Weight Watchers - Part II...

[udsweetpea]

chefker I know they're not Buffalo Ranch, but they make Doritos in those 100 calorie packs now. I almost bought them tonight, but I know I can't stop at just one pack.

[udsweetpea]

People on the WW boards are seriously nuts. One woman really just asked "I stop at Wendy's every morning for an Egg McMuffin because I'm too busy to make anything at home. Help me find the points!" Does she not see her problem?!?!?!? Then she gets all mad that people offer up advice on staying away from fast food as often as possible and eat a yogurt at home!

[chefker]

chefker I know they're not Buffalo Ranch, but they make Doritos in those 100 calorie packs now. I almost bought them tonight, but I know I can't stop at just one pack.


Oh, I've got those too. :rolleyes: Actually, I'm VERY good with those--I brown bag my lunch, so I limit myself to one pack of those in my lunch bag. But damn...even DH said the new Buffalo ranch flavor is like CRACK.

Can't beat myself up...we all have slip ups, I guess. I rarely dip into Flex points (other than maybe tacking on one or two at the end of the day if I don't earn activity points). So I'll just get this out of my system tonight. I'm just disappointed in myself, really. :(

[PeanutButter]

Starting Weight: 152.2
Last Week: 148.0
This Week: 147.4
Loss of .6
Total loss 4.8
Goal Weight: 130

Sigh. Slow and steady does it, right? I guess I will try eating fewer flex points? I ate 25 this week.
This is kinda how my body works... I lose reallllllllllly slowly. A loss is still a loss, though, right?

[Katy]

Today was my weigh in and I've lost 8.4 lbs! I'm thrilled.:eek: Holy Cow Sol, that's AMAZING!!! Congrats!

People on the WW boards are seriously nuts. One woman really just asked "I stop at Wendy's every morning for an Egg McMuffin because I'm too busy to make anything at home. Help me find the points!" Does she not see her problem?!?!?!? Then she gets all mad that people offer up advice on staying away from fast food as often as possible and eat a yogurt at home!But um, yeah...why not have a liquid yogurt and a PB or turkey sandwich - quite a portable breakfas?!? Or string cheese. Or a granola bar or something. I've gotten so used to the CC format that I really can't make heads or tails of thier board. I've rarely even found it to be overly helpful.

PeanutButter...*hugs* remember, slow and steady wins the race. Heck, come to think of it, its' not ever race it's a lifestyle! You're doing fine!

[udsweetpea]

But um, yeah...why not have a liquid yogurt and a PB or turkey sandwich - quite a portable breakfas?!? Or string cheese. Or a granola bar or something. I've gotten so used to the CC format that I really can't make heads or tails of thier board. I've rarely even found it to be overly helpful.


Oh I know! Those boards drive me batty with the way they're formatted. I only go on there to get some easy tips and join a challenge or two.

[greenbunny]

Keep going PB, turtle beats the hare!

Kerrie, I find those Doritos revolting. I'm so glad, because they're in the vending machine constantly. Cool Ranch, however, is a problem for me.

[mrstim]

Two days until weigh in!! ACK! Here's to hoping!

I've not been able to exercise very much - I got sick this weekend, DS got it, and it's super cold and rainy outside, so not much out there for me. :( I've done pretty well food-wise though. I got the cookies AND the doughnuts OUT of the house and since then I've done well. In fact, quite often I have to force myself to eat at night to catch up the points b/c I don't get them down during hte day. I know, not good - but we'll see how the scales talk on Thursday! My good scale's batteries went dead, so I'm having to scale hop this time around.

Doritos - I can't even stand the smell of normal doritos, so I doubt I'd like those either. Just can't do any of the flavors!! I'm not a chip person. Those whale cheddar crackers though?? YUM!

PB - great loss! You do realize that's like over a half a stick of butter when you think of it in tangible terms! Think of it positively - you're doing wonderfully!!

Sol - EXCELLENT!! Nothing like a huge loss to motivate you!

Everyone else - sorry I can't be around as much as I'd like, but thank you for encouraging and motivating me through your posts as I read while nursing DH!!

[chefker]

Kerrie, I find those Doritos revolting. I'm so glad, because they're in the vending machine constantly. Cool Ranch, however, is a problem for me.


They really are gross, but try telling that to my taste buds. :p (I also like Funyuns, which are equally vile). I love the cool ranch ones too.

Today's a new day, so I'm starting with a blank slate, points wise, and do my best. Even with yesterday's mishap, I only went over by about 3 points. I'm just having the worst PMS cravings ever this week! All I want is salty snacks.

[Hello Kitty]

I rarely dip into Flex points (other than maybe tacking on one or two at the end of the day if I don't earn activity points). So I'll just get this out of my system tonight. I'm just disappointed in myself, really.
But that is what flex and AP are there for! If you're counting the points and using the points that the system gives you, you're still OP - you're not failing, you're not over! Don't be disappointed :)

I think I probably have a different take on flex and AP because I really need them on Core, as there are things that I do eat everyday that aren't Core (cheese? bread?). IMO, using your flex and AP is very helpful, especially when you get to maintaining, because you won't feel deprived, and you'll be able to lead a normal lifestyle instead of going crazy when you get to goal because you've felt deprived all those months/weeks. It also helps me get enough calories in to keep my newly repaired metabolism running.

And now I want a bag of doritos with lunch today. Nacho cheesier or cool ranch? :D

[Jellibelli]

Why does food have such a hold on us? I've been doing well enough, but I crave carbs (cookies, cake, chips *Doritos*, pasta, etc. etc.) like crazy! I wish I lived in olden days when all they had were nuts and berries . . . and an occasional wild Turkey. They didn't know they were missing cheesecake and Ho-Ho's.

[udsweetpea]

Starting Weight: 195
Last Week: 187.6
This Week: 187
Loss of 0.6
Total Loss: 5 (Finally got that darned 5-pound bookmark!!!!!!!!!!)
Goal Weight: 130-140

[Anna Low]

Jellibelli, I ask myself the same question every day! I am convinced that it is some sort of cruel trick - the best tasting food is the worst for you. Can anyone truthfully say that a carrot tastes better than mocha cheesecake? Or broccoli is more yummy than french fries? I certainly can't!

[greenbunny]

So here's a challenge for points calculation:

Last night DH brought home a tomato pie that his colleague made for us. It's a special Puerto Rican recipe and a guarded family secret. So basically, I ate ethnic food with a lot of ingredients I didn't recognize, and the chef refuses to tell anyone the ingredients!

Maybe I'll just let that one go. :p

[Sue]

I have 3 days to fix what happened on my business trip. I did a preliminary WI this morning and it was SCARY.

[DiscoDiva]

Can anyone truthfully say that a carrot tastes better than mocha cheesecake?
No, but a carrot cake is better than mocha cheesecake! :D

[Anna Low]

No, but a carrot cake is better than mocha cheesecake! :D

'specially with about 2 inches of that yummy cream cheese frosting! Yum! :D

[mrstim]

Week 1
Starting Weight: 181
Last Week: 181
This Week: 178
Total Loss: 3 lbs.

[udsweetpea]

Great loss Amy!

[DiscoDiva]

'specially with about 2 inches of that yummy cream cheese frosting! Yum! :D
*drool* excuse me while I wipe my chin.

I've ben sooo good this week with not cheating!
:)

[Hello Kitty]

Month 11 on WW, month 7 maintaining
gain .4

I can live with that, seeing as how I wasn't perfectly on program (we have way too much cheese in the house, and I haven't been counting it :() and haven't worked out in a very long time. Definitely want to be a bit better about those two things.

[UTChick]

Great loss, Amy!!

Ok...you guys are driving me crazy with this cheesecake talk. :p

Had my WI last night. Lost 1.6 lbs. this week.

SW 177.8
CW 171.4
GW 130

DH graduates with his MBA in December and I want to be able to buy a new outfit for it. It is 8 weeks away, so I am hoping to be in the 150s. If I keep up with the 1-2 lb. loss a week, I should be able to get there, right? And I am hoping to be back in my pre-pg clothes by January (size 8). Sorry for thinking out loud, but hopefully writing out my goals in here will help me stay focused! ;)

[LIZNKEITH]

I've been out of touch since leaving for our trip a couple of weeks ago, We got back in to town last Fridat night, but I did WI all week. You girls were right about all the walking. We ate and drank like King's and totally thought I would have a big gain, but I've actually lost a smidge!

Week 25 WI

Start: 185
Last Week: 170.0
Now: 169.8
This week's loss: -0.2
Total lost: -15.2
10% Goal: 166
Goal: 145 (will re-evaluate at that point)

Hey, I'll take what I can get!

[Jellibelli]

Maybe I'll just let that one go.
Uhm, yeah . . . that's what I'm doing with the chinese I had for lunch ;) .

'specially with about 2 inches of that yummy cream cheese frosting! Yum!
I with ya!

Great for all the losses!:D

WI yesterday. Down 2.0 lbs. She says she doesn't want me losing more than that, but 2 lbs compared to the 3,000 I need to lose seems so minuscule! Patience, I know. I went home and had a Pepsi. Haven't had one in 3 weeks.

Don't mean to complain. I LOVE this program and feel so good about doing it. I know what I'm doing is the healthy way. I'm just glad I can come vent 'n stuff. Thanks girls, for listening!

[julesp313]

Glad to see some good scale stories in here! I have my first WI tomorrow and I've been diligently avoiding the scale all week - I just can get so easily obsessed with that machine, it's probably not too healthy, mentally. Anyway, I've been on track and journaled everything, even the entire tin of Altoids that I ate in two days. Yeah - that was fun. Still, numbing my mouth with peppermint did keep me away from the chips!

Talking of chips, that's my weakness - salty snacks. I've tried the Baked Doritos and I'm not a fan, but the 100 calorie packs are good - I take one for lunch and really enjoy it. I haven't yet found a good baked tortilla chip so if anyone has any brand suggestions, please let me know - I absolutely adore chips and salsa!

ETA: Jellibelli - when you have a lot to lose, as I do (about 60lbs, I'm hoping), "just two pounds" can seem so insignificant, can't it? But I'm trying to see it as a good thing anyway - and it's far easier said than done! But every loss gets us closer to the goal, right? That's what I'm trying to stay focused on, because if I think of the 60lbs, it's absolutely overwhelming. :)

[greenbunny]

Talking of chips, that's my weakness - salty snacks. I've tried the Baked Doritos and I'm not a fan, but the 100 calorie packs are good - I take one for lunch and really enjoy it. I haven't yet found a good baked tortilla chip so if anyone has any brand suggestions, please let me know - I absolutely adore chips and salsa!

Yesterday I bought the fat free Tostidos, and I really like them. But they are made with Olestra, which some people prefer to avoid.

Likewise, Ruffles Light are 0 grams of fat and made with Olestra. They taste awesome and have a really satisfying crunch.

My only complaint is how much you get for the price. The bags are smaller than normal but over a dollar more than a regular bag.

[chefker]

Week 10 WI today...


Starting weight: 179.9
Current weight: 158.8
Total lost: 20.8
Goal: 135

23 pounds to go!

[julesp313]

First official WI and a good one (as is often the case for Week 1) - down 4.4lbs. Now, I know I didn't get a sufficient calorie deficit to actually lose 4lbs so there's water weight in there, but still - that's a good number to kick start me, at least mentally!

Greenbunny - I'll try the Tostitos. I have no issues with eating Olestra, though I'm sure it's not super-healthy, but I figure it's better than chowing down on a bag of regular chips! Thanks for the suggestion.

[Sue]

Great losses everyone! It's been a rocky couple of weeks, but I hope to get back on track this week and really stick to the plan. And exercise! I need to exercise more.

Week 3 WI - down 1.5 lbs.

Starting weight: 137
Current weight: 133
Total lost: 4
Goal: 115

[greenbunny]

Weigh in today, +2. I'm really angry about it. I exercised only three days instead of five, and estimated two meals (on the high side) because I wasn't sure of ingredients, but I was still absolutely within flex points. The second I don't do this absolutely OCD perfect, I'm gaining back. That just isn't realistic for the rest of my life.

[udsweetpea]

greenbunny Please don't beat yourself up. There's no possible way you gained 2 pounds of fat. That was probably water weight. Did you eat a lot of salt the night before weigh in? Did you exercise right before weigh in? Both can cause water retention. Did you wear heavier clothes to your weigh in? There's a lot to consider when you gain 2 pounds in a week because we all know that isn't a fat gain. If you did everything right, you should see that weight come right off quickly.

[greenbunny]

Hmm. I am hoping it's water. I did have more salt than usual this week, even though it was points-friendly food. I will have to keep that in mind. I tend to forget about water weight, because I'm on a three-month cycle and rarely have to think about the whole menstrual cycle thing.

Thanks!

[pocket]

I’m a bit disappointed about my weigh in today. I lost one lb. I was really hoping for a bigger loss. I’ve been so very very good! I’ve exercised tons. I haven’t missed a running day in 6 wks. I did yoga yesterday and sculpting twice last week. I stayed within my points all week including the drinks I had on Saturday night. I did great. Why didn’t I lose more than 1 lb? I switched to Core for the week. Maybe that will help.

SW: 192
CW: 182
TWL: 10
10%:173

[PeanutButter]

I agree with PPs, greenbunny - no way is that "real" weight gain... When I was upset about my small loss last week, my WW buddy told me to focus on the overall numbers, not one week, so that is what I am trying to do...

pocket, 1 lb is a great loss for a week! I understand being frustrated by a slower pace, though, for sure... Look at you though - you've lost TEN pounds. That's a clothing size, for sure... (at least on a short person like myself) :D

Great losses sue, julesp and anyone else I missed!

Has anyone else noticed that the points values on-line (WW site) are pretty unreliable? I eat a lot of Au Bon Pain (their soups are cheap-ish and filling, and right across from school) and I have noticed that the points values from the WW website vary drastically from the nutrition info provided by ABP. I don't know if it is because ABP has somewhat recently revamped their menu (less than a year ago), but I guess this is a PSA to double-check as much as possible if you are using the on-line system!

WI tomorrow... We'll see how it goes...

[Jellibelli]

I'm down a cup size!!! And, my double chin is gone! WAHOO!!! There is OH, so much more of me to lose, but this is the first noticeable thing. Nobody else will notice, but I do. And, I'm doing this for me.

I ate sugar cookies for dinner last night. I may find that chin I just lost next WI. Rats!

Everybody, great losses and hang in there! This change of weather does crazy things to our emotions, which make us crave comfort foods like pumpkin chocolate chip muffins and creamy potato cheese soup. mmmm.

[greenbunny]

This change of weather does crazy things to our emotions, which make us crave comfort foods like pumpkin chocolate chip muffins and creamy potato cheese soup. [/COLOR]

:eek: My cafeteria has both today! *looks around the corner*

[Sol]

I have my second weigh-in today, I'm really hoping to get a 10 lb star! We'll see how that goes. Core is very comfortable for me so far.

[Jellibelli]

My cafeteria has both today! *looks around the corner*

Oh my Jellibeans! That's a bit freaky. Where do you work? I'm comin' over!

Good luck, Sol!

[PeanutButter]

Week 6 WI - down 1 lb.

Starting weight: 152.2
Current weight: 146.4
Total lost: 5.8
Goal: 130

Woo hoo. A pound works for me!

[julesp313]

Greenbunny - thanks for the Tostitos suggestion. I got some (am too outraged at the price vs volume discrepancy!) and they are very tasty. I wouldn't have known they weren't regular chips. I'm also in agreement with everyone else that the 2lb isn't a true increase and is most likely due to salt or some other "hidden" horror that we don't immediately think of. I know the day or two before my WI, I'm very conscious of sodium and my water intake as my weight can fluctuate by a pound or two if I miss one or two bottles of water the day before. The body just hangs on to water in scary ways!
Sue - I'm with you on the needing more exercise - I detest cardio but I'll happily do weights for an hour. That's good, but I know I need to step up the cardio (no pun intended).
Pocket - are you possibly not eating enough points for all that activity you're doing? I know a lot of people have found that when they step up their exercise, they have to eat their APs and often most of their flex points too. Maybe you're at that level of exercise that needs more fuel? I wish I was! ;)
PeanutButter - I always try to use the official website for points, if at all possible. While WW and Dottie's websites are great, sometimes they're very inaccurate, as you found. I figure if the vendor is posting their nutritional info, it's probably right (sadly, when I see my favorite foods are so high in points!).
Jellibelli - congrats on the visible victories! I can't wait til I only have one chin - I have a solid two and some days, a half more than that!
Sol - good luck at your WI!

I'm having a reasonably good week so far. I had issues last night - got home too late from work to have a real dinner so I snacked. And snacked. Even though it was healthy food, I just ate too much. Bleurgh. Back on track today and I'm heading home now for a real dinner, even if it is something I have to microwave!

Has anyone bought Halloween candy yet? It seems to be on every desk in our office and it is SO tempting, but I know 2 points for a tiny Snickers is just not worth it!

[greenbunny]

DH and I don't do trick or treat at our house, so luckily I can avoid that temptation. But I have another one instead: we go to a friend's house every year for trick or treat, and the party game is that you get a (watered down) shot every time the doorbell rings. Hello, calories!

I would suggest if you're going to hand out candy, to buy something you know you don't like (for me, that would be anything with peanuts) or something hard to eat quickly, like lollipops.

[pocket]

I've been putting off buying Halloween candy because I usually eat way too much of it.

julesp - i don't think it's the exercise. maybe, but i am running only 90 mins a week. that's a lot for me, but it's hardly excessive.

[udsweetpea]

Weigh in today was a good one!

Starting Weight: 195
Last Week: 187
This Week: 185
Loss of 2
Total Loss: 7
Goal Weight: 130-140

[Anna Low]

Halloween candy has officially invaded my office. We are having a little get together on Friday, but the bags were immediately ripped open upon arrival this afternoon. I was not good. Three mini-hershey bars later, I am a bit disappointed in my lack of will power.

[cheryll_with_2els]

Hi everyone. I've been a member of this site for over a year and have never posted, so I figured now was as good a time as any. :) Plus, this will be a good way to stay in touch with my good friend, Katy! *waves hello*

I joined WW online on April 12 of this year. I weigh-in on Wed. mornings, and I've been on a real losing streak for the past 4 weeks. This morning I lost -3.0, and the previous 3 weeks I've lost -2.3, -2.0, and -3.8! WoooHooo!

Anyways, I hope you don't mind a newcomer. I'm open for any questions. :)

Have a great OP day!

Cheryll

*****************

Starting Weight: 250.0
Current Weight: 191.1
Goal Weight: 130.0

Total Lost: 58.9

WW Online Member Since 04/12/06

[cheryll_with_2els]

Ooops, forgot to mention.

I set up a personal website to keep track of my progress, complete with before / during pictures. Can't wait to add "after" pictures. Feel free to take a look at it. I hope it inspires someone. I know it inspires me! :)

www.freewebs.com/cheryllac/

[Katy]

Cheryll! How great to see you 'round these parts!!! Man, those are some awesome losses! You'll have to give me some pointers next month when I get out there (I'll also be meeting up with one of our other CCers - AttyGrl74 - we can leave the boys alone to play computer geek stuff if you care to join us - I can't wait!!)

[EmilyZA]

I finally rejoined meetings. I had been doing it on my own for quite a while (I've popped in and out of here in the past) but I just really need to do this this time!

Stats:

Since 10/17:
SW: 192.2
CW: 188
Total loss: 4.2 lbs

[LIZNKEITH]

Cheryll,
Wow…your loss in such an inspiration. You look GREAT!!

Halloween Candy,
It has flanked my cubical. Oddly enough, I’ve have been resistant to it’s call. Will my willpower still exist on 11/1 when the trick or treaters are gone and I’m left with a basket full of candy? I fear not.


I am feeling really good about this week. I’ve stayed OP and actually feel a difference. I’m excited to see what tomorrow brings. :)

[greenbunny]

I'm really confused about how multiple items add up. If I eat one banana, it's one point. If I put in that I ate two in one meal, it gives me 3.5 points. But if I eat one banana at breakfast and one at lunch, they get one point each and therefore add up to two. Why are they more points if eaten together?

[chefker]

I'm really confused about how multiple items add up. If I eat one banana, it's one point. If I put in that I ate two in one meal, it gives me 3.5 points. But if I eat one banana at breakfast and one at lunch, they get one point each and therefore add up to two. Why are they more points if eaten together?


I'm confused about this too! Yesterday I had some Amy's canned tomato soup for lunch, and it's two points a serving (two servings in a can) according to the online tracker.

I ate the two servings, and it came to 3.5 points instead of 4 when I plugged it into eTools. I'm fine with saving the 1/2 point, but I wonder how they figure this stuff. Maybe I'll ask the leader at my meeting Saturday.

[PeanutButter]

It makes sense, if you think about it...
It's because the system doesn't take into account smaller fractions of points, and because fiber "tops out" at 4 grams.

So if a banana is 110/0/4, it is one point (according to DWLZ). But two bananas are 220/0/8, which is actually FOUR points. This is part of the fiber issue.

I have the same problem with my peanut butter. If I eat 1 TBSP, it is 2 points, but if I eat 1.5 TBSP, WW tells me it is 3.5, and 2 TBSP is 4.5. I think this is because the points system rounds up.

It is pretty illogical, I agree. I think it is a flaw in the system, because it's not exact, but at the same point, I think it balances out in the end.

[greenbunny]

fiber "tops out" at 4 grams.

:eek: I didn't know that! I wondered why my high-fiber breads and wraps (8 or 9 grams per piece) were higher in points than I'd expected.

[PeanutButter]

:eek: I didn't know that! I wondered why my high-fiber breads and wraps (8 or 9 grams per piece) were higher in points than I'd expected.

Yeah, they changed this before I started the program four years ago. If you have a points slider (from the meetings) you can only enter up to 4 grams of fiber.

But all that fiber is still really good for you!! :D

[LovinLife]

I have been a member of WW online for a couple months now and not really following faithfully. That is changing now. I am now working out at the gym and counting every thing I eat.

My first goal is 10 by the end of Nov. I think its definitely do-able. I realized that I do need the support of others to achieve my goals, so here I am.

I look forward to keeping up with all of you.

[Katy]

Well, I survived. After waiting two weeks to weigh in, with tons of eating out of the house, some devil dogs, a mai tai and two margaritas, and some mexican food :o I survived. I'm only up .6 - not so shabby considering how I let it all go.

So now, I've hit Trader Joe's and I've plenty of low point yummies around so I won't be going through that again! And for a NWV, I was able to completely avoid the free M&Ms at the Lane Bryant grand opening today AND I managed to do okay at the mall food court!!! :cool: (I wanted those Chili Cheese Fries so badly - leftovers from last week's splurging).

[Jellibelli]

Katy - way to hold back on the chili cheese fries! I'm trying to do that with the sugar cookies I made a few days ago. These are times I wish I didn't live alone ;).

LovinLife - Welcome! I realized there was no way I could do this by myself, either. Nobody at work knows I'm doing this (and my family is 1200 miles away), so I started out feeling quite alone. This thread and these girls have helped tremendously. So, welcome to the family!

Cheryll . . . wow!

WI today . . . down 1.0. If I lose 1 lb per week, do you know how many YEARS I will be on this program before I hit goal :eek: ?! I'm trying not to think about it. 1 pound at a time.

So much chocolate around the office. Sheesh! I think I can, I think I can . . .

[greenbunny]

I peeked at the scale this morning and I'm frustrated. I'm down one pound, but I gained two last week--and I was really hoping it was water retention or something, as people suggested. I have a feeling WI will be disappointing and I won't be gaining any ground.

[LovinLife]

Jellibelli Thank you for the warm welcome. This thread is definitely where I need to be.

[August2005Bride]

I have been a member of WW online for a couple months now and not really following faithfully. That is changing now. I am now working out at the gym and counting every thing I eat.

My first goal is 10 by the end of Nov. I think its definitely do-able. I realized that I do need the support of others to achieve my goals, so here I am.

I look forward to keeping up with all of you.

Welcome to the tread Sarah...I havnet posted here in a while as I wasnt doing good for over a month but that is changing also. :D

[LovinLife]

Thank you Candy! I am here in full force now :)

[cheryll_with_2els]

Katy: A 0.6 gain isn't bad at all!! Especially with all that you had going on. I've also noticed that when TOM is on the way, I usually see a small gain. Except last month I didn't, and the month before that I had a TOM gain the week AFTER. Go figure. Anyways, gains are part of this journey as well as the losses. Especially since we're women, which can totally suck sometimes. LOL You'll probably kick that small gain to the curb next week, plus some! :)

Jellibeli: 1 lb. is an EXCELLENT loss!! Believe me those 1 lb. losses add up fast! It helps me to not look at the big picture, but instead make small goals for yourself, like 5 or 10 lbs. at a time. If you have 50 lbs. to lose, that's only five 10lb. losses!! You can do this! Just keep plugging along, and you'll be surprised how quickly those losses add up. Oh, and thanks for signing my guest book. You can always e-mail me too if you have any questions. I'd love to help any way I can. :)

Cheryll

[PeanutButter]

I peeked at the scale this morning and I'm frustrated. I'm down one pound, but I gained two last week--and I was really hoping it was water retention or something, as people suggested. I have a feeling WI will be disappointing and I won't be gaining any ground.

Don't despair, greenbunny. Peeking at the scale doesn't "count."

I just had one other thought... maybe others will disagree... but when I learned the system, though meetings, I was only supposed to eat up to four activity points per day, regardless of how many I had earned.
On the other hand, I noticed that WW.com allows you to swap as many APs as you want.
I don't know how many APs you earn/swap, but this might help explain some disparity?


Moment of self-back-patting. My whole office went out to lunch today (to Gordon Biersch, which has VERY few healthy options, including the salads, which are all loaded with nuts/cheese/full fat dressings). I resisted the urge to get the grilled cheese sandwich and garlic fries, and stuck with half a turkey sandwich and a cup of soup. Yay me. ;)

[greenbunny]

Hmm. Currently I'm only getting 3 points a day (80 minutes of walking) but I will definitely remember the 4-point limit for when I up my exercise--which should be soon. I think it's time to kick into high gear. I just get the feeling that this walking isn't enough now that I'm reasonably in shape.

CNN has an article about the government setting exercise guidelines. They are saying 30 minutes a day for everyone, 60 minutes a day to lose weight, and 90 minutes a day to maintain weight loss. :eek: That is a serious chunk of time! It's hard to imagine doing 90 minutes every day (on average, of course) for the rest of my life.

Back pats to PeanutButter and Katy for their smart choices! I'm currently ready to eat a horse and nibbling on some lame-o carrots since I need to conserve points for our party-packed weekend. Stupid crappy carrots.

[Jellibelli]

Stupid crappy carrots.

I understand. I'm munching on a few right now.

Yay PB! That's tough! I'm going to the Olive Garden tomorrow for lunch and I don't know if I can stay away from the Alfredo :eek: . I think I'm gonna splurge. But, way to go on the sammich 'n soup!

P.S. Will anybody lend me their magic wand? I need to make this day end.

[PeanutButter]

Yay PB! That's tough! I'm going to the Olive Garden tomorrow for lunch and I don't know if I can stay away from the Alfredo :eek: . I think I'm gonna splurge. But, way to go on the sammich 'n soup!



If you don't feel like splurging...

Olive Garden has a "secret" healthy menu (at least they did the last time I went) with nutritional info on it. They have one dish called Chicken Giardino that I thought was delicious and a TON of food for 12 points total. I couldn't eat it all... You just have to ask the waitress for the menu - they call it the Garden Fare menu.

But if you want to splurge, go for it! :D

[Katy]

Some rants and raves...

* Pirate Booty - this stuff is a tad wierd, but it's working for me
* Smart One 3 Cheese Mac - gross! Needed salt and a TON more cheese :o
* Safeway Bocca-like, soy burger - not nearly as good as a Bocca (or maybe it's just that I added it into my gross Mac & Cheese)
* Trader Joe's Chocolate Meringues - O.M.G. Why didn't anyone ever tell me that these things kick ass?!?!? And to think, 4 = 2 points!! :D

Eating out is still the biggest challenge for me. Like GB has said before, I *think* I'm making a good choice, then I go and look it up and it's not such a great choice after all. Sadly, I'm much better at figuring out fast food than sit-down restaurant food *sigh*

And now, I must join you all in the carrot munching.

[Jellibelli]

Munching carrots got a bit old, uhm, so I just ate some French Silk Pie Ice cream. Didn't know they made it. Had to try it. Yum. Didn't have too much, though. Not how I should have ended my horrifically long day, but at least I stopped after 1/2 cup or so. Better go figure out those points.

PB - Thank you for letting me in on the secret menu at Olive Garden! You're a pal! As much as I really want Alfredo, I'd rather have something a bit more in my range. I don't want to eat all daily points in one sitting. So, thanks!

Off to bed, my friends. Chat tomorrow!

[chefker]

Starting weight: 179.6
current weight: 157.6
Total lost: 22 pounds

I am now halfway to goal! 22 pounds down, 22 more to go.

Last night we got Chili's take out, as I didn't feel like cooking. I wanted to try something different than the Guiltless grill menu (even though it's good, there's only like 4 Guiltless items to choose from), so I had the Margarita grilled chicken, and got steamed veggies & corn for sides). According to dwlz.com, it's 14 points for everything.

Slightly higher points than stuff on the Guiltless menu, but still pretty good. I was jonesing for DH's meal though--he got the bacon burger with fries. :(

[DiscoDiva]

Don't forget Olive Garden has a 'secret' salad dressing as well. It tastes just like the regular one but it's low cal/low fat. Just ask your server to bring your salad with no dressing on it, and the low cal one on the side. It tastes so good! When I go there with family, they'll just bring me a separate bowl of salad with no dressing and the low cal on the side.

[Jellibelli]

DD - Thanks! I was wondering how I'd do the salad. I love their dressing! Sheesh, now I'm stoked!

Yea, chefker! Congratulations on halfway! That's such an accomplishment :D .

I'm staying with 3 teenage girls this week while their parents are out of town. It's been a bit challenging to eat as healthy as I should. I was praying I wouldn't run into my WW meeting person this morning when I ran to the store to get a cake mix and redi-made whipping cream for the girls. They wanted chocolate waffles for breakfast. I thought, "why not?" I'm a great guardian, aren't I :rolleyes: ?

Toodles!;)

[sportyj]

IS their regular salad dressing "THAT" bad to begin with??? How much do you think they actually put in one bowl?

[Katy]

Chefker, congrats on being half way to goal!!! http://smiley.onegreatguy.net/clap.gif

[Anna Low]

I had a very bad yesterday. Halloween candy, pizza (the real stuff - 2 very large pieces), a cupcake, more candy, 2 mango martinis, yellow curry with vegetables and a small mountain of rice.

Today wasn't all that much better. Still more candy, a prociutto/swiss bagette, some WW candy and a Healthy Choice ice cream bar. By the way, it isn't even 5pm yet.

I need to snap out of it! Someone please slap me.............

[julesp313]

Week 2 WI - down 1lb. I'm pretty happy with that seeing as I did have a couple of days where I sort of stopped counting around 6pm...

I'm glad I get to count activity points now - I work out four days a week, plus I just started yoga classes, so I'm hoping I can get a couple more points to eat each day!

We spent a couple of hours dirt biking with friends this morning and then had barbecued marinated turkey breasts for lunch with salad and Baked Lays - so good! I think the marinade was Diet 7-Up, soy sauce, and something else - I really need to get the recipe as they were delicious!

Katy - aren't the TJ's meringues the best? I like the plain ol' ones but I have a total addiction to them. Thank goodness they're low in points! I also love Pirate's Booty but I think TJ's version - white cheddar puffs or something - are cheaper and tastier. I have less willpower with that stuff, though, so I only buy it when I'm feeling very in control!

Chefker - congrats on being half way to goal! That's a major achievement that you should be proud of. Are you doing core or flex? I'm always curious as to what's working best for people...

[julesp313]

Just wanted to post in response to two previous posts, as both were discussed at my meeting this morning (and I forgot I wanted to post when I posted earlier!).

Regarding the points for one serving vs two servings (Greenbunny and Chefker were talking about this) - our leader today told us that you have to be very careful eating more than one serving, and as PeanutButter pointed out, it's a function of the fiber limit. The rule is more than one serving in a 24 hour period - add up the cals, fat and fiber for however many servings you had, and figure the points. If you have less than 4g fiber, you're fine - but if one serving has 3g fiber, two therefore has 6g but you only get to "count" 4g when figuring points. So it's a danger - the WW 2 point bars that they sell at meetings are 2pts for one and 5-6 pts for two, depending on the type - very big difference!

On the activity points, I just got the activity booklet and it says "Limit the POINTS value of your activity to no more than an average of 4 points per day." (emphasis mine). It also says "being overactive just to eat more is not healthy" and "if you're ready to earn more, consult with a certified personal trainer to help prevent injury." So an average of 4pts per day is probably pretty good - I know I don't earn 4pts every day, but I would think some days I earn more - like on Wednesdays when I do 30 minutes of cardio, 20 minutes of weights, and then an hour yoga class in the evening. That's more than 4pts but I only do that sort of workout once a week.

Man, who knew you'd need to know math to lose weight! ;)

[daener]

I've been a lurker in the WW threads on CC for awhile, but have never posted...but I've been motivated to do so by looking at cheryll_with_2els Web site. OMG -- congratulations on your success!! You look amazing and are doing so, so well. I can't wait to see the pictures as you continue your journey. Wow. That's all I can say.

And to everyone else who posts here, I read this thread to be inspired and it always works. It's so great to see everyone working so hard and knowing I'm not alone (even if I've not made myself known here before), and reading about everyones success is so helpful.

So, here's me....

Starting Weight: 182.0 (June 2)
Current Weight: 158.8 (as of Oct. 20...missed this week's WI)
Current mini-goal: 150 by Nov. 22

Goal Weight: 135.00

Total Lost: 23.2
To go: 23.8 -- almost halfway there!!

[Jellibelli]

Congratulations, daener! Yea halfway to you, too! That's awesome!

Anna, friend . . . rough couple days ;). We all have them. Tomorrow is a new day. You can do it and we know you will :D. *big squishy hug*

Payday finally came so I can go grocery shopping again. I ran out of veggies 'n stuff. I know that's had an effect on my week. New day.

Have a happy evening!

[Katy]

quick question...those super tiny, bite-sized Milky Ways...how many points for one? The hubby brought two home and I had one last night and one tonight.

[DiscoDiva]

IS their regular salad dressing "THAT" bad to begin with???
I think it is. Besides if you can have a lower point dressing that tastes the same, why not do that?

[Sue]

Chefker congrats on getting to the halfway mark!!

daener, welcome and congrats on the great loss!

Anna Low I'll slap you if you slap me, rough few days here as well.


WI today, down a pound. I have been eating like crap and not moving my butt :mad: I really need to get into gear, but it's been so hard to find the motivation lately, especially with the colder weather. But a loss is a loss and I'm happy that it wasn't a gain since that's what I was expecting.

[PeanutButter]

quick question...those super tiny, bite-sized Milky Ways...how many points for one? The hubby brought two home and I had one last night and one tonight.

The "fun size" kind, which are the bigger little ones, if that makes sense, are 2 points, so I would count the teensy ones as 1 each.

[PeanutButter]

I think it is. Besides if you can have a lower point dressing that tastes the same, why not do that?

I think it is 90 calories, 8 grams of fat for 2 tablespoons, according to a couple websites. I think they dump a LOT on there...

[Anna Low]

Thanks for the slap and squishy hug. I am all geared up for a good day today. Yay! Congrats to all on the losses this week. Just think....if we all keep up the good work now, we will be in great shape for bathing suit season - 2007! (sounds far off, but we all know how time flies!)

My husband and I have made a major decision. Instead of acquiring large amounts of candy in anticipation of trick-or-treaters, we are going out to dinner on halloween. No candy will be purchased and the house will be dark. He isn't all that pleased, but I am so relieved. We already have pounds at the office and will have even more after Tuesday night. I definitely don't need it at home!

[LovinLife]

1st WI today and I am DOWN 3.4!
I am so excited about this because it shows me of I stick to exercise just 5x a week for only 30 min it makes a huge difference. I ate fairly well, stuck within my points but not always GREAT choices. I feel great and am ready for a new week!

Goal : 10 by 11.30.06
Down 3.4
6.6 to go!

[sportyj]

I will ask to try the other lower fat option but I have just assumed it was "okay" and it has never thrown off my losses eating it. But then again my OG seems to scrimp on it a bit. I eat at OG ALOT too (we're talking like 1-2 times a week!) :p

[UTChick]

Wow!! Everyone has had such great losses this week!

Congrats, chefker and daener on reaching the halfway point! And cheryll...Wow! Your successes are a great inspiration.

WI was on Thursday. I lost 1.4lbs for a total of 7.8lbs. 10 more to go to reach my 10% goal.

By the way, last week at my meeting I won the door prize which was the Ultimate Flex & Core cookbook. I am planning on trying some of the recipes this week. If they are good, I'll post them!

[Katy]

The "fun size" kind, which are the bigger little ones, if that makes sense, are 2 points, so I would count the teensy ones as 1 each.Thanks. Everywhere I look I can't get an accurate count. I thought I heard once that thoes little ones were one point each.

1st WI today and I am DOWN 3.4!
I am so excited about this because it shows me of I stick to exercise just 5x a week for only 30 min it makes a huge difference. I ate fairly well, stuck within my points but not always GREAT choices. I feel great and am ready for a new week!Way to go! That's a loss to be proud of!

[cheryll_with_2els]

Happy Sunday everyone!

I'm behind in posting. So many posts I'd like to reply to. Been so busy lately, I'll have to catch up later.

Found a couple of cool candy points sites that might be helpful.

http://www.recipecircus.com/recipes/awsum34/TIDBITS---You-Need-To-Know/Candy_Points.html

http://www.halfmysize.com/halloweenpts.htm

Hope everyone is having a great weekend! :)

~Cheryll~

[daener]

Thank you for the warm welcome!!!

lovinlife -- congrats on the 3.4 pounds!!! Great accomplishment!!

I am so glad to know we aren't the only ones forgoing distribution of Halloween candy just to keep the darned stuff OUT of my house!!!! We need to do what we need to do, and that is okay (especially now that I know the teensy Milky Ways are 2 points each, instead of 1. That explains so much :D).

My work environment is one of my biggest challenges, how do you all say "No, thank you" when the treats start to arrive? I know this is just going to get worse as the Holidays progress and my willpower is nil. Not saying "NO" at work is a big part of how I ended up overweight to begin with!!!

[greenbunny]

WI today. No loss, no gain. I was very careful to eat almost nothing at the parties we went to since there were no healthy choices...so I'm pretty disappointed. I lost 6 total, then went back up 2, and can't seem to get back down past a loss of 5. I really thought 2 miles of walking a day would be sufficient exercise, but I guess not.

[pocket]

I lost 2 lbs! Go Pocket! That’s great because I swear to you the Halloween Candy is actually literally calling my name from the closet where I shut it up. It’s so hard to resist!

SW: 192
CW: 180
TWL: 12
10%:173

[wildcat]

Can I join you girls (or most likely, rejoin;))?

Background:
I'm 5'2" and hit an all-time high weight of about 190 pounds in 2001 (was thin my entire life until college - lots of beer and fast food!). I joined ediets and was down to 152 by my wedding in Sept02. In August 03, I decided to try WW as a friend was having amazing results. I joined on my own (didn't do online or meetings), but my DH joined with me which was all the support I needed! By Christmas of 2003 (5 months or so), I was down to my personal goal weight of 122. Then we started TTC in the fall04, and I gained 15 pounds with the (self-induced) stress. So when I got pregnant I weighed 136. I gained 45 pounds (eek!) (181) and 13 months after DD was born, I've lost 33 of it, with 12 to go, plus the 15 I gained before (for a total needed to lose of 29 pounds). I rejoined WW (on my own with DH as he gained pregnancy weight along with me!) last Monday and had my first WI last Thursday.

Stats:
SW: 151.8
CW: 148.4
TL: 3.4
GW: 122

[chefker]

Welcome wildcat! I also gained weight while TTC, then even more when PG. Fun fun. I'm doing OK so far, but the dreaded holidays are around the corner, and I'm scared!

Guys, I am in an exercise slump this week. Haven't felt like doing a damn thing. We turned the clocks back, so now it gets dark at 4:30! I just want to hide under the covers and read. I know I have to force myself to just DO something before I transform into a hibernating sloth.

I am getting rid of Halloween candy TOMORROW, bringing it to work. Why, oh WHY did I buy a bag of CARAMEL Reeses Peanut butter cups? Those things are the devil.

On a good note, I bought myself a sweater this week that was NOT in my usual size large--I got a medium!--as a little reward for making it halfway to goal. Four more days until weigh in....this week is going to be rough.

[PeanutButter]

Another itsy bitsy loss...

Week 7 WI - lost .6
SW: 152.2
CW: 145.8
TL: 6.4
GW: 130

[Sue]

Sue - 0, Halloween Candy - don't even ask!!

Not too worried though, I've been eating pretty good, so I'll just stick to my 20 points the rest of the week and throw in some exercise and it'll be all good.




I hope :)

[greenbunny]

Yay for everyone's losses! Sue, a curse on the Candy Monster!

After six weeks of feeling like I might eat everything in sight, I think I've finally adjusted to smaller portions. Now hunger is mild discomfort instead of stabbing pains, and I'm satisfied with less. I honestly didn't think this would happen!

[Sue]

It took a while for me to get used to less food too. The first couple of weeks, I felt SO light headed and got sick to my stomach exercising... it was rough. I need to exercise so I get some AP's to eat!!

[PeanutButter]

Anybody have ANY idea about what is a good choice at a Thai restaurant?

I am going out to dinner with some girlfriends tomorrow night to a local Thai place. The menu is on-line, but obviously no nutritional info. I know pad thai is bad, but I don't know what is good! Help...

[Jellibelli]

Congrats on all the losses!

Chefker - Yay! for Medium size sweaters!! That's awesome! The day I can fit into a size M anything, I'll buy the whole store!

Halloween was ok. I don't have any little ones and I was gone for the evening (WW meeting and choir). So, I did ok. Work was rough, but I survived.

I WI on Thursday *crosses fingers*.

[Katy]

uh, PMS seems to get me every dang time. For the week leading up to things I'm just SO hungry. I did pretty okay with the chocolate cravings this time around. Those meringues made a WORLD of difference. Overall, I've had a pretty good week. I just need to get off my butt and exercise *sigh*

PB, my Dining Out companion offers up a few lowish point suggestions. How many points are you willing to spend?

[Sue]

uh, PMS seems to get me every dang time. For the week leading up to things I'm just SO hungry. I did pretty okay with the chocolate cravings this time around. Those meringues made a WORLD of difference. Overall, I've had a pretty good week. I just need to get off my butt and exercise *sigh*


Gee, I don't remember posting ;)

If I eat anymore chocolate this week, I'll turn brown.

[PeanutButter]

PB, my Dining Out companion offers up a few lowish point suggestions. How many points are you willing to spend?

At least 10 - 12. I usually eat 10 for breakfast and lunch, and I'll work out in the morning...
TIA!

[cheryll_with_2els]

WI today and I'm more than 1/2 way to goal! Total lost: 62.5!!

Lost another -3.6 lbs. at WI this morning! I'm now more than 1/2 way to goal, with 57.5 to go. :) I posted a new picture on my website (in profile). It's at the end of the progress pics.

I had a “light bulb” moment yesterday after our potluck at work.

I've been on WW since April and haven't really been in a party or potluck situation where I needed to make good/wise decisions. I eat out all the time, but I can't order everything on the menu, so the same temptation isn't there....I make a wise choice and order it.

But after the potluck I realized how EASY it would have been to overeat and make bad choices! It was a REALLY strange and uncomfortable feeling to be faced with that situation.

It hit me that there's a lot more to "losing weight" than just watching the scales. There's a lot of mental issues we are dealing with and behavior modification. These situations are just as crucial in our journey as stepping on the scale once a week. :)

The program works, folks!! Follow it....embrace it.....trust it!!

[Jellibelli]

Way to go, Cheryll! You look great!

I know what you mean about the mental/emotional journey. Being overweight is something that has completely controlled my life. The emotional scars from my past are hidden behind this weight. In a way, it has been a protection, and the thought of exposing the vulnerable, frightened little girl inside absolutely scares me to death. In reality, I know that the weight isn't a shield, but our brains have strange ways of making us think so. It's time to heal . . . and so my journey begins. It will be a long journey(difficult at times), but a good one. I've already bawled at a couple meetings, which is oh, so embarrassing, but it's necessary.

Sue, you crack me up.

[daener]

I am going out to dinner with some girlfriends tomorrow night to a local Thai place. The menu is on-line, but obviously no nutritional info. I know pad thai is bad, but I don't know what is good! Help...

Probably too late, but I always get chicken satay and rice, with steamed veggies. And, of course, peanut sauce. Not exactly sure of the points in the satay marinade, but I've always gone with 2 pts. for 1/2 C of rice and 1 pt. per oz for the chicken.

Weighed-in today, a few days late, but it was good news! Three pounds down!

Stats:
SW: 182
CW: 157
TL: 25
GW: 135

Only 22 to go!!!!!! 7 pounds to my mini-goal of 150 by Thanksgiving.

[greenbunny]

So, I discovered this morning while trying to tally the damage from Don Pablo's last night that the online points tracker doesn't accept four-digit caloric values. :o I wanted to put in the whole entree and then use a fraction as the serving size (I ate about half of my meal) but I had to only put in the half instead.

[wildcat]

Weigh-in Week #2:

SW: 151.8
CW: 147.3
Loss: 1.1
TL: 4.5
GW: 122

I've actually been on plan 1.5 weeks and have lost 4.5 pounds total, so no complaints about the 1.1 loss! Also, AF is going to show up soon, so I think I'm having a bit of water retention starting to creep in.

So, now that I've lost the weight I gained on vacation a few weeks ago, I'm ready to start the "real" weight-loss! I'm so excited for the next week...no birthday parties, no Halloween, no dinner parties! I'm ready for a good loss next week!

Oh - and my DH lost 3.6 this week for a total loss of 4.3!

daener - Congrat's on 3 pounds, that's awsome!

cheryll - Your website is so inspiring, thank so much for sharing, you look wonderful!! And 3.6 pounds gone, wow!!

shrinking stomach - It usually takes me a good week week or two to get used the the smaller portion sizes, and I'm just about there. Once I'm there, it's so great to never have that "I'm going to explode" full feeling and to be in control of what goes into my mouth. I tend to get pretty down when I feel like I'm watching myself put every cookie, bagel, and piece of candy that crosses my path into my mouth...it feels good to have the power/motivation to say "no" now!

[sportyj]

Wildcat - Put me in the 1.1 loss category this week! WAY TO GO!!!

Here are my stats=

Starting weight = 163
Last week = 141.9
Current = 140.8
Goal = 135
TOTAL LOSS=22.2

Only 5.8 pounds until goal ugh these last 10 pounds have been SLLOOOOOWWW going! But slowly but surely I am getting there. I cannot believe I am almost int he 130's. I said in my journal I think when I see a 1-3 on the scale I will pass out. OH how I would love for that to be NEXT WEEK!!!

WW is getting really tough for me. I am training for a 1/2 marathon and I am having to tweak the program for proper nutrition for training so hard, but its working - proof that athletes can still use the points system.

[Katy]

Yay, a loss! I'm down 1.2 today for a total of 8.2. Mind you, if I'd remembered to remove my flipflops before stepping on the scale, it would have been another .6, but oh well. It's a still a good loss, so I'm fine with it.

[EmilyZA]

Had my weigh in last week, and was pretty bad this week, but it could have been A LOT WORSE!

SW: 192.2
CW: 188.8
Loss: +.8 :(
Total: -3.4

[DiscoDiva]

Who's on Core? Can you direct me to a list of Core foods? I'm thinking about switching since I'm struggling so much... :(

[emmjay]

DD - here you go! This is from the WW site:

Vegetables:
What's Included
o Fresh, frozen or canned (without added sauce, fat or sugar)
o Tomato paste, purée and sauce

Details
o Vegetables cannot contain ingredients that are not Core Foods (e.g., regular refried beans, pork & beans, corn in butter sauce, dried tomatoes packed in oil, French fries and sweet pickles are not Core Foods)
o Vegetable juices are not Core Foods

Fruits:
What's Included
o Fresh, frozen or canned fruits (without added sugar)

Details
o Canned fruit must be packed in water or juice (not syrup) and drained before eating
o Unsweetened applesauce is a Core Food, but sweetened applesauce is not
o Dried fruits are not Core Foods
o Fruit juices are not Core Foods

Soups:
What's Included
o Fresh, canned, frozen or homemade soups made only with Core Foods
o Bean soup (e.g., lentil soup, split pea soup)
o Bouillon
o Broth-based soup
o Tomato soup

Details
o Cream soups are not Core Foods

Fat-Free Dairy Products and Dairy Substitutes:
What's Included
o Fat-free milk, cheese and sour cream
o Soy milk, cheese and yogurt (plain)

Details
o Weight Watchers Smoothies or fat-free, sugar-free instant hot cocoa or reduced-calorie dairy shakes is limited to once a day

Egg and Egg Substitutes:
What's Included
o Whole eggs, egg whites and egg substitutes

Ready-To-Eat Cold Cereal:
What's Included
o Puffed wheat, puffed rice, shredded wheat, and 100% bran cereals that do not contain added sugar

Details
o Cold cereals are limited to one meal a day and must be eaten with fat-free milk or fat-free plain yogurt

Cooked (Hot) Cereal:
What's Included
o Cooked (hot) cereal

Details
o Any plain variety that does not contain added sugar

Grains and Starches:
What's Included
o Whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, potatoes, and grains
o Starchy vegetables (e.g., peas, corn)

Details
o Whole-wheat pasta or brown rice or potatoes is limited to one meal a day

Lean Meat, Poultry, Fish and Meat Substitutes:
What's Included
o Beef, lamb, pork and veal:
+ At the meat case look for cuts from the "loin," "round," and "leg"
+ Organ meats
o Poultry - Chicken and turkey:
+ Fresh, frozen, or canned.
+ Organ meats (e.g., chicken livers)
o Fish and shellfish:
+ Fresh, frozen, or canned, any variety
o Meat substitutes:
+ Dried beans and lentils
+ Tofu, any type
+ Vegetarian burgers, frozen
Details
o Beef, lamb, pork and veal:
+ Choose visibly lean cuts and trim any excess fat
+ Ground beef with no more than 7% fat or ground turkey or ground chicken is limited to one meal a day
+ Processed meals such as deli products and hot dogs are not Core Foods
o Poultry – Chicken and turkey:
+ Trim any visible fat before preparing and remove skin before eating
o Fish and shellfish:
+ Canned varieties must be packed in water, broth, or tomato juice (not packed in oil)

Oils and Condiments:
What's Included
o Fat-free salad dressings
o Fat-free margarine
o Fat-free mayonnaise
o Nonstick cooking or baking spray
o Extracts, flavorings, and herbs
o Select other condiments and extras

Details
o Include 2 teaspoons of olive, canola, safflower, sunflower, or flaxseed oil each day

Beverages:
What's Included
o Coffee (without sugar)
o Tea (without sugar)
o Diet soft drinks
o Club soda
o Seltzer (plain or flavored, unsweetened)
o Water

Details
o Beverages containing alcohol are not Core Foods

[Hello Kitty]

DD, this has links (http://www.geocities.com/core_food/index.htm) to more detailed info.

Scanning through that was a good refresher :)

[daener]

Wow. Although I've been counting points, after reading emmjay's list I think I really am more of a core-girl. Interesting. Perhaps that explains weight loss on weeks where I'm sure I'm over points, but the foods I eat all fall into the Core category? Very interesting. Maybe I should switch to core entirely.

katy, sportj and wildcat, congrats on your losses!!! Great job!! emilyza, no worries. A less than one pound gain could just be water weight. And it's certainly qualifies as a success if you expected it to be more ;) . I can totally relate.

The leftover Halloween candy at the office this week is killing me. Honestly. Plus, stress eating is starting to take over. My dad's been in the hospital, just found out my dog has lymphoma....egad, could it get any worse?! If I survive this week without a gain, I'll be amazed.

[DiscoDiva]

Thanks for the list emmjay, that really helps!

Who here is on Core? Do you find that you overeat because you don't have to count points? Also, to refresh my memory, do you still get 35 flex points per week? Do you earn activity points?

[Hello Kitty]

I've been on Core for almost a year now. I love it, love it, and I have to say it's been so great to learn, because maintaining on Core is awesome! I don't see myself getting in that place where I've been off program for X amount of time and have gained it all back. It's definitely a lifestyle.

Do you find that you overeat because you don't have to count points? - No one of the big things you learn is what eating to satisfaction means. You don't eat until your stuffed or binging. I've really learned how to eat intuitively. When I eat non-core foods, I find myself eating less as a free for all and much more in moderation. What I do is measure out my food, taking one USDA serving. If I'm hungry after that, I think about whether or not I've gotten my Healthy 8 in, and if I should fulfill that as opposed to eating more.

Also, to refresh my memory, do you still get 35 flex points per week? Yep, you get your WAP.
Do you earn activity points? Yep, you earn APs as well. IIRC they need to be consumed the same day you earn them, but that just means you can push your WAP around.

[DiscoDiva]

Thanks SebsKitty. While successful on Flex, I'm always struggled with it. I've also found that sweets trigger binges for me, so even if it's a sweet WW snack bar, I want to eat the whole box! Maybe if I eat natural sweets, like pineapple, it will be different. Or, maybe switching to Core for a month or so will just help me get back on track. I'm going to compile a good list of sample menus and what people eat for each meal on Core so when (if) I do it, I will be fully prepared.

[Hello Kitty]

I absolutely LOVE CC :D but the Health Discovery Core forum is really helpful. There's a weekly menu thread where people post what they're eating and what of their AP/WAP they've consumed. It's pretty worthwhile to scroll through that and see waht people can find to eat on core.

I still think some core foods can be triggers/abuse potential, so it's definitely not a free pass. (because I COULD eat a whole fresh pineapple, yum!) That's where that intuitive/serving sizes/healthy 8 come in for me. After awhile of doing that it really seems second nature. Good luck getting back on track.

[Katy]

Hey ladies...I got to thinking, so you think we should make a subforum here for WW? That way we can have quick question threads as well as different threads for menus and recipes and whatever else comes up. What do you think?

[emmjay]

Thanks for the list emmjay, that really helps!

Who here is on Core? Do you find that you overeat because you don't have to count points? Also, to refresh my memory, do you still get 35 flex points per week? Do you earn activity points?
You're welcome! I have been doing Core for about 6 weeks and I've lost 8 lbs. I have done Flex in the past and the weight came off faster, but this way I have completely changed how I eat. I was really surprised that I lost weight because I haven't felt hungry.

Honestly the only times I overeat is when I'm eating a non-Core food! It's more difficult for me to overeat things on the list because they are filling and not the kinds of foods I tend to eat too much of. It's easier for me to notice how full I am after eating something like salmon with roasted vegetables as opposed to a bunch of chips or sweets. Yesterday Oprah had a doctor on who was explaining how high fructose corn syrup blocks the protein that signals your brain that you are full (Leptin). I think when you eat natural foods, your body responds appropriately. JMO.

If I really want to snack on something sweet I eat oranges or berries in FF Vanilla yogurt (the yogurt isn't Core but it isn't a lot of points). Sometimes I eat 2 oranges or apples at once, but I don't think anyone ever got fat eating too many oranges! :D

[cheryll_with_2els]

Hey ladies...I got to thinking, so you think we should make a subforum here for WW? That way we can have quick question threads as well as different threads for menus and recipes and whatever else comes up. What do you think?

Yes! I love the idea. :)

And Katy -- CONGRATS on your loss this week! Good job!

[greenbunny]

I also like that idea, Katy.

I could swear the fates are conspiring against me! Every week they find more creative and unusual ways to make me fatter. Can you believe a guy from our activities committee approached me at lunch today and said they want me to be one of the judges for the dessert bake-off fundraiser they plan to do in December? Great idea, put me in front of a dozen types of baked goods and make me eat every one of them! But it's for charity! :eek: :o :rolleyes:

[emmjay]

I could swear the fates are conspiring against me! Every week they find more creative and unusual ways to make me fatter. Can you believe a guy from our activities committee approached me at lunch today and said they want me to be one of the judges for the dessert bake-off fundraiser they plan to do in December? Great idea, put me in front of a dozen types of baked goods and make me eat every one of them! But it's for charity! :eek: :o :rolleyes:
The fates must have something against my husband as well - he is doing WW too and he has to judge a dessert contest for his client later this month! And he just started working there a few months ago so he can't say no.

As for me, fate only sent me 3 trick-or-treaters. Last year we went through 3 bags of candy, so that is how much we bought. I ended up having to throw it in a dumpster so I wouldn't eat it all. Of course, I ate plenty before I got to that point. Stupid fates.

[chortles]

Ok (covers eyes with hands, peers through fingers) :D

I'm rejoining! i did WW at work for a year leading up to the wedding, in addition to having a personal trainer. Since then, I've barely been in the gym, and I'm now up 14 lbs from my wedding wait. I feel like a marshmellow piglet, since I haven't set foot in a gym for months, and I know that my lifestyle is ridiculously unhealthy. I can feel like I'm on a slippery slope, and want to intervene now! :)

I'm looking forward to working with you guys to inspire me - I'm working full time and also in graduate school at nights, so I struggle to find time to work out. Any early-morning worker-outers here?

SW: 154
GW: 130

[jellybeany]

I absolutely LOVE CC :D but the Health Discovery Core forum is really helpful. There's a weekly menu thread where people post what they're eating and what of their AP/WAP they've consumed. It's pretty worthwhile to scroll through that and see waht people can find to eat on core.

I'm doing Flex but I'm on that board as well. They have some great recipes and wonderful ideas!

I started WW almost two weeks ago. This Sunday will be my second WI. Last week I lost 6.3 lbs.

I love the idea of a WW subforum!

[Katy]

Okay, we have a new home :D

[jennylou]

I've done the traditional points on WW before and found that I did great for like three weeks and then stopped losing. I did SB last year and did awesome. So, I'm curious to know what the Core WW is all about. Can someone give me a basic rundown on the difference between regular WW and core?

[jellybeany]

Okay, we have a new home :D

Thanks Katy!

[Katy]

Jenny, I just bumped up a thread about WW Core

[cheryll_with_2els]

You're the best, Katy!!

[Jellibelli]

WI yesterday. Down .6. *sigh* It seems like so little, but I have to be patient.

[cheryll_with_2els]

Jelli: Don't be down! 0.5 to 2.0 is a SAFE rate of loss. And every tenth of a pound adds up.

Good job!!!:)

[emmjay]

I've done the traditional points on WW before and found that I did great for like three weeks and then stopped losing. I did SB last year and did awesome. So, I'm curious to know what the Core WW is all about. Can someone give me a basic rundown on the difference between regular WW and core?
jennylou - the traditional WW Flex Plan is that you get a certain number of points per day plus 35 extra flex points for the week and any activity points that you might earn. You have to count points for absolutely every food you eat.

For the Core Plan, you do not get any daily points but you do get the 35 flex points and any activity points you earn. The difference is that you don't have to count points for any of the foods in the list I posted above (aka Core Foods) - you should just eat to the point that you feel satisfied. For any foods not on the list, you use the flex points and activity points.

It is actually quite a bit like SB because it emphasizes lean protein, fruits and vegetables and you can have limited amounts of whole grains. If you did well on SB I think this would be good for you because it has similar elements to it.

Hope that all makes sense!

[chefker]

WI today. Down .6, my lowest weekly loss yet. I knew it wasn't going to be a good week. I didn't go nuts with Halloween candy, but I did have a couple of pieces. And I only exercised like TWICE, because it was an insane week.

I know .6 is still a loss, but I'm disappointed. I hope I'm not plauteauing already, I have 22 pounds left to lose.

[cheryll_with_2els]

Kerrie: I've heard the last 10-20 are the hardest. 0.6 is GREAT! Congratulations on your loss, and keep up the good work! :)

[cheryll_with_2els]

Boy, TOM is a week away and I've been RAVENOUS and obsessed with food the last few days. :eek: I'm making wise choices and drinking lots of water. Thank goodness for low-point snacks! I have a feeling I'm going to be eating ALL of my 35 flexies this week, which I never do. But that's what they're there for.

And....it's been a while since I'm had a gain from TOM, but if i do this week, I'm okay with that 'cuz I know it'll be gone the next week.

[Anna Low]

Give me strength.

I spent an hour on the treadmill and celebrated my accomplishment by eating saltwater taffy and ricecakes.

Totally love the new WW forum. Great way to have everything - program, recipes, etc. all in one place.

[jellybeany]

I'm down 2.7 so a total of 9 on WW and 25 all together. :)

[Sue]

Well, I didn't lose any this WI, but I didn't gain either, which I'm very happy about. With my "visitor" and Halloween, I had my share of "I don't give a crap, I'm hungry!"

But I'm getting sick of it, so this week, sticking to my points, exercising (at 5:30am, even it it kills me!) and I'm really gonna do it!!! Gee, think I picked the wrong time to start my cake decorating class? :p


ETA to add - Thanks for the new home Katy!!

[jennylou]

emmjay - thanks, it does make sense....I am thinking I need to give it a try. Must peruse the list and plan this weeks (well, until I leave to visit family) meals. :)

ETA: The answer is probably no, but do I get an extra 10 points for nursing like the regular plan? :p

[cheryll_with_2els]

It's a gorgeous day in Colorado, and we have trails all around our area. DH and I just took a brisk walk/jog for 60 mins. I burned 500 cals. and earned 5 APs.

I'm tired. lol

[cheryll_with_2els]

jellybeany: That's a FANTASTIC loss! Congratulations!!

[cheryll_with_2els]

Sue: Good job on your maintain, with all the obstacles you faced this week. Maintaining is so much sweeter than a gain. :)

[cheryll_with_2els]

Anna Low: My hat's off to you for sticking it out for an HOUR on the treadmill! Holy Moly!! The only reason I was able to walk outside today for an hour was because if I didn't, I wouldn't have gotten home. LOL Good job!

[greenbunny]

WI today, I'm down those 2 pounds I gained back three weeks ago. Hopefully I will lose again this week and finally have some downward progress.

I've been walking an hour a day and doing an hour on the elliptical. I can't believe 60 minutes on the elliptical is only 2 APs, but that's what the points tracker tells me.

Unfortunately all this activity is wreaking havoc on my bad knee, so I'm back to doing my PT exercises full-time to make up for it. This getting in shape crap is a serious time investment! :p

[Jellibelli]

Fabulous losses, everybody!

Cheryll - Thanks for the encouragement!

Sue - Good luck with the 5:30 exercising. I should do it with you! I decorate birthday/wedding cakes . . . uhm, it kicks my trash! I never realized how much I "snich" when I'm decorating! Yikes! Good luck with your class!!

Anna - Yay for you! Someday I'll do an hour, too. Way to go, friend!

[pocket]

My WI was about what I expected. No loss this week. But at least I didn’t gain, and considering how much chocolate I ate, that, my friends, is a miracle. Exercise still going really well - I've made it to week 8 of C25K and can now run for 1/2 hr straight without much trouble. Also did yoga this week and sculpting twice.

SW 192
CW 180
TL -12
10% 173

[julesp313]

This thread is busy!

I missed this week's WI as DH and I went to Zion for the weekend - I have to say, I think I'd be hard pressed to find a place as beautiful as Zion in the fall. We had a fabulous time, only wished we had longer there. I did get two good hard hikes in so that took care of the exercise, but it's hard to make wise food choices when you're eating out and working up the appetite you get from hiking! Next time we go, we'll be camping so we'll take food and a stove and hopefully do better!

For those of you on Core - how do you stop eating when you're satisfied? I don't think I know what satisfied means (explains the weight problem!) and I'm scared to try Core as I feel like I'll continue to eat too much - any suggestions?

[cheryll_with_2els]

I'm not sure I could do Core. I think my "satisfied" button is broke.

[emmjay]

I really thought that before I started Core, but the foods on the list aren't things that I like to overeat. I just seem to be able to stop as long as the food is truly a Core food. And, as I said before, eating too much fruit or something like that isn't going to make you fat.

Now if the Core list included full-fat cheese, wine and chocolate I would be in trouble! ;)

[pocket]

I'm not that hungry actually, and if I am there's always popcorn. I think it's because I am not eating a lot of sugar and white flour. once those are cut out, i don't get as hungry. I like core because i don't have to think about it too much.

I mean, think about it, how much non fat cheese can a person realistically eat?

[emmjay]

I mean, think about it, how much non fat cheese can a person realistically eat?
NONE. That stuff is disgusting!

[Hello Kitty]

Gah, for real. I prefer to spend my precious points on real cheese. Maybe a little FF Feta here and there, but anything else is just harsh.

As far as being satisfied and stopping part way, well, I think that's why I had a problem before. First off, just being on Core, I'm more aware of my hunger cues, and like I said, I didn't go crazy and eat however much until I was stuffed. Part of the 'rules' of being OP on core are eating to satisfaction. I also make efforts to eat more well rounded meals and get my healthy 8 in.

Honestly, with a lot of the foods, you just don't want to go overboard on them. The only thing I've heard people having problems with are Core 'Baked Goods' - which I don't even make in the first place.

[justHB]

I just got my cholesterol numbers back from the doctor and those - paired with the number on the scale when I was at her office - are enough to send me back on WW. I won't be starting until after Thanksgiving since we're going to Italy between now and then and there's no way I'm dieting, but starting the day after Tgiving, I'm back on the wagon.

[julesp313]

Is avocado core? I'm reading the core food list and it says fruit and vegs except starchy vegs - and I can't for the life of me figure out if avocado is a fruit or veg or if it's starchy! Anyone?

I ask because I'm contemplating Core - as prior posters said, the core foods aren't really overeating triggers for the most part - but I absolutely love avocado and it's not cheap in the points department so I was just curious.

[Katy]

don't forget, there's a whole thread here on Core that you can check out.

[julesp313]

Katy - right after I posted, I found the Core thread! I'm perusing it as I eat my non-Core lunch... :)

[emmjay]

Avocado is core. And starchy vegetables like peas and corn are also core.

[PeanutButter]

YAY
Good weigh-in for me

Week 8 WI - down 1.8
SW: 152.2
CW: 144.0
TL: -8.2
GW: 130

My first mini-goal is 10 lbs - and that is finally within sight!

[wildcat]

Congratulations peanutbutter!! That's a great loss and wonderful progress!!

[cheryll_with_2els]

WI was this morning and had another huge loss of -3.8....for a total of 66.3 lbs. gone forever. :)

[cheryll_with_2els]

Yay!! Great job, PeanutButter!!

[cheryll_with_2els]

greenbunny: Good job on losing those 2 lbs.!! And sounds like you're doing GREAT with exercising too....you go, girl! I have trouble with my knees too. Makes it more difficult to workout, but I've noticed that even if I do a little bit, it seems to strengthen my knees somewhat and they don't hurt quite as bad. It's when I overdo it (like I did on Sunday) that I really suffer and pay.

Speaking of the points tracker and APs, I invested in a heart rate monitor. One of the best investments I've ever made. I got one (a Polar F6) where I input my age, weight, gender and height....and it monitors exactly how many calories my body is burning. No more guessing or trying to figure it out from the tracker. And the formula that everyone on the WW boards uses is 100 cals burned = 1 AP. A lot of people I know were either over- or underestimating their APs, and were shocked to find out the actual calories burned.

[Katy]

Cheryll and PB - congrats on your losses! I'm hoping for a good loss tomorrow since outside of my mimosa-induced Sunday, I've really been on plan.

[jellybeany]

Congrats on the losses - Those are great! : )

[greenbunny]

Great losses everyone!

My knees are bad with the pouring rain today, and I'm afraid I might need to go back to PT if this continues. I'm nervous because this is how it went last time: I was in too much pain to keep exercising, so I quit and ballooned up right away.

I was thinking about replacing my pedometer because I've been getting drastically different results from walking the same route every day. But since I'm putting time in my points tracker rather than distance, it might not be worth the money.

If 100 calories = 1 AP, the points tracker is way off. As I said, it's giving me 2 APs for an hour on the elliptical, but according to the elliptical (which is set up with my height, stride, etc.) I'm burning about 700 calories in that time.

[Hello Kitty]

Greenbunny, the calculators on workout equimpent notoriously overestimate calories, even when they ask you to put in your stats. :( My HRM undercuts whatever the elliptical says by more than half, usually. However, 200 cals for an hour of elliptical sounds kind of low to me, but I guess it depends on your rate of perceived exertion.

Sorry your knee is bothering you.

[Katy]

I know that on WW you can eat pretty much anything as long as it's within the points (with a focus on eating healthy). But somehow, I think I made a grave error in judgment by eating my Personal Pizza from Pizza Hut - that baby was 14.5 points!!! :eek: I guess the good news is that I still have enough points left for a good dinner tonight.

[greenbunny]

Katy, don't feel bad--remember I couldn't even input my Don Pablo's dinner because it exceeded the number of digits allowed! :o

[Runnergrl]

Just stopping by to drop off some encouragement to all of you! First off you are all doing great on WW!

I love WW- and lead two meetings a week, after dropping (I don't say lost- I Never want to find them again) 104 lbs on the program. It took me almost 3 years to drop the weight and I have been maintaining for 2 and 1/2 years now.

I went from walking 10 mintues (literally all I could do) to having run two half marathons this year (one in April- one in September)!

So just wanted to encourage all of you to keep at it and keep reaching for your goals! Also if anyone has any "leaderish" questions I can answer for you please feel free to post and I'll do my best to answer them!

All my best to all of you!!

[Runnergrl]

Katy- Don't feel bad at all- that's the beauty of WW for me at least, I can have that pizza hut pizza every now and then.

[Katy]

it ate my post :mad:

Runnergrl - 104 :eek: that's AWESOME!!! Thanks for the words of encouragement. This is just what I needed to hear after doing my workout to kickbox away that pizza :cool:

I don't know how often you're online here at CC, but if you're up for an "ask the leader" thread, I'd be more than willing to get that set up, just let me know.

[wildcat]

WI week #3 and I lost 1.2 pounds! yea! I had peaked at the scale yesterday and it was a little more, but AF arrived with a vengance yesterday and I went to bed and woke-up with cramps, so I'm pretty sure there's a little water retaining going on. I should see that come off next week!

SW: 151.8
CW: 146.1
TL: 5.7
GW: 122
To go: 24.1

[Katy]

WooHoo! Just got back from WI and I'm down 3.4 for a total of 11.6!! http://smiley.onegreatguy.net/woot.gif

My workout week really paid off - though I can really feel it today, so not sure what to do.

[greenbunny]

Congrats Katy and Wildcat! *confetti*

[cheryll_with_2els]

WoooHoooo!!! Katy and Wildcat!!! Those are awesome losses!!!! *jumping up and down*

[julesp313]

Wow, some great results in here - it's so encouraging to see that WW works so well!

I had a bit of a tough time yesterday - we got taken out to lunch and went to an Italian restaurant. As much as I would loved to indulge in pasta, instead I had rotisserie chicken with rosemary roast potatoes and green beans, and it was amazing. But then... they brought over the FOUR TIER dessert cart! Oh my... tiramisu, Italian wedding cake, cheesecake, key lime pie... I did have strawberry gelato, and it was delicious, but that was tough - I'm not a big sweet person but seeing those fabulous desserts was a challenge!

I'm considering switching to Core and trying it for a few weeks - if anyone has done that (gone from Flex to Core), do you have any tips on making the transition easy?

[greenbunny]

Damn salesmen, traveling all over Europe and bringing back Swiss chocolate bars for everyone! I had only 1/4 of a bar, thinking I was being good, and it was 15 points! :eek: And that's assuming I converted the metric and translated the German correctly.

[Jellibelli]

GB - I agree, let's lock 'em in a closet! We don't need deluctible Swiss Milk Chocolate, hand-made by the Swiss Miss herself that very morning. That's just mean. (Do you have any left over? I have my milk money in my pocket :p ).

Way to go on all the dropped lbs. everybody!

I had WI Thursday and I dropped 4 lbs. How did that happen, we ask? Walking. I started using the WW Walking DVD. I really like it. If it's nice outside, I'll walk out there, but if it's cold, I can stay in and walk in my living room. I'm pleased with the results! WAHOO!!!

Total weight dropped: 17.2

[emmjay]

I didn't lose any weight this week - I've been on a plateau for 3 weeks due to having tons of company (and therefore drinking and eating out). I did get some horrible motivation in the form of dress shopping for my BIL's wedding - talk about a slap in the face! I did find a cute dress but it's 2 sizes larger than my normal size and I am already dreading the pictures. At least everyone will be looking at the baby and not at me... I'll have to work on some strategic picture-taking positions so he blocks as much of me as possible. Not going to be easy since he's only 3 months old, but I'll do my best! ;)

[Katy]

Jelli, that's awesome! And GB, I so feel you on the Swiss chocolate. Me, I say freeze for when you're PMSing and need it. Emmjay, as long as you're not gaining, it's a good week!

Jules, welcome! We're our own little support team here (through the ups and the downs).

[jellybeany]

What a great loss Jellibelli!! Congrats!

I'm down 2 more pounds this week. :) I'm really loving WW.

[chefker]

Down 1.2 this week, for a total of 23.8 pounds lost. I know it would have been MORE if it weren't for that damned candy corn. Didn't I vow to throw all of it out? Uh, yeah. :rolleyes:

Katy, good idea on freezing the chocolate...I wonder if I can do that with all my fun size Reese's. :)

On the subject of chocolate, I tried these this week-- Hershey's 100 calorie dark chocolate bars (http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?id=prod2630230&CATID=100729&skuid=sku2629667&V=G&ec=frgl_584579). They are two points a piece, and satisfied my chocolate need. Not as good as Swiss chocolate, but better than nothing. :)

[Katy]

Chefker, I froze my devil dogs and it's made a difference. This way I can have it when I really, really want it. For the record, it didn't taste nearly as good still frozen.

As for Reeses, I'm not sure. I mean it *will* work, but since it won't be frozen rock solid (since it's more PB than chocolate) I'm not sure it will have the same effect. I do know that it works wonders with good chocolate (heck, even a cold fridge works for that) and especially anything with caramel - like Snickers.

Hope it helps!

Yay Jelly! Good loss!

[greenbunny]

Kerrie, I only eat Reese's frozen, my dad introduced me to that as a kid. York and Milky Way are also great frozen.

[Katy]

Kerrie, I only eat Reese's frozen, my dad introduced me to that as a kid. York and Milky Way are also great frozen.yes, but will freezing slow down the consumption process? ;)

[daener]

Congrats chefker and jellybeany on your great losses this week!!!

Unfortunately, I gained 1.4 pounds bringing my total loss to 23.6 pounds. :o Darn it!! Once I hit that magical 25 pounds it was really my goal to NOT go under it. Oh well, it's been a tough week with wayyyy too much leftover Halloween candy available (and, obviously, consumed). I'll do better this week.

As for the frozen mini-Reeses, I agree with greenbunny...that's the best way to eat them ;).

Wishing everyone a successful week!!

[Sue]

3.5 lb. loss for me this week... Although, I don't know how true a loss it is. I had a massive hangover on Saturday and all I ate was half of a meatball parm all day, along with a ton of water. We'll see what happens next WI.

Great losses everyone! daener you'll get back on track for next WI.

[greenbunny]

WI today. No loss or gain this week according to the scale, but I actually lost and gained the same pound. I sneak peeks around Wednesdays. Not a big surprise since I barely exercised due to both knee and weather, and ate over my flex points for the first time ever. Thanks, DH, for insisting on crap fast food for 3 dinners in a row.

This is a constant battle with us. He expects me to eat like a bird all day at work, then come home and gorge on pizza or cheesesteaks with him. I prefer to spend my points on sweets and eat a strict dinner. If he keeps refusing to eat healthy dinners, I'm just going to have to start cooking for myself and letting him eat whatever.

[cheryll_with_2els]

Someone posted some common sense water weight info over on the WW boards, and I thought I’d pass it along. It’s kind of long, but really clears up a lot of misconceptions.

Your weight can fluctuate by a few pounds from one day to the next. Since our bodies are comprised of about 65% water, your weight changes on a daily or even hourly basis due to a lot of factors.

Atmospheric pressure, humidity, diet and some medications all contribute to water retention and therefore a shift in weight. As a matter of fact, it’s not uncommon to gain 2-3 pounds in a day, because we retain fluid as the day progresses — perfectly normal.

What you eat can also influence how much water your body keeps. If you eat a very salty meal, your body will hold extra water for 1 or 2 days to keep your body fluids from being too salty. Afterwards, your body will get rid of both the extra salt and water through your urine. Also remember that the food and water you drink in a day weighs something, and your weight will rise in accordance with hydrating and putting food in your body, and will drop with subsequent elimination.

We also lose and gain water weight in response to sweating followed by drinking after exercise. Ever notice your weight going up after a day of strenuous exercise? There are many factors to post-workout gains, but what's absolutely certain is that you aren't gaining four pounds of either fat weight or muscle after working out once. Gaining significant muscle weight is HARD work, ask any body builder. Finally, remember that muscle is denser than fat - a pound of muscle takes up less space on your body than a pound of fat. So as you burn fat and build muscle, watch your measurements more than the scale.

When you exercise, carbohydrates and fats are broken down and combined with oxygen to release energy. The waste products of the reaction are water and carbon dioxide, some of which leaves your body more or less immediately as you breathe and sweat. If you're not drinking enough water during and after exercise, the body will hoard fluids as a survival mechanism. Also after a strenuous workout, your body holds some fluid (water and glycogen) in your muscles to repair and prepare them for the next bout of activity --- especially if you're relatively new to regular exercise or have changed up your exercise routine.

Gaining weight as menstruation approaches is also part of a healthy bodily cycle. Water is retained as estrogen levels drop and progesterone rises.

Every body is different. It stands to reason that everybody will lose weight differently. So don't sweat the small stuff. As long as you're still on a downward trend, you're doing what you're supposed to be doing. So don't worry about the daily ups and downs and just stick with the program and enjoy your new healthy lifestyle.

[julesp313]

Cheryll - that's a very interesting take on water weight. I know for sure I show a higher scale # if I don't get my water intake for the day - I definitely retain water if I'm depriving my body. It drives me mental that people gain a couple of pounds and chalk it up to muscle weight - you simply can't gain 2lbs of muscle in a week! I wish we could but that just doesn't happen.

I'm trying Core this week, though the weekend was shot. FIL and BIL were in town so we had a brunch buffet on Saturday, dinner was Core (at home), then Sunday we ate breakfast out, went to an air show where DH and I split a small (tea plate size) cheese pizza, and then had sushi for dinner (not quite Core, sadly). But today I'm back on the wagon - so far, I've spent two points on non-Core stuff, and I may need one more for dinner. I skipped the gym, though, as I was so freakin' tired after walking for five hours yesterday. I'm full of excuses - it's bad, bad, bad!

[Katy]

I try, really I do. But I just don't like wheat products. For some reason, I don't mind wheat bread or rolls (though I prefer mulit-grain), but wheat bagels, english muffins and pasta, well that's a different story. The stuff is nasty. I just don't know what it is - even if I smother it with butter or cream cheese or fruit spread (which defeats the purpose!) it still tastes nasty.

How do you guys do it? Do you eat stuff that tastes awful anyway because it's low in points? Or do you just watch what you eat of the not-so-good-for-you stuff and make adjustments elsewhere?

[greenbunny]

I try to get used to the "staples" in healthier forms--breads, wraps, pastas. Stuff I eat lightly, I keep the good stuff (like desserts).

It has been hard getting used to the WW/other diet breads. They taste so strongly of molasses, and I've noticed they mold much quicker than regular bread.

[emmjay]

For wheat stuff, we only ate wheat bread products (and skim milk) growing up so that is what I'm used to. I have noticed a difference in wheat pasta in the past few years - I used to think it was inedible but now I think it tastes much better. I don't know if the pasta has changed, or if I am getting less discriminating! And I think the wheat english muffins are OK too, but I don't usually buy those. I definitely wouldn't eat something if I didn't like it.

I actually make our own bread in the bread machine - it is 100% whole wheat and it calls for molasses as an ingredient. I usually substitute honey because I like the flavor better.

[julesp313]

Katy - I'm not sure how you get to be OK with the "healthy" stuff, though I think Greenbunny had a great suggestion with keeping the treats "real" and going healthy on the staples. I slowly switched to whole wheat pasta (Trader Joe's is good), I much prefer brown rice to white (though I prefer fried rice over either!), and I weaned myself onto FF milk - I've always eaten whole wheat bread so that's not a problem. My only thought is to keep trying different brands until you find one you like. I've found a light wheat bread made locally here in Vegas that is delicious and has a very light taste - maybe you can find one that's a bit more palatable to you?

[DiscoDiva]

How do you guys do it? Do you eat stuff that tastes awful anyway because it's low in points? Or do you just watch what you eat of the not-so-good-for-you stuff and make adjustments elsewhere?
I just worked my way to it. For example, going from regular milk for a few weeks, then 2% for a few weeks, then 1% for a few weeks, then 1/2% for a fe