weight loss?

I joined weight watchers on line. Is any one else using this program?

LA

[Deb61]

I haven't joined a weight loss program, but I need to.  Let me know how this works out for you.
Deb

[kim1962]

Hi, I just started back on WW online.  In the past I wasn't very committed to it but have been on it a couple of weeks now and am doing better.  I've gained 80 pounds in the past 10 years - 30 of them in the past 5 years.  I thought it was only affecting my me, my self imagine and my health but I learned a couple of weeks ago that it is affecting my husband's attraction to me.  I guess I was blind and thought that if he loved me it wouldn't matter.  I was wrong.  Don't get me wrong - he loves me and we have a great friendship but I don't want to just be his friend and I certainly don't want him to feel the need to find something more than a friendship with someone other than me.  So, I'm following the WW program and exercising daily.  The exercise is sometimes tough because of the MS symptoms.  I try to walk on the treadmill 45 each day but sometimes my left leg gets numb and I can't make it quiet that long.  Anyway, I'm going to give it my all and I wish you the best on your WW journey.  

[mary_kay]

I don't like to hear your reason for doing this, but Lord knows it's a good thing to get motivated somehow...I too have gained over a relatively short time - about 40-50 pounds over the last 6 years.  Try to do it for yourself, and keep us informed about your progress. Maybe I will actually do something too...The fatigue makes it hard to do anything, but I really, really need to.  Has anyone read Montel Williams's book?
MK

[LATW]

Hello,
I spent a lot of time today on the WW web site and think I figured the online stuff out.  

Weight is a difficult issue.  My husband has gained over 100 pounds since we were married and he is very frustrated.  So he doesn't say anything about my weight.

I need to lose at least 30 to get back to a reasonable weight.

I am hoping that this will help both he and I to get the weight off.

I have thought about getting a treadmill. That would be the best way for me to get exercise since I have several children at home and it is difficult to get away at times.

Good luck to you also.  WW looks like a great program now.

LA

[6-paq]

My sister and I were debating about joining WW (she needs to lose some weight also).  There is a center less than a mile from each of us.  

I needed to lose weight before I started that Lexapro and, unfortunately, the Lex gave me an additional 30 pounds I didn't need >:-| .   The extra pounds are not good for my back and feet either.  I need to lose that weight and tone up I can at least help those sx that I have *some* control over.

Instead of WW, I decided to sign up the whole family at the YMCA today.    It's about 3 miles from my home and I figure that the kids can work out (or my 4 yo can play in babysitting) while I do the 30 minute circuit (like "Curves"), an elliptical/treadmill, pilates/yoga class or whatever.   They even have water exercise classes for MS etc. at another facility location that is also close to my home.

My sis is going to join as well.   That gives each of us the "accountability" to maintain the exercise program.   Both my sister and I have done WW or Jenny Craig before, so we really *know* how to eat better ~~ we just don't plus we really need the exercise.   I do exercise minimally during PT, but I can do much more.

I wish you the best and let us know how it's working for you!

Take care, Pat :)

[wonko]

I've never done WW, but I have friends who've done the live version with great success.  Haven't heard much about the online version, but that makes sense since it probably draws the more shy types.

I was totally into enjoying my food, drink, smoking, and sedentary lifestyle before all of "this" started.  I like to joke around (at least I find myself funny!) but the truth is, all of these weird symptoms scare me, and even if I knew the cause (I'm not diagnosed), I think I'd still be pretty scared.  On top of this, my first neuro blatantly dismissed my concerns, and I think my lifestyle was a factor in how I was treated.  Not that he was right in doing it, just a reality check.  At first, I beat myself up with guilt, but of course that didn't do any good!  So I guess I did this for me, and I hope I can keep it up through this confusing time and after I get better/learn what this is.  I have a long ways  to go, but it has given me a lot of comfort to know that I am working on my weight and fitness level, and I've been at it long enough to see/feel some results.    

The good thing is that no matter what the current issue with my health is, making improvements in my lifestyle are going to benefit me.  Just sharing my thoughts, for what its worth.  I've always felt that diet is a very personal experience in life, so my final thought is to not be shy about trying different menus/groups/plans to find a good fit.

[LATW]

I think the on line version is going to work for me.  I am totally amazed at how much food is allowed now.  

I was on the program about 15 years ago and starved!  Lo carb works great for me but I feel too limited and left out of my favorite foods.  Plus I have some silly food allergies that make lo carb substitute foods difficult.

I'll let you all know how this works. I have a friend who has been on WW for several months now and she is doing well.  She can keep me going!

LA

[Heather3418]

I know all of you are going to get mad at me - but, DIETS DON'T WORK.  Not for the long haul.  Take it from a woman that was overweight most of my life and over the past 2 1/2 years now, I have lost 125 pounds and kept it off.

Want to know how I did it?  I stopped "dieting" and ate real food.  I stopped buying any canned food, NONE and only bought fresh vegetables or vegetables I can steam.  I never eat anything fried.  Always baked or grilled.  I even use REAL BUTTER, I just don't over-do it.  I rarely eat beef.  But when I do, I get my favorite, T-Bone.  I eat dessert EVERY night.  I choose Sherbet, since it's 0 fat, BUT does contain sugar.  I put Trail Mix Crunch on top of my Sherbert to make it more of a dessert type thing.  Sometimes I put chocolate chips on top of it.  Since ice-cream was my favorite thing, I gave it up all together.

I even eat salads with non-fat dressing.  I don't soak the lettuce in dressing though.  I also eat alot of chicken, fish and pork.  If I don't have to, I have given up another favorite that only seemed to put weight on me...BREAD.  That means no potato chips or cookies.  It's called a change of Lifestyle, not a Diet.

As much as my MS will allow, I no longer park in front of the store.  I try to walk as much during the day as I can around the house.  Is it sometimes hard?  Sure, but once I got used to the lifestyle changes, I find I no longer crave oreo cookies and fattening foods  

I went down 12 pant sizes and expect to go down a couple more when I have a tummy tuck.  After big babies and all that weight I was carrying, I could use a lift at age 54.

I've been on every diet known to man, it's when I changed my lifestyle and how I thought about food, that I was successful for the first time in my life at losing the weight for good.  I was an insulin dependent diabetic AND the diabetic pill.  I now take neither.  I am free of those burdens.  I don't have to lay down on the bed anymore to zipper my pants or shop in the PLUS size department.  

Why it took me so long to figure out how to accomplish this once and for all...I will never know.  No matter what you choose for yourself, I DO wish you the greatest luck.

Big Hugs and truly written with love in my heart for all of you that are dealing with weight issues.  I DO understand and I DO care.

Heather    

[Heather3418]

Correction, I DO eat salads with the fattening dressings...

[wonko]

I read something once about eating that stuck with me.   To paraphrase, it said to look around at the people in your life and take note of who does and who does not struggle with weight, and then take note of what and how they eat.  I found, as the book I was reading suggested, that the slim folks eat a lot like how Heather describes.  Lots of fresh produce, less protein, and when they do use dressings, they use the real stuff, not the low-fat or other fake-outs.  In my life, I've seen that a lot of time the consumers of diet pop and reduced-fat this or that, and pre-packaged diet foods are those still struggling.  But that's just what I've taken in, and I'm sure exceptions are out there!

If you are frustrated with your weight and eating habits, maybe try that same test.  We can learn a lot by watching each other!

Thanks Heather for sharing so much of  your experience.

[LATW]

Hi Heather,
I agree with you, I just need to remember HOW to eat right.  I have been on diets all my life and feel like I am so messed up now I just need help getting back on track.

My most recent diet was Atkins.  I lost 50 pounds over the course of 3 years.  I was doing so well until I started optic neuritis then it started to fall apart.  

I had ON, my husband had two major surgeries and was off work for 4 months.  One week before he went back to work I went in for major surgery.

I was recovering from surgery when I got really sick at Christmas.  A month later I started another bout of ON. A month after that I was dx'd with MS.

Then started all of the medications.  I have packed on 30 pounds in the past year.  Some of it is stress related, some of it is from not being as active as I once was because of my vision and problem with my leg.  

My medications don't help my situation because my stomach hurts and I eat.  I don't have the energy to cook like I should right now.  So I need some accountability.  

UGH!  Right now I need something or someone to TELL me what to eat to keep going.  

I think it is great that you have been able to lose that much weight!  Do you allow yourself to have pizza, cake....things like that?

LA

[mary_kay]

What I know about WW is that they have a "core" plan option.  If you eat from that list, you will basically be doing what Heather is describing except for the fat in dressings, etc.   I think they take the fat out of the list so you will lose weight faster, but all the food is really just good food. The only rules are: eat from the list and eat until you are satisfied.  I too have been on a lot of diets over the years, and am tired of being obsessed with food (on a diet or not) and need that life-changing moment that you have obviously experienced where you no longer eat for reasons other than true hunger. With all this stuff going on trying to get a diagnosis, it is hard to care about anything else.
Waiting for GTT and blood work results....EMG on July 2nd...yikes!  MK

[Heather3418]

I don't eat things like pizza but maybe once a year.  It's a bread, a starch, a carbohydrate.  I will sometimes have a slice of cake.  What the key is, enjoy what you love, but learn to put it down and not eat it every day.  The more you deny yourself, the more deprived you feel and the more likely you are to "cheat."  Diets deprive you.  It's the lifestyle changes you make as a permanent part of your life.  (As some are saying, easier said than done.)  I'm here to tell you that food can become your friend.  You eat to live, not live to eat.  My whole attitude about food has changed.  Its my friend, no longer my enemy.

The cravings for very fattening foods really DOES disppear when you just use common sense and no fill your day with foods loaded with calories.  Oh I do not count any calories either.  It's the few changes that I made in my eating habits and what I eat that made all the difference in my life.

Like I said, I struggled my entire life.  Now at age 54, I control my food, it does not control me.  It's not my enemy, but it's not part of my every waking moment either.

Hope this helps,
Heather

[6-paq]

Totally agree with Heather.  I don't really do "diets" and I most definitely won't use a pill.

There are 2 parts to losing weight ~ eating sensibly and exercise.

I did WW 15 years ago.  My sister did Jenny Craig.   We both lost weight ~ she had a very drastic weight loss, I didn't.   I believe the difference was that on the WW program, they teach you more "how" to eat and learning good choices along with portion control.  I didn't really have my daily menus planned out ~ I don't like using a menu.  I really want to do it on my own.

In the Jenny Craig program, my sister bought her food from them.  It was already made ~ all she had to do was heat it up.   How do you learn to make the right choices if your meals are made for you??

My family's diet isn't really that bad (but can use some improvement).   We eat very little red meat due to DH's high cholesterol.  We really don't eat much meat at all, using beans and brown rice to stretch a meal.  We use REAL BUTTER too, but very little.  We are switching more to whole grains.

My main problem is PORTION CONTROL, plain and simple.   I can't shut my mouth when I've eaten enough.  I am stressed at home and that just leads to more "stress eating".  So many of us are stressed from being in limbo and from not feeling well and I that affects how we eat as well.

I remember back 15 years ago, they always talked about portion control and *why* we eat at the WW meetings.   I really think WW is a great program, but in my situation, I really need to scale up my exercise.  

My exercise has slacked WAY off.   I joined the YMCA so I can get back into the exercise.  I tried to do it at home (even bought the Wii Fit), but I just can't get it done here.    My kids sabotage any attempt my exercise routine!  There are many types of classes and accomodations at the Y for those with health issues, so that sold me on it.  Plus it has an added benefit for the rest of my family.

Having recently had PT, I realize how good it feels to do some exercise.   I believe it really helps with the sx.

Heather ~ Big KUDOS to you with your weight loss!!!  You are truely an inspiration!!!  :-)

Good luck to everyone!!

Take care, Pat :-)

[LATW]

I am a carb person. I LOVE LOVE pizza and could live on it every day every meal!  

The Atkins diet was great for cutting those carb cravings but I lost so much hair.  :( and felt so deprived.

I lost a lot of weight.  One of the things I was very discouraged about with my weight loss was how my chest just deflated. I felt like I had two saggy balloons!  You know what a helium balloon looks likes after most of the air is gone?  

Well, that is what I felt like. I have never in my life needed a Wonder Bra but I sure did after that weight loss!

I don't want to get skinny again.  A 25 - 30 pound loss would make me happy.

LA

[mercyone]

Well, I changed my diet to the SWANK MS one - lots of fish, no or very low saturated fats, fish oil and olive oil up to a limit.

My biking has helped and now I am going swimming at the gym - rejoining this weekend - I want to do as much as I can while I can - before things get worse........which I hope never happens but as the boyscouts say - be prepared.

The fresh food is great - wish it weren't so expensive - no meats for me either except fish (is that a meat?) chicken breast.  

Keep me posted on your WW progress - I love hearing how people conqueor their weight issues - I am about 20 lbs overweight and losing though - pound by pound.

Mercy