Yes! :D A week ago, I joined Weight Watchers! I waited to blog about it so as to give a better beginning review. I’ve never been on any type of official weight loss program before, so this was a first for me.
I don’t consider myself fat in the least bit. However, for my age (23) and height (5’6) I am overweight (joined weighing 174.4lbs). After doing some research, I decided to try out WW for the following reasons:
- I know people who’ve achieved great results: a family member lost 40lbs!
- I have practically zero knowledge about portion control and truly eating healthfully.
- I want to get more into cooking and using real & fresh ingredients.
- I want to look fab for BlizzCon and, eventually, my wedding!
So, last Tuesday was my first meeting. No one made me stand up and introduce myself or speak up unless I wanted to. I was given lots of tips on setting goals and pacing myself. It was refreshing from the “omg-burn-burn-BURN!!” kind of vibes that most programs seem to give off. :P Overall, the meeting was surprisingly very respectful, encouraging and enjoyable!
Of the two plans you can choose from, I decided on the Flex Plan. I am allotted 24 “food points” (there is a quiz to figure out the number) per day and I can eat whatever I want as long as the value of each food/drink adds up to 24. Every food has a point value based on calories, fat grams and fiber grams. I was given this little cardboard slider to figure out the point value of any food. If I’m not sure, or if it’s a fresh food without a label (like an apple), I can look it up in the food companion booklet (bought at the meeting) or on the website! :D
Along with my 24 daily points, I’m also given 35 weekly extra points in case I want to splurge on something that goes beyond my daily value. Perfect for me, because I hate diets/plans/programs that deprive you of the foods you love.
Overall, I’ve had too much fun this past week with the system. XD I’ve gone from eating whatever is in the fridge and not knowing what to make to actually planning my meals and enjoying the preparing/cooking that goes with it! :D Also I’ve lost 1.4lbs so far, now weighing 173lbs, which is a victory for me! The typical loss with WW is 1-2lbs per week if you follow the plan and I don’t intend to quit anytime soon, if ever. :)
With WW’s really awesome eTools, I’ve actually written out a few recipes for meals while tracking my daily points! They are primitive so far, nothing too fancy…but even if you’re not on Weight Watchers I’m sure you’ll appreciate how yummy this one is:
Soup, Sandwich & Salad
- 2 slices Weight Watchers Singles (cheese, 2pts)
- 2 slices high fiber bread (1pt)
- no calorie butter spray
- 1 serving canned soup, 98% fat free (1pt)
- 3 leaves Romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1/4 cup diced/chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp Kraft Light Zesty Italian dressing (1pt)
Spray a non-stick pan with cooking spray and heat to medium. Once heated, spray one slice of bread with butter on one side and place into pan. Lay cheese slices on top. Coat 2nd bread slice with butter and lay on top of 1st slice, butter-side up. After cheese melts, flip sandwich over until both sides are brown. Toss lettuce with tomatoes and dressing, heat soup, and enjoy! :D
Together the meal is a 5 point value and so delicious. :D I added a serving of Kashi whole grain crackers (2pts) to compliment the soup. It’s not gourmet or anything, but it’s great for me! More recipes to come, I have to figure out whether I’d like to make a new section for recipes or a whole new blog. Opinions?
I have heard great things about Weight Watchers, but I really cannot afford joining right now. I’m not sure if I want to join, to be honest. However, good for you on getting started. :)
Well, first of all, good luck with your program (in a good way, sometimes "good luck with that" sounds quite sarcastic and that’s not what I mean! :)).
I really envy people who have the discipline to engage into dieting. That never was for me. I MUCH PREFER working my ass out and sweating every single day, lifting weights, running and more, than restraining what and how much I eat.
I’ve always been used to working out and using my body, so weight has never been an issue, luckily. But it’s not about how thin you are, it’s about how healthy you are, and despite I work out every single day of the week, every week, I can’t help indulging in my so beloved Coca Cola: a 1 1/2 bottle a day…oh that’s life!
So I admire you. I don’t know if a recipe blog would be the thing to start with. Maybe setting up a blog recipes category instead?
See, for me it’s flipped! I always envy people who can work out so much, heh! I’ve never found an exercise I really enjoy and find it hard to motivate myself to not be lazy. :P Besides, I don’t really consider WW a real diet (in the stereotype of the word) as I’m more or less just teaching myself how to truly eat healthfully.
That’s interesting. I always thought this was some sort lame community where everyone was just whining and all.
I lost weight by… going to the doctor, and in record time. But well… it’s not quite the best way (I’m impatient though). However once I get to the weight I want, I’ll consider joining. Keep us updated then please. Oh and good luck ;)
Haha, I did too. :P I was sort of worried as I went to the first meeting but it surprised me. :D
Oooo good luck with WW hun! I’ve seen alot of people be really successful with WW as well, so I doubt you will have any problems :D!
Good luck Melissa! I admire you for being enthusiastic about it all and still letting yourself eat the stuff you love. That recipe sounds really delicious, too. Shame that cheese is two points though, haha. I eat way too much of it – I’d probably reach the 24 points on cheese alone! xD
Well, one slice is actually one point! If you notice, I’m using two slices. ;)
I love those little sliding cardboard point system things. :D My mom borrowed one from a co-worker’s husband. It fun to see what the different foods’ points are.
I hope you have excellent results with WW. Its good that you’re only losing 1-2 pounds a week because if it was like 5-10, then you might harm your body. (That was the one thing that I learned from my 7th grade health class XD)
WW sounds like the perfect program for you :) I think if I ever need to lose weight I would join ww :)
Your recipe looks sooooo yummy delicious!! I should really start eating more healthy, I just can’t really afford it at the moment… :T
If I could really afford healthier foods I would be buying organic all the time, but I can’t. :( But even though WW is about weight control, of course, I really do see it as a way for me to learn portion control, which I think is the true way to eat healthy. If I want a cupcake I will eat a damn cupcake. I’ll just only eat one. XD
That sounds great! I’ve heard that Weight Watchers is way better than other weight loss programs, for the reason that instead of going on a hardcore diet (which is usually unhealthy and usually results in gaining the weight back again), it teaches you how to eat healthily and maintain the weight. Congratulations and good luck. :)
Thank youuu! :D
I bought the Complete Weight Watchers cookbook awhile back and every recipe tells you how many points it’s worth. I love it!
Thank you for inspiring me to get off my tush and sign up! I’m going to go to my first meeting today!
YAY, I hope you enjoy it!
Oh I’m glad you’ve decided to take a shot at healthier nutrition. Whether we plan to lose weight or not, I think it’s a very important and valuable skill to learn. Now, if only I could get that through my own head! Good luck with the whole process! I’m sure you’ll do well with the convention and your eventual wedding as set goals to strive towards. Personally I don’t think it would be necessary for you to start another blog for recipes. I think it would be nice for your readers to be able to access it all in one place, and after a while, the frequency of new recipes will probably slow down and that blog will likely go to waste. So I think it would be great if you just added a recipe category!
I think you are right, I will probably do that. :D
That’s awesome! I am impressed you lost weight already.
Hee! I feel like you, me and Cristina are ON A MISSION. A health mission!
Also, am giggling at Vasili’s notion that it would be possible to lose 10lbs per week. You’d have to be chopping off limbs at that point, I’d think.
YES!!! GO US! :D We will winnnn!
My mum is on WW, she’s always tired and drained whenever she’s on it.
She’s on that point scheme thing too… But all she eats is the weight watcher ready meals.
That might be why. :( I’m not really sure about the ready meals, I’ve never heard of them…but the Flex points plan is for allowing you to eat whatever you like up to your daily point value. Depriving yourself only hurts your mind/body in the long run, I believe.
Yay – congratz on taking a step towards a healthier lifestyle :D ! WW definitely sounds like a great program and I know a lot of people that it’s worked for…happy eating :P .
Oh, and you made me feel guilty for not entering the last qBee activity, so I’m working on my sandcastle right now and you’ll be the first one to know when it’s completed XD :heart:
w00t! Yay for Mel! :D an those Soup, Sandwich & Salad looks too good to be healthy >_> XD
Congrats on the weight loss! I would never be able to keep track of my eating like that- I snack without thinking. >_>
I used to have an rss feed, but I don’t know what happened to it. X_X Nor am I quite computer savvy enough to know how to get one again. Google to the rescue, hopefully!
My mom & I are joining soon. Our insurance pays for it & we have a $20 a month co-pay. Supposedly we get all the benefits of online as well. I may choose the flex plan as I need my daily soda or I die.