Weight Watchers

[jiggerypokery]

My better half has put me on the WW diet points thingy. When I say put me on it I really mean that she's doing it so I WILL SUPPORT HER by doing this with her and because I love her and value my cajones I obviously will

Question is...any one else out there doing this, is it easy, will i start to eat my shoes after a week and how do I avoid the bonk on my ride to and from work without cheating on the points and pigging out when she's not looking?

We (she) are doing it on-line which seems reasonable and the whole thing makes a lot of sense and is easy to follow - I'm just scared of missing my food!!!!!!!

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I did it for 4 weeks ...went to the hags gossip mornings...erm sorry 'weigh ins' & suffered the torment of being the only bloke there. I hated it. Total waste of time and money. I did lose a little weight but I was MISERABLE, I could have lost more without the stupid meetings.
The points thing is ok, makes sense I suppose but it isnt for me as it involves targets etc....It might be better on line without the mothers meetings...dunno.
...I gave up, saved the cash and simply started riding a bike and eating sensibly (no point counting)...I simply cut out all the chocolate, beer and any hi fat foods, ate carbs before a ride and protein after a ride...it worked for me.

 

[walker]

if your riding alot as well as doing weight watchers, I wouldn't approve of doing it. But only if your doing in the region of around 120mile's and up.

 

[wafflycat]

It works. I've lost 5+ stone on it.

Contrary to what walker says, it's perfectly possible to cycle a lot and do it. I've done over 100 miles in a day whilst on WW and I was absolutely fine. WW builds in 'activity points' for duration and intensity of exercising in relation to weight.

With WW you do not have to cut out anything. There are no forbidden foods or drinks. What you do, if you do it properly, is learn about what you are eating, how to eat more healthily, how to allow yourself treats, how to have correct portion control and learn the benefits of exercise. You also learn how not to get a 100-mile bike ride appetite after a 50-mile bike ride

If you do WW *properly* you *will* lose weight. Targets? Doing WW properly only involves targets in terms of goal weights. It does *not* involve targets in terms of losing a set amount of weight in a set amount of time or by a set date. Doing WW properly means you can eat a shedload of food and lose weight. I know: I've done it/am doing it. Weigh it, point it, track it. It works.

My husband also goes to WW and he thoroughly enjoys being surrounded by friendly, adoring ladies. Mind you, he doesn't go along with the attitude of 'the hags' gossip morning' so perhaps he comes across as a more friendly chappie He's also proof it works, as he lost a couple of stone and is keeping it off.

 

[Blue]

I don't want to knock what Wafflycat has said, as it worked for her, but I think WW amounts to little more than paying people so that you can do something that can be done for free. All the info you need if freely available.

The only 'extra' that I see is the 'support' from the group - so if you need that, go to WW. If you think you can keep motivated with help from yourself and the Mrs alone, keep your cash and spend the meeting time on the bike!!

I saved the cash and lost just as much weight as WC 25 years ago and I haven't put the weight back on in all that time. Further, being entirely self motivated, I know the weight won't ever go back.

 

[wafflycat]

WW works for more than me. It is a combination of things and a lot more than a support group:

Yes, it is a support network
Discipline of going to a meeting every week
Lots of extra info given out each week on an entire range of issues surrounding weight loss, keeping it off, healthy eating, exercise, hurdles to weight loss, approaching 'events' such as birthdays, Christmas, parties, eating out.. Recipes to stop the eating becoming boring, how illnesses can affect weight (gain and loss) and all sorts of things.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

As Waffly says, the nice thing about Weight Watchers is that it isn't a faddy diet (only eat soup standing on your head, only have carbs before breakfast, or whatever) but a sensible and sustainable way of eating. You could follow it for the rest of your life and be healthy at the end, whereas you'd struggle to follow a fad diet for long without showing some kind of side effects.

 

[jiggerypokery]

I kinda like what I'm hearing and based on last nights dinner I'm more than happy to stick with the diet for both my and Mrs JP's good. Never realised I could eat so much and it have so few points. I am however sorely going to miss bread, potatos and rice as they seem to be missing from every meal plan on the site. Not a bad thing though as last nights meal of pork chops, sweet pots, brocoli, carrots and pineapple left me stuffed but not bloated.

 

[walker]

It works. I've lost 5+ stone on it.

Contrary to what walker says, it's perfectly possible to cycle a lot and do it. I've done over 100 miles in a day whilst on WW and I was absolutely fine. WW builds in 'activity points' for duration and intensity of exercising in relation to weight.
.

Ah, but what did you eat in preparation for your 100 miles and what did you eat on the day? I very much doubt the WW diet gave you enough (within it's guidlines) energy to complete 100miles.

 

[wafflycat]

Loads of WW meals with carbs in them. Indeed carbs are a valid part of a healthy, balanced diet and WW promotes a healthy, balanced diet.

Here's a sample:-

Family beef cobbler

400g lean braising steak cut into chunks
300ml beef stock
2 onions, sliced
2 large carrots, sliced
2 celery sticks, sliced
200g canned, chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons pearl barley
2 bay leaves
1/2 tablespoon mixed herbs
75g self-rasing flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
20g polyunsaturated margarine
2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tablespoon skimmed milk
1 large swede, diced
salt & freshly ground black pepper

• Preheat oven to gas mark 4/180C / fan oven 160C
• Put the beef, stock vegetables, pearl barley, bay leaves & mixed herbs in a heatproof casserole dish and season well. Cover with a lid and cook for an hour, stirring occasionally.
• Just before the end, prepare the topping. Sieve the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a bowl and rub in the margarine until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the mustard and parsley and mix thoroughly.
• Add just enough cold water to form a soft but not sticky dough. Shape the dough into four (if you want big ones) or eight (for smaller ones) scones.
• Pop the scones on top of the casserole and brush them with milk. Return the casserole to the oven but leave it uncovered. Put the swede in a pan of lightly salted water and bring to a simmer. Cook everything for a further 25-30 minutes until the swede is tender and the scones risen and golden.
• Mash the swede and serve it with the casserole and scones.

Serves four, with a points value of 4.5 points per serving.

From WW cookbook 'mix and match meals'

If you want extra points (and blokes automatically get six more points per day than a woman), add some boiled potatoes or mash that you've pointed separately.

Indeed, there's been times when I've come home from a long day ride with friends and Mr Wafflycat has prepared a meal for us all. He's done everything using WW recipes. My friends could not believe that the food they were eating was 'diet food' as WW tends to be viewed by those who don't do it. Thig is, WW isn't 'diet food' it's healthy eating.

 

[fossyant]

Just get the bike out.......and ride it...... far more fun, no counting (well only miles)

 

[wafflycat]

Alas, for some of us, fossyant, it's not that simple. Even when I was verging on the morbidly obese, I was cycling *a lot*.

 

[jiggerypokery]

Surprising how many of my coleagues are on on-line WW diets. Just found out that the two people I work with most closely are and are forever checking their points just to make sure thay have one left over here and there for a weekend blow-out!

I'm in my first gang lol

 

[jiggerypokery]

Alas, for some of us, fossyant, it's not that simple. Even when I was verging on the morbidly obese, I was cycling *a lot*.

I have to agree with Waffly here, I'm riding 130 miles a week to and from work, add on Thurs night TT's and the occasional weekend run out, baby permitting, and I think I'm racking up the miles and effort. I am however still a stone over my ideal weight and whislt I'm no body dysmorphic I caught sight of myself in the mirror the other day and thought "eurgh"..you ate all the pies Stu". And Assos looks terrible with bulges.

So for me it's now an aid to a more balanced diet, better riding and cheeky grins from Mrs JP