Barb, tell me more about Weight Watchers

[MonaCat]

Barbi,
Since I have never been to an WW group, tell me what I can expect? Do I just show up and bring money?
Will they welcome me at the door or what?
Is it like an AA meeting where you have to say, Hi..I am__________, and overweight?

[rottrod]

Barb, tell me more about Weight Watchers

Mona,
My name is not Barbi but since she has not answered yet I thought I would.
I am a girl, (private joke between the cat and me)
Are you really serious? I can tell you much about WW having tried and failed miserably a number of times. This is not their fault, well maybe it is because although they offer a vegetarian plan, a vegan plan, a low carb plan, a high protein plan, they do not have a wino plan, so yes it is absolutely their fault.
You do show up and yes you do have to bring money if you want to join.
Usually they don't greet you at the door.
They do have a sermon.
They do give away prizes, but not as good as on The View.
You do feel warm and fuzzy and motivated afterward.
You will lose weight if you don't follow the Wino Plan which they don't have anyway.

Let me know if you have anymore questions since we have been meaning to chat.

[nancy]

Barb, tell me more about Weight Watchers

Mona you are hilarious!!!

you don't have to announce your name and that you are overweight. LOL!!!!

you bring money (was $10 or $12 per session when I went last) and get weighed privately and your weight is registered on a little card. Then they give you a starter pack with materials to help you count your point. and they set a goal weight for you based on weight and height tables. Every week they register your weight again on the little card and as you lose you get little stars!

then you go into the meeting room where you hear tips for weight loss from the leader as well as people in the group.

I don't think i would call it a sermon though. I can't sit still in meetings and tended to skip them, but supposedly it is better for weight loss if you stay. The weigh in was a big motivator for me. granted, it's an expensive way to get weighed every week.

[MonaCat]

Barb, tell me more about Weight Watchers

Thanks Rottie, and Nancy
Okay Rottie, I got it now, you are a girl. It's just the name threw me off.
So WW is not a cult like AA?
What's this I hear about them ringing a bell when you weigh in?
No wino plan, oh that sucks!

[Kitty]

Barb, tell me more about Weight Watchers

Hi Mona,

I went for a while, I can't remember any bells.

By the way Irish is after us so I've caved!!!

Kitty

[Kitty]

Barb, tell me more about Weight Watchers

Mona that was weird!!! Your avatar changed while I was writing my message!!

[MonaCat]

Barb, tell me more about Weight Watchers

That's because we are on the same wave lengths Kitty, sharing energy!
We don't want Irish getting mad at us, besides that lime helmet is heavy uncomfortable and smells inside.
Wow, sounds like a lot of you have tried WW's.
Does anyone "love" it "swear" by it?
It's gotta be really wonderful for me to go. I am not convinced yet.

[Kitty]

Barb, tell me more about Weight Watchers

It's definately worth trying. They give you some really cool stuff when you join and I still use their points lists to this day.

All depends if you get on with the "group" element of it.

Good luck,

Kitty

[rottrod]

Barb, tell me more about Weight Watchers

Mona,
It is a good plan. I may give it a go again now that I'm not drinking anymore. The alcohol uses up those points pretty fast. If you like lots of vegetables you can eat yourself silly. They have some great recipes.
If you have a good leader the meetings are really inspiring. You can go at different times/locations to find one you can relate to.
The overall cost per month is still much less than what I would spend on wine in one week.
There is also an online program for about $12 per month that is good.

Hope this helps, see I can be serious sometimes.

Melissa

[MonaCat]

Barb, tell me more about Weight Watchers

Rottie,
Oh my gosh, on line, I love it.
I am so busy with my work and family, that I hardly have anytime.
I'll check it out.
I am curious to see what Barbi has to say about the on line program.
Thanks for that information.
I have never really heard anyone say WW sucks.
I went to a medical conferance last year, where they said, WW and the by pass surgery were the only two real effective ways to lose weight, and keep it off....scarey huh?

[nancy]

Barb, tell me more about Weight Watchers

I seem to remember reading that the Atkins diet was effective but some don't think it is very healthy.

[nancy]

Barb, tell me more about Weight Watchers

online

I have heard good things about the online program. But for me the biggest motivator was getting on those special weight watchers scales every week.

I was pretty shocked my first time when i weighed in at 5 pounds over my weight on the garden variety scale. a friend who was doing it with me said WW has special scales.
the accurate kind!!!

Yikes!

wear light clothing when you go.

the other thing you miss is the little cards with your weight registered every week and the little stars on the cards when you hit milestones in weight loss.

[rottrod]

Barb, tell me more about Weight Watchers

When I went I wore the same thing every week so that it would be more accurate.

Nancy, the guidelines for Topamax say specifically that one should not follow a low carb high fat diet while taking it so those taking Topamax should steer clear of the Atkins diet unless they are really disciplined about their fat intake. I checked this out since the doc put me on a low carb diet. Just an FYI.

Melissa

[nancy]

Barb, tell me more about Weight Watchers

I learned my lesson

That's very interesting about topa and low carb diets..

The atkins types don't seem to healthy to me. What's wrong with good carbs?

I decided to track points on my own this time. I had what I thought was a healthy salad.

Then I looked up calories online

Oh my God.

Avocado: not to far from 300
Kidney beans: cup 600!!!

can that be right?????

this is why i should bring my WW material with me everywhere.

[rottrod]

Barb, tell me more about Weight Watchers

Nancy,
You must be looking at dry kidney beans. Cooked kidney beans are about 200 to 230 per cup. They swell up to 3-4 times their size when they are cooked.

It's not so much the low carb and the Topa its the combination of low carb with the high fat. (Atkins is known for this) I think it's because of the effect on the kidneys which the Topa can negatively effect as well.

I'm on the low carb because my blood glucose was to high, almost to the borderline diabetic stage thanks to years of abuse of my "temple". so I'm trying to discover which carbs are low on the glycemic index and stick to those. so I can't even drink non alcoholic beer or wine.

I'll be glad to discuss and brainstorm with you about this anytime you like because I know we both struggle with our weight.

Melissa