Went to my 1st Weight Watchers meeting

[Anonymous Posts]

It sounds so silly but I'm scared to start...I'm not happy hanging on to this baby weight but I'm reluctant to give up all of the food that I love. I know that I have to make a change and I think this might work. Wish I could get a handle on my eating on my own but I just can't seem to get it together. I'm feeling 1 part excited, 1 part apprehensive. I haven't told anyone other than DH that I've decided to this but I felt like I had to 'get it out' so that's why I'm posting. If anyone is currently on Weight Watchers and has any hints/tips to help me get started, it would be much appreciated.

[Deb M]

I just started WW again on Sunday. I fell off the wagon at Christmas and am only just getting back on.

I know the program works if you stick with it. I'm writing everything down and drinking water and trying to walk everyday.

If you haven't been to a meeting yet, Donna is an amazing WW leader. Her meetings are on Sunday mornings and Monday nights.

If you're just starting out you should make the veggie soup recipe that comes in your program materials it really helps fill you up when you're hungry and it's 0 points.

Silver Hills has a great Flax bread that is 1 point per slice and Pepper's has turkery pepperoni that's 1 point per stick (you can buy it at Thrifty's and Safeway).

Stash Chocolate Hazelnut Decaf tea is great to drink in the evenings.

Good luck.

[Anonymous Posts]

I felt exactly like you did poster. i've got about 40 extra pounds on me since having the babies... and I finally said that's it.. iim going to do it. I'm at the start of my 5th week and down 7.7 pounds... so I know i'm going to do it this time. Go for it.. you'll be so happy you did and I know im going to be alot happier this summer when it sneaks up on me.

[Tranquility]

Congrats to all you WW ladies. I am on it as well and am down 12 pounds in 7 weeks. The last 2 weeks I haven't been on track, but am back into it now.

Keep track of all your points and go to the meetings. Oh, and eat all of the points that are allotted to you. Unless, of course, you are on the Core Plan.

English Muffin Pizza 4 points:

Spread 1-2 tsp. pizza sauce on each English Muffin half. Sprinkle grated mozz cheese just enough to cover the sauce. Place 4 Ives veggie pizza pepperoni pieces on top of each half. Bake at 400 until cheese is golden.

If you don't like the veggie pepperoni, deduct a point and load it with mushrooms, onions, and peppers. Mmmm....

Potato Wedges 5 points:

Cut medium potato into wedges and put on cookie sheet. Spray very lightly with Pam. Bake at 400 until potatoes are golden brown and crunchy like fries. Mine take around 25 minutes. Remove. Cover with cottage cheese (measure 1-2 points worth, depends on which you are using), and add salsa over the cottage cheese. This is VERY filling.

You can also do this with a baked potato.

Spaghetti Squash Marinara 2 points:

Spaghetti squash has no points. Cook/prepare as directed and then just add low fat spaghetti sauce over the spaghetti squash. I use Healthy Choice and it's around 2 points per 1/2 cup. You can use your calculator to find out the exact points depending on which sauce you use. Have it with a salad and you have a low point lunch or dinner.

For a yummy treat.... have you tried the frozen 1 point cakes? I have one a night and they are soooooo good. They have chocolate, lemon, and carrot cakes. They are at the Hillside Mall Thrifty's.

Mmm.... chocolate hazlenut tea. I am into the vanilla nut one right now. Just a tad of sugar and a splash of milk. So good!

For coffee lovers... 2 tablespoons of those fat free creamers are 2 points. If you use just a tiny bit of sugar (1 tsp), it's a 2 point coffee treat. I make mine with instant coffee, 1 tsp of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of fat free irish cream creamer. I love it!

Which meetings do you all go to? I go to the University Heights one at 8:15. Rosie is awesome!!!

Good luck ladies!

[Anonymous Posts]

OP here. O.k, so it's been almost a week. After that 1st meeting, I didn't know if I could do it. Here I am, doing it. I've actually really gotten into it. I'm realizing that I'm going to have to take advantage of the WW recipes though. I find if I have a sandwich for lunch, it blows a lot of my points for the day. I've had a few missteps but still managed to stay within my points. Probably my only complaint is that I do feel hungry (and I hate feeling hungry). I don't know that I've lost any weight yet but I've decided I'm not going to weigh myself at home - I'll just get weighed at the meeting once a week so I don't get obsessed with the scale. If nothing else, it's really opened my eyes re: portion sizes and has made me realize how much I was eating without 'counting it' - a bite of my baby's food here, a few bites standing at the counter, a yummy treat in the lunchroom at work, samples at the grocery store. I'm having to ask myself - "do I REALLY want to eat this?" No more mindless eating.

[Tranquility]

I hear on on the feeling hungry. I get very grumpy when hungry!!! But, the promising news is that it doesn't last. Once your body gets used to the change in eating, you will not feel hungry all the time. It will adjust to your new routine. But, if you do get hungry, I hear green tea does wonders. I find that I lose more when I drink green tea. It supposedly helps with belly fat. I am all there! I brew mine and then poor it over a glass of ice. I get the benefits of the tea as well as having my glass of water.

Good for you for sticking to it. After a little bit, it feels like second nature. You are doing great!!!

[oceanforest]

Good for you! It's hard taking that first step - and you've already done it!!

I'm on WW and I have lost 28 pounds in 12 weeks. Didn't read other points - but here are my tips that work for me...

My tips would be to find low point substitutes for the foods you love (weight watchers bread, ultra low fat cream cheese rather than butter, sugar free jam, fat free sugar free fudgecicles etc) that will allow you to eat more because they are so low in points...works for me.

I also have food low in points value throughout the day so I can eat more of a full meal and a good snack at night because I prefer that.

Also - planning your meals out in advance is really helpful because you can plan exactly for the amount of points you have each day.

Definately drink lots of water and have plenty of healthy choices on hand - if you can just don't have any junk at all in the house - its too tempting. I also found it helped to identify what foods I can't seem to control myself around (trigger foods) and just not eat them at all - especially the first while on the program - for me that was cheese!

Measure your portions carefully and keep doing that - because when you stop doing that they gradually get bigger and bigger - if you can afford a digital scale they come in really handy. Count every point you eat - even if its a sip or a bite of something.

When I buy treats for myself (like pretzels or reduced fat graham crackers or whatever) I measure them out into single serving sizes in sandwich ziploc bags and store them that way (and mark the front with the points value) - so I dont mindlessley eat a whole bunch of something or a whole bag of something - I have my snack pre-measured.

HTH! It gets pretty easy once you get going. I still have the odd day or weekend where I de-rail - but I'm learning not to berate myself too much and to just get back on track as soon as possible.

If you want you can join our weekly weigh in on here (anonymously) it REALLY motivates me.

[oceanforest]

I just discovered a DELICIOUS low point treat!
Yoplait Source 0% mf Dessert Selection yogurts - you can get them in individual serving size - one serving = one point - and they taste like you're being really bad - but only one point!
I just downed a chocolate cherry fondue one - YUM!

[Deb M]

I weighed in today and managed to lose 4.8 pounds my first week. I'm so excited. My saving grace was Holy Hummus and carrots.

[Tranquility]

Deb M... congrats on your first week! Thanks for the suggestion on the Chocolate Hazlenut tea. I had it awhile back and thought it was good, but now that I am on WW, I love it love it love it. Not sure if you are a cinnamon fan, but Stash makes a Double Chai Spice. I swear it tastes like a stick of Big Red Gum once you add a tsp of sugar and milk. It also makes the house smell nice.

Gotta run and finish my Hazlenut Tea and popcorn. One bag of the Orville Redenbacher's Smart Pop individual bags is only 1 point. Gotta have my goodies in the evening!

[Shannon]

Congrats to all of you getting healthier. I sure envy you. I need to do something too. I will take some of these suggestions on here and use them.

Good luck ladies, keep it up!