. It was just too much food to eat and I was having to eat all the time to reach my points.
We didn't have to give up anything.
Why is losing weight so hard and gaining so easy? You know, it should be the other way around I think!
I have never done WW before but people do lose on it. I'm pulling for the both of you! Good luck!
Kitty - Hey now, remember Kirstie is getting paid to lose wait. That's one good reason for her to lose weight right?
Hang in there, I'm sure you'll reach your goal.
Have a great weekend.
Peace & Hugs,
- Neo
My sweet blogmates, how can I thank you enough for all your kind words of encouragement?
This first day, all we could think about was counting points, updating our diaries, and EATING. Gadzooks, I have never thought about food so much in all my life. Hopefully this will come more naturally as the days and weeks pass. We are having to look everything up in the books so we count correctly.
I suppose this diet will be a continuous topic of discussion for husband and I and I will try not to bore you all with our progress or defeats. I will probably bring the subject up again only if something funny or unusual happens, like my suddenly turning in Kirstie Alley.
Good on ya mate! (As they say in Australia). Way to go, MK. It might be hard work and a pain in the neck, but you and hubby will feel better for it. I wish you both great success! We should all get plenty of exercise and eat right. It's too easy to do the opposite! I'm looking forward to getting in some walking now that the weather will be warming up. (It's taking its sweet time!)
I'm doing Weight Watchers too!! I've been meaning to tell you about my experience doing this after you posted on my blog that you joined. I am doing the online version, which is so easy and convenient for me... I just log on, enter in my numbers, and it keeps track of everything for me. I have tried doing it manually since I have the books, but I've found that I stick to it better when I do everything online. The hubby will argue that I could just do an Exel spreadsheet or something, but I like how their whole database of points is accessible.
Anyway, I did WW years ago and lost 40 pounds, so that is why I'm doing this again. Although this time I'm still nursing my daughter so I have to really make sure I'm getting enough calories and eating the right things. Once you get the hang of it, it is SO easy. It does help if you're a habitual eater, however. For me, every day I eat the same things pretty much. And I've found that there is a lot of room for indulgences every so often.
This time around I'm definitely drinking more milk (partly due to nursing). I usually have it with a cookie or with one of those Weight Watchers treats (which aren't too bad but I'll admit the cookie is better, hehe).
Good luck! I think it's awesome that your hubby is doing this with you. My husband refuses, even though he has high blood pressure and high cholesterol (yep, at his age... and he's had it for years... *sigh*). Email me if you have any questions! I really love this program, and once you get the hang of it, I'm sure you'll like it too! :)
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