Thinking of returning to weight watchers

[jimyeahbaby]

Hi, I'm currently doing a VLCD but finding the food packs to be, well, vile quite frankly.

I'm thinking of doing Weight Watchers, but I have a few questions:

1)how much are you likely to lose in your first week, and then afterwards?

2)what are the main problems people have found with weight watchers?

3)I don't want/can't afford to go to groups so are there any online resources for weight watcher points, which would preclude the need to officially sign up?

Any other information people might like to give me will be received greatfully.

 

[Barb]

Have you considered doing a self planned cal counting diet? It is surprisingly easy to get into, all you need is a cal counting book, good digital scales and a notebook! depending on how much you want to lose you can set your daily allowance and just do it. With the back up of this site you can go it alone without being alone! Sound good? I have done it recently but must confess am on a break at the moment. However I am still 40lbs less than I was and although it takes time, you can be as creative as you like. You can plaln menus in advance, factor in nights out and all without feeling gulity. It is about control - you can do it! Let me know what you think and if you want any help I'm always around!
Love

 

[Russiandoll]

That's not a bad idea Jim. If you were doing the WW online then it's basically just calorie counting with a fancy name anyway (and it costs!)

If you wanted to have a bash at good old fashioned calorie counting then a good idea would be to establish your BMR (basal metabolic rate) and then you know how many cals you'd need to consume to create the 3500 cal deficit you need each week for every 1lb you want to lose. Here's a link to a BMR calculator.

BMR Calculator

In my case, for example, it's calculated that my body needs 1522 cals per day if I were to just lie in bed. As I do a bit more than lie in bed (just!) my body needs more than that probably taking it up to nearer 2200.
If I want to lose 2lb per week, I need to create a deficit of 7000 cals (1lb of fat = 3500 cals).
Spread over 7 days that's a deficit of 1000 cals per day. So I'd need to consume 1200cals per day if I wanted to lose 2lb per week.

I could eat a little more if I upped my exercise levels so you can see, half a stone a month is very achievable. I could also eat a few more cals if I was happy with a smaller loss of, say, 1lb per week. For people who don't have heaps to lose, that might be very acceptable (a not-too shabby 3st in a year!)

Anyway - some food for thought (pardon the pun!)

 

[slimjanine]

The other cheaper way to do it is to join just to get the info pack - if you go onto the Weight watchers website they usually have half price joining fee on! You then don't go back and just do it yourself. In case you don't know, Tescos also have the weight watchers points value on all of their healthy eating range, so this is an easy way to count points! Whenever I've done weight watchers, the guys in the group seem to loose their way very fast - they seem to be able to lose 4-5lb regularly a week (very sickening for us ladies!!)

 

[SP30]

I've done WW and their aim is 2 to 3 lbs per week.

The main problems are that if you don't hit it off with your group leader and the rest of the group, then you don't get the benefit of group support. Also, their diet can become a bit restrictive, trying to fit foods into their Points system becomes a real pain.

But the program does focus on healthy eating and that is good.

I'm just calorie counting now (I count things as 50s and 100s) and trying to cook low fat things, it works OK for me most of the time.

But if you think you would benefit from being in a (usually) nice group, WW is good IMHO

 

[i'lldoit]

Hi Ive done ww I love it I just dont keep the weight off.
If you went onto WW from a VLCD you would put on the 1st week as your restoring your Glycogen stores........
If you had a small break from VLCD then you start WW you will prob lose 3-5lbs your 1st week then 0.05-3lbs a week average 2lbs a week.
I was going to do WW when I finished LL last week but the loses are too slow after a VLCD and the packs dont taste great but you are only having them for the vits etc .
How much more do you want to lose??
XXC