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Is Weight Watchers A Healthy Diet?

I was asked a question about a recent post I did on the new Weight Watchers Momentum Program and sort of challenged on my notion that in the past it has been an unhealthy diet for some. I also asserted that it seemed they were heading in a new direction.

So I pulled up a thread to show what I had seen in the past. Again, this is just what I observed, but many on Weight Watchers seemed to be really focusing on ways of following the diet but really sticking to their old habits. I also observed that it seems that Weight Watchers has been attempting to address this issue

 

Here were some of the comments that caught my attention:

 

"For all you people that use WW like I do I just wanted to tell you about the blueberry muffins, they are so good and would never realize they were WW. THey are only 3 pts and def worth it. Also the carrot cakes are only one point, I am going to see what else is out there for the WW brand when it comes to junk food." 

 

"Thanks for the tip. Also, I love the WW cheesecakes, I think they are only 3 pts and worth it!" 

 

"Ok just had the WW cheesecake and oh my god! They could be dangerous! So far I am amazed at how easy the program is and the pounds are just dropping even though I am eating sweets again. The WW ice cream sandwichs @ 2 points are great as well as the gaint fudge bars @ 1 point"

 

"Well, if you think about it, it makes total sense--the kind of sweets you used to eat probably had ten times the fat and calories as the WW sweets do. That's why I love WW; you can still eat the kinds of foods you want but they are replacing much more fattening choices, so you do lose. Works for me!"

 

"I just started WW and found it to be the easiest to follow. I like their fudge bars, they don't taste like low fat at all."

 

And then the discussion turned:

 

"this is why I don't like weight watchers... it's not like that food is exactly "healthy." The OP is looking for "healthy" junk food... why not just decide to find healthy food that is yummy?? The idea should be to find ways to eat healthy and enjoy it- not find lower calorie versions of bad food."

 

"I agree with the most recent poster. I did WW and got tired of hearing about their products - we are paying for a meeting after all, not to hear a commercial. I don't think they are really teaching or emphasizing nutrition, and I think the points recommended for me was too drastically small, I felt starved. I'm glad you all like it so much and if it works for you that's great, but I have a lot of problems with WW."

It is a pretty interesting discussion but that captures the essence of what I was getting at. 

Context Is Everything!!

Update: June 14th, 2011: One thing that we would add to this post is the notion that "context is everything." Yes, Weight Watchers is deeply committed to a line of processed foods that any health expert could critique endlessly.

Yet, if you are just starting out in the weight loss process, Weight Watchers will teach you portion control, and truly help those people who are looking to put the fundamentals of change into place. The portion control side of things can be incredibly difficult, even for people who are fairly far along in their weight loss journey.

We would also observe that no weight loss approach is healthy when done by itself. You need to have as open a mind as possible, and treat the path to better health as a journey that will likely take several years. When you break things down this way you give yourself a lot of runway.

Next: Easy Suggestions To Make Your Diet Healthier (And Make It Easier To Lose Weight!)

Suggested: A Quick Way To Learn Portion Control

Related: The Dangers Of Too Much Fruit On Weight Watchers Points Plus

Related: What To Do When Weight Watchers (Or Any "Diet") Stops Working For You

Suggested Health Topic: How To Lower Cholesterol Fast, Without Drugs

Emotional Eating: The 7 Rules To Stop Emotional Eating At Night

Weight Watchers Momentum For Men: How This Compares To Atkins and South Beach

Habib and I were having dinner with another couple a few nights ago, and the subject turned to the friends husband's new diet. He had recently lost 25 pounds on a low carb, Atkins type diet that his doctor had prescribed for him. 

He was looking a lot better, and he mentioned that he had done this before on the South Beach diet. His comment on the South Beach diet was that "it works if you do exactly what they tell you to do." But it obviously was not something he could sustain long term, and he now found himself on a new diet that was low in carbs, and featured a good deal of meat as well as some shakes.

But he had a lot of questions for me and really wanted to know my take. I try to not give advice per se, but to present information in a way that people can make good decisions for themselves. He sort of knew he was potentially on another short term path, where he would lose weight and then start to gain it back. 

So I mentioned to him our observations about Weight Watchers and how we see the long term success many have in the PEERtrainer community. We see South Beach as an excellent short term thing that will work, but with Weight Watchers there is a lot more focus on long term behavior change.

After sharing this observation with him he immediately mentioned that he had a male co-worker who had recently lost 80 pounds. He mentioned it because they had been watching a company video from a year ago, and this guy had lost so much weight that he was now unrecognizable.

So we are reaching out to this guy and try and get his story. We are focusing a lot on men's weight loss in the Tip Of The Day email coaching series and are also developing a program that focuses on the emotional, night eating and binge component of eating for men.

This conversation was interesting also because of Weight Watchers Momentum Program, which is the latest update of their program. Both the in-person and online versions of the program have been updated to provide even more of a focus on long term and healthy change. If you are one of those guys who yo-yo's, you might want to try their online program. The cost is roughly $5 a week which includes the signup fee. That is the price of a nice beer at a bar.

Many guys like the structure that the online version of Momentum can provide and are also comfortable with the computer. So if you feel stuck just sign up for the online component to start. Maybe do the meetings as a second step. Whatever works for you. And if you do join and are a subscriber to the Tip Of The Day please please let me know how it goes. I would love to blog about this. If you are a try before you buy person, you can also do a series of free assessments on the Weight Watchers site. Otherwise just click on the orange button below which takes you to the online version for men. 

Experience With Weight Watchers For Men, Is Online or In Person More Effective?

I am also starting a thread in the community about Men's success with WW. I am especially interested in how the program improves results with their new refresh. Also if Weight Watchers is not for you or you have tried it in the past, maybe it might make sense to take a crack at South Beach for a period of time. The success you have there might help with your transition period to a healthier, long term diet.

How To Know If You Have Metabolic Syndrome, How To Know If You Are No Longer In The Metabolic Range

One of our subscribers to the Tip Of The Day had asked a question about Metabolic Syndrome, and in cases like this I simply farm out to the experts. In this case Dr. Laurie Rothman answered the call from her weight loss clinic in the Palm Beach area. We will be hearing more from her so feel free to forward questions to us and we can even arrange a phone or in person consultation for you. She has a very nice and warm manner and we are thrilled to be working with her.

The subscriber wanted to know how someone could tell if they were leaving the Metabolic Range. This is Laurie's response and overall explanation of the issue.

 

"Metabolic Syndrome - What is it and why should I care?

 

Metabolic syndrome is a combination of health risks that increase one's risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and dementia. It has also been known as Syndrome X, Insulin Resistant Syndrome and Dysmetabolic Syndrome.  It is estimated that 1 in 5 Americans has metabolic syndrome.

 

The precise cause of Metabolic Syndrome is not known.  It is related to abdominal obesity, elevated blood insulin levels and insulin resistance at the cellular level.  It is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic factors and lifestyle choices, such as the types of foods you eat and how physically active you are. The amount of alcohol you consume and whether or not you smoke are also contributing factors.

 

In order to diagnose Metabolic Syndrome you must meet at least 3 out of the following 5 criteria:

 

1. A waistline of 35 or more inches in women or 40 or more inches in men.

 

2. Blood pressure of 135/85 or greater.

 

3. An elevated triglyceride level of 150mg/dl or higher.

 

4. An HDL cholesterol of less than 40mg/dl in men or less than 50mg/dl in women.

 

5. An elevated fasting blood glucose of greater than 100 mg/dl.

 

When you meet 3 or more of these criteria, you have metabolic syndrome. It means your risk of Type 2 Diabetes is increased by 9 times the normal risk and your risk of heart disease is 2-4x above normal. The more criteria you meet, the greater overall risk you have to your health.

 

Metabolic Syndrome develops when the normal mechanism for delivering glucose (sugar) to your body's cells stops working properly. Normally, when you eat, your digestive tract breaks down the food you eat into glucose. Your bloodstream absorbs and carries the glucose to all of your cells for energy. Insulin is needed to help the glucose enter the cells. In some people, more and more insulin is needed to help glucose get into the cells. This leads to insulin resistance and high blood sugar and high insulin levels.

 

High blood sugar and high insulin levels can cause increased appetite, weight gain, increases in blood pressure and have a bad effect on cholesterol levels.

 

The good news is that Metabolic Syndrome can be treated or even reversed.

 

The mainstay of treatment for Metabolic Syndrome is making lifestyle changes in your nutrition and physical activity.  Increased exercise will improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels and insulin sensitivity, even if it does not result in significant weight loss. Increasing physical activity is important with the goal being trying to achieve a minimum of 30 minutes of aerobic activity 5 to 7 days a week. Set realistic exercise goals, write them down and then stick to them.

 

In terms of dietary changes, it has been shown that a diet that a Mediterranean type diet works well for Metabolic Syndrome. However, no single diet is currently recommended for patients with metabolic syndrome. Reducing calories, while ensuring adequate nutrition is the goal.  Emphasis should be on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein. A minimum of 35 grams of fiber a day should be consumed. Dairy products should be fat free. Alcohol should be consumed in moderation - this means no more than 1 serving of alcohol a day for women and no more than 2 servings of alcohol a day for men.  For those with elevated blood pressure, a low salt diet is important.

 

Your physician can make recommendations for medications to help you in certain cases when risk factors are not reduced adequately by lifestyle changes. LDL, HDL or Triglyceride levels may need to be treated. Metformin can help to treat insulin resistance and prevent the onset of Type 2 Diabetes. Low dose aspirin may be appropriate as a preventive measure in some patients.  In addition, weight loss medications may sometimes be prescribed."

 

It is important to note that we strongly suggest that you find a great doctor. In this case, in order to test for some of these signs you need to have lab work done and you need to see your doctor. Maybe learning about this in greater detail will help you with your motivation and developing your "why".

 

If you are in this range you need to see a doctor and strongly consider starting Weight Watchers or other recommended diet. To help to quickly determine your risk levels you can also do three quick assessments on the site to gauge your risk levels. You just need to know your weight and height.

Discuss this article in the PEERtrainer Community!

Assess If You Are Really Ready To Lose Weight

Those of you who get the Tip Of The Day email know you have the option to "unsubscribe." And we learn a lot and make a lot of changes when you do leave us a comment on the way out. (And you can always sign up again and start over).

One interesting thing is people are generally pretty honest. And many tell us that they are simply "not ready to lose weight." For many this is a very important assessment. They were able to at least express that they understood they were not ready. I try and simply give them an encouraging comment of, "you are always welcome here" and that they can always come back.

Even on the PEERtrainer site itself we have a very long term user base. It is not uncommon to see people to come back after one or even two years. We work to develop a supportive environment, roll out new products. But mostly work to try and have a very welcoming place to come back to.

And when people come back to us, they are ready, they have developed that readiness. We work hard to develop readiness but we are far from alone in this process. If you feel like you are not ready to lose weight, you might want to find out exactly where you are. Weight Watchers has developed an 11 question weight loss readiness assessment on their website as part of their new Momentum Program.

I will look for some other tools as well and post them. I am also going to ask Joshua (therapist) and Laurie (MD) some questions on readiness. Those of you in the Tip of The Day program are familiar with their work, and I want you all to know we are working hard on identifying and also developing resources to help in this area.

We also have started a thread on this in the PEERtrainer Community:

Tips On Getting Ready To Lose Weight

Everything You Need To Know About Weight Watchers

Readers of the PEERtrainer Tip Of The Day, this blog, listeners to our coaching programs know that we are fans of Weight Watchers, and generally advocate it as part of a broad toolset of stuff that just works. It is important though to not get into this mindset of "I am on this diet" or "I am on that diet". Just try and be open to mixing and matching what works for you. Because we have a deep and focused community on the site, we have accumulated lots of interesting bits of information.

This post will serve as a central place where we will gather important information about the program, as an "FAQ" for the program. It will be updated and if you see something, please feel free to post it in the comments section.

The Weight Watchers Momentum Program

This is the latest update of the program. Old concepts of Core and Flex are renamed although ideas stay the same. The Filling Foods List has some healthier versions and the general tone seems to be towards healthy foods. The basics of counting points, staying accountable and getting support at meetings remains the same. You need to sign up to get the details of this new program.

Here are some relevant discussions from our community:

What Do You Learn At A Weight Watchers Meeting?

This was the best response from that thread so far:

"You can learn a lot.

- How to estimate portions when you can't measure

- How to plan for specially occasions

- How to choose more healthy options

- How not to deprive yourself, but instead control yourself

- Great recipes

- Tips for cooking lighter

- Strategies for changing your behaviors to be more healthy

Most of all, you'll learn how to plan and make better choices that you can live with instead f depriving yourself of everything you love."

Weight Watchers, To Join Or Not To Join?

Here is one great comment from that thread:

"I just joined. So far i really am liking the plan. You are held accountable and you do weigh in every week (only one person sees it) and when you attain certain small goals the group recognizes those and asks you what worked for you and if anything you do may help the group to achieve their goals. I have found this part pretty motivational.

Also, I guess you could eat junk if you wanted to but if you did you certainly wouldnt be able to eat too much of it and still stay within their "diet" However I do enjoy the point system because I can eat healhty and eat a lot of food, but I can also have a SMALL treat and it is still ok and i am still on the plan and it does not make me discouraged."

Can Someone Explain Weight Watchers Activity Points?

"I've been using WW points for a long time and here is how I calculate the activity points: I weigh about 180 at the moment ...

if I'm working hard and sweating - I earn a point for every 15-20 minutes or 100- 150 calories if the machine I'm using calculates calories.

So if I work out on the elliptical for 30 minutes - 1 pt ... 45 minutes - 2 pts ... 60-75 minutes 3 pts

If I'm being active but not necessarily working up a big sweat - I calculate 1 pt per half-full hour. So if I'm out walking with my kids for half an hour - 1 pt but if I go out for the day with them and walk all over a park or an event with them for hours on end - I calculate 1 pt per hour I was out and on my feet. "

How Do You Calculate The Weight Watchers Points You Need:

"Thought this was helpful - new way to calculate your points for weight watachers.

Weight Watchers Updated: Your personal daily points target- use this formula

1. Are you

female?- score 2

Male?- score 8

A nursing mom?- score 12

2. How old are you?

17-26- score 4

27-37- score 3

38-47- score 2

48-58- score 1

over 58- score 0

3.What do you weigh?

Enter the first two digits of your weight in pounds.

(for example, if you weight 199, you will add 19 to your score)

4. How tall are you?

Under 5’1- score 0

5’1-5’10- score 1

Over 5’10- score 2

5. How do you spend most of your day?

Sitting down? score 0

Occasionally sitting? score 2

Walking most of the time? score 4

Doing physically hard work most of the time? score 6

Now add them all together and that’s your daily total. It might be higher for some. My WW coordinator said if this is the case, take the difference between your new and old and divide it in half and then add that much to your previous total." 

I would note that this is a very very rough guide and they have changed the program so much (for the better from the looks of it) that you really need to go to the meetings or join online. It is not longer just a thing of counting some points and learning some values. There is much more to it. We have more here on the recent changes.

Can Someone Explain The Pros and Cons Of The Weight Watchers Points System?

Tips For Success In Weight Watchers

This thread has a nice balance of reviews and experiences- some great, some not so great.

The Cost Of Weight Watchers

You can save 25% if you sign up for 3 months and you need to go to their site to get the current prices. This banner takes you to pricing for the new Momentum Program

NutriSystem Meal Delivery Program

I have started to get some questions about NutriSystem and I wanted to put something together to try and deal with this question fairly. And sort of present what we see from both the experts as well as our members. 

What Do PEERtrainer Members Think Of NutriSystem?

The first thing I would observe is that NutriSystem does not appear to have the level of grass roots support that Weight Watchers does. I did a search in our community for threads about WW in doing research for an article on their new Momentum Program. There was a lot out there, all sorts of detailed questions. And a clear level of enthusiasm for what they had done and what they are now doing.

And there was definitely a lot less written about NutriSystem, so I don't have a ton to go on from our community. But one comment that stuck out for me was this one:

"I used NutriSystem (NS) during a period of time that I knew that I would have very little time to prepare or shop for food (because of work). I lost 3 lbs in one week, but this is due to the fact that everything is already measured for you. The food wasn't great (I liked the italian the best), but it helped me learn how to "eyeball" the right portions and to find out what my body needs in order to function every day. If I stayed on NS, I am sure that I would have lost quite a bit of weight in 2 months; but I knew that I needed to have a lifestyle change rather than a quick weight drop, so I started cooking my food again when my schedule allowed for it.

Overall, I think it was a helpful experience seeing what portions sizes were and being on a regimented eating plan. I purchased the food on the Internet (NS website, Amazon, and EBay!). No foods were moldy and there are lot numbers and expiry dates on each box. This doesn't mean the food will taste great, but at least you know when the food officially expires."

There was also a very interesting comment from someone whose husband had used it successfully:

"My husband lost 20 pounds on Nutrisystem and it helped me get him to the next step of eating better. I couldn't get him to make any changes to his diet, but once he got a taste of "success" we were able to build from there. I'd agree that this is a short term thing, but I did want to point out how helpful this was as a first step."

What Does The Medical Community Think Of Nutrisystem? 

My search on the site also turned up kudos from a doctor on the subject of WW. But the same doctor did not recommend food delivery based diet plans for the following reason:

"I have avoided recommending diets where one needs to purchase the food from the diet plan. I explain to my patients that it is my belief that this is dieting "in a bubble" and they do not learn how to eat or manage their food choices and portions in their ordinary lives."

This is not a knock on NutriSystem specifically, just the whole idea of delivery services where you don't develop your own coping skills. If you make an effort to address these concerns, you are going to probably do ok.

Using NutriSystem As A Diet Transition Tool?

It is easy to be a critic and hard to do stuff. My thought is that if NutriSystem did work to help you lose a bunch of weight for a couple months that would be a really great thing. You would have to be aware of the weaknesses of the program and find a way to make it work for you. One of the things we talk about and observe in our Tip Of The Day weight loss coaching newsletter is the idea of "Diet Fusion" where you find the things that work for you, and not view dieting as just one tool.

Down the road you could then begin to transition to a nutrient dense diet like those advocated by Fuhrman, McDougall and now Weight Watchers. If you decide to go on NutriSystem, you might want to sign up for our Tip Of The Day email coaching program to give you a level of support so you are not alone. This would also teach you the real fundamentals of truly thin and healthy living.

NutriSystem would sort of function as a set of training wheels to get you on the path to a set of different habits that do take time to develop. Our motto is- whatever works for you.

Does NutriSystem Work?

This is a pretty interesting question given some of the criticism, but the answer is that it seems to, especially in the short run. The TV ads with famous football players seems to speak for itself, and you know those guys really did get helped by the program- you can see it with your own eyes.

Is NutriSystem Really Not That Healthy?

The fact is that they ship foods that are pre-packaged and can sit on a shelf. That limits somewhat their ability to deliver healthy food. And with Weight Watchers moving to a healthier model, they are probably under some pressure to improve the overall health profile of the foods they are shipping out. 

This is a common criticism, and I would bet that their management team is smart enough to be working one something right now. Imagine if all of a sudden they launched a special "all natural" program that featured Whole Foods as a co-branding partner- or something like that. These guys are very good marketers, and with the market moving in the direction of more plant-based, nutrient dense foods, they are sure to follow.

But you have to realize that if you lose 20, 30, 50 pounds on NutriSystem you are going to improve your health. If you made sure to start eating a lot of greens and some fruit each day you are going to be in very good shape. We are reaching out to them in hopes of getting some more granularity on these questions and will keep you posted on what they are doing.

Halfway To A Goal Of Losing 150 Pounds, Through Journaling And PEER Support

We just started a new PEERtrainer Spotlight, and one participant had said she had lost 50 pounds while on PT and 83 pounds overall. So I asked her to please share her story with others. 

For those of you in the Tip Of The Day coaching program, one of the core organizing themes is the importance of daily journaling and group support. 

This is an excellent illustration of exactly why we hammer in on this idea over and over. Please take a moment to read this story and you can also click on a link at the end of the article and see her logs for today. Maybe even send her a note of encouragement!

"Let's see. I started intentionally losing weight in May, the day after my college graduation. I gained about 30 lbs. in my senior year alone (topped the scales at 310 lbs.) and really started to notice the negative effects of my weight gain (out of breath walking up a small hill, for instance).  

I joined PT in July 2008 (after already losing 30 lbs.) very quickly because of my dramatic lifestyle change) after searching for online food journals because I read how beneficial logging your daily food intake was for successful weight loss. I never imagined I would find anything like PT. 

I loved how it was way more than just a food log. I loved the community lounge and the calorie wiki and the interaction with group/team members.

It took a couple weeks before I found a group that was right for me but I finally found it (Mid 20s with 100+ to lose). We all had the same goals and offered each other support along the way.  We were fairly active loggers and praised each other when we made good food choices and followed our exercise plans. 

After I ate very healthy food for a meal or after I finished a great workout, I couldn't wait to log it so my group members could see it and tell me what a great job I was doing - that is what has proven to be the most effective part of PT for me. 

And even after I logged a particularly bad food day or binge and felt horrible, my group members were there to tell me I could push past it and get back on track the next day. 

Without their support, I don't think I could have gotten back on track any of the many times I have fallen off throughout this journey. To date, I have lost 83 lbs. total and 53 lbs as a PT member. I am more than half way to my goal of losing 150 lbs. total and I have no doubt in my mind I will get there and I have PT to thank."  

For the members of the Tip Of The Day daily coaching newsletter I am going to start a new team with the intention of getting like minded people together. And I can start a couple depending on what you are looking for. If you think that is a good idea, please let me know. 

I think it is also important to point how proud this person was of their accomplishment, so when you are in your groups and teams, try and find the one great thing they did that day. And if you did one great thing, don't be shy about telling others. It will probably motivate all of you! 

Weight Watchers Momentum Program

There are 3 major improvements to Weight Watchers with the introduction of the new "Momentum Program." The changes are based in some good fundamentals. Here are three of the most important ones:

1) There is a greater focus on healthy food choices, which is shown to be the best path to long term weight loss. There is a lot of focus on their "Filling Foods" list, which are foods that keep you from being hungry. There is a reason they have that little furry hungry monster on their ads!

A List Of Healthy Foods and Foods To Move Away From

2) Weight Watchers is getting solid reviews of their new recipes. There are a lot of them and they are very good from what we are hearing. When you join you get to choose from a wide array of choices, tailored to your tastes, and we think you get a Momentum Recipe book.

Healthy Recipes To Help You Lose Weight

3) The third area of focus and improvement is on the psychology of weight loss. Most of us know what to do, but have a hard time following through. PEERtrainer has put together this quiz to help you find out your odds of success on something like the Momentum program. As good as it is, you will only be successful on it if you are ready and motivated to do so. Some find it helpful to take the quiz and then keep reading this page.

 

 

Can I Do Weight Watchers Momentum Program On My Own?

 

The company now sells a series of comprehensive kits on Amazon that give you books on the new recipes, a calculator for the new points system, instructional dvd's, a basic training guide and more. There are two kits available--the deluxe has more books and guides, along with a Momentum cookbook.

 

2009 Weight Watchers Momentum Starter Kit

Weight Watchers Momentum Cookbook

 

Tip Of The Day subscribers and participants in our Point Of No Return Coaching Program know that we make sure people understand how to count Weight Watcher points, because it is such a great tool when you are outside your comfort zone. But one of the key criticisms we've seen of Weight Watchers overall was this idea that you could do the diet in an unhealthy way. 

But now Weight Watchers has made a real turnaround in this area and this Momentum program seems to tackle this weakness head on. Specifically, they are focusing on the idea of "Filling Foods" that are high in fiber and high in water content. Which means a diet high in plant-based foods which are excellent for long term health. This is really a change of focus.

In the words of Gail Gedan Spencer of Examiner.com, "Thirty points of nacho cheese rice cakes is not the same as 30 points of healthy, filling, nutritious foods."  We say in our coaching calls and newsletters, "learn the points system" and it may be that the Momentum program joins that.

 

Will Men Like The New Momentum Program?

 

It may be that men particular think will want to strongly consider the program. If you are a man you might want to read this post of ours. It is feedback from a man who lost 80 pounds in the last year from the old program. Weight Watchers for Men has been a relatively new area of focus and seems to be improving with time.

The Points System- What Is It, Has Anything Changed With Momentum?

The Weight Watchers Points System assigns point values to foods, and with Momentum there is now more focus on healthy foods when you do count points. 

Even if Weight Watchers is not a long term fit for you, you will find great value learning their approach to portion control, group support and focus on healthy filling foods. If your diet is not giving you the results you want, you need to address those three areas. This article of ours takes you through how the Points system works and how you can learn to gauge points easily. Points are still a very core part of their new diet approach. The only thing that appears to have changed is the new focus on healthy, filling foods.

What About The Flex And Core Programs?

 

From what we are hearing, the Flex and Core Systems or Programs have been rolled into the new Momentum Program. So when you show up at your local Weight Watchers meeting place, expect to now have one choice. According to one PEERtrainer member:

 

"From what I've heard, it's making core and flex one plan. The core foods are now filling foods. Basically, it's teaching you more of the basics of what foods are good for you but if you slip, you still have your points as a backup. I guess it's also to make things easier, you now only have one choice. Unless I'm wrong, it's not like there are three choices now, when you sign up for weight watchers, you're signing up for the one program, the momentum program."

 

But Doesn't It Make Sense To Reward Exercise Like They Did With Flex?

 

This is something I need to find out, because it makes sense to be rewarded for exercising with a few points here and there. But it was always pretty hard to earn points with exercise and I think pointed to the fact that diet is really the dominant component of weight loss.

 

"Filling Foods" Replaces Core Foods List

 

The Weight Watchers Momentum Program now features a "Filling Foods List" which takes into account the actual space that the food takes up in your stomach. People who have read Eat to Live or Eat For Health by Joel Fuhrman understand that volume is one of the four dimensions of hunger. Nutrients, calories and addictions are the other three. Weight Watchers has adopted this focus on the importance of volume. And they really ought to give credit to the pioneers in this space, but at the end of the day they are good marketers and will be rewarded for that.

Weight Watchers Momentum does not seem to totally embrace the idea of nutrient density yet, but the fact is they are throwing a lot at people with this new program, and it appears to be vastly more comprehensive than their previous programs where you could choose to do Flex or Core or whatever.

Recipes To Help You Feel Full

Examples From The Filling Foods List- (From Their Public Website)

 

3 Point Sauteed Shrimp Recipe- This is an example of how you can cook large peeled shrimp quickly with some nice flavorings. Note the following very healthy recommendation for what to serve the shrimp over:

 

"Fresh lemon juice and dried seasonings provide simple yet wonderful flavor for this easy sauté. Serve the shrimp over brown rice with a side of roasted vegetables for a complete, nutritious meal."

0 Point Roasted Vegetable Recipe- This gives you a nice example of the new approach to dieting in the Momentum Program. They do not seem to be penalizing vegetables at all, even with the small amount of olive oil. Dr Fuhrman has written extensively about the high nutrient values in vegetables and the very important role they play in helping you feel full. Weight Watchers seems to have adopted this philosophy, which we see work.

 

4 spray(s) olive oil cooking spray, divided

2 medium sweet red pepper(s), cut into 8 thick strips

1 medium green pepper(s), cut into 8 thick strips

1 medium summer squash, cut thickly on the diagonal

1 medium zucchini, cut thickly on the diagonal

1 medium red onion(s), cut into large wedges

12 oz canned artichoke hearts, without oil, drained and halved

1 tbsp thyme, fresh, minced

1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste

1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste

 

Examples of snack ideas on the filling foods list include cherries and guacamole. That is particularly interesting because people commonly assume avocado is not a diet food because of the fat. In my experience it really takes the edge off and is yet another great example of their new approach to dieting with Momentum.

 

You'll need to join to get access to a list customized to you or you can purchase the new Weight Watchers Momentum Cookbook on amazon. 

 

I Want To Try Before I Buy....

It might be that you are apprehensive about going to an in-person meeting, so they offer an online version of the Weight Watchers Momentum Program. If cost is an issue but you still want some level of help, PEERtrainer offers a daily weight loss coaching newsletter that guides you through some key fundamentals. We also offer a series of free weight loss coaching calls that will also give you some practical tools and rules. They are both free and you can get started right away.

Weight Watchers Helpful Habits

This is another new aspect of Weight Watchers Momentum that appears to take a page out of the work done by Judith Beck of The Beck Diet Solution. This replaces their old "Tools For Living" but starts them on the path to a small level of ideas promoted by prominent psychotherapists.

 

These rapid adjustments appear to be pretty smart, and we need to see how people actually respond. Since many people are members of PEERtrainer and Weight Watchers simultaneously, we will be able to provide a great feedback loop.

 

Weight Watchers Seems To Be More Accommodating To Vegetarians

 

One thing that always struck me in supermarkets were nutrient-poor yet low point foods that were marketed aggressively. When PEERtrainer won the 2007 Web 2.0 awards in the Health category, one thing that Habib pointed to was a concern that the dominant diets were not making people healthy.

 

In fact, he made a very pointed comment about the diet industry overall:

 

"With Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig etc. shoving processed, low calorie, junk food down peoples' throats, there is a lot to do to get the industry focused on new approaches. These kinds of foods are not improving peoples’ health. In fact, the opposite may well be true. The medical and health care community agrees and is now working with us to help reset the agenda."

 

That might not have been a totally fair assertion, but in retrospect was not too far off the mark. It is really great to see WW take this new focus, where they really cannot be accused of that any more. There will be a business benefit for them- hopefully. But there also may well be a societal benefit, which is why it is so important to really explore this program. 

 

This new program places much more focused on real foods vs processed foods. As a result, people who are into healthy diets will find a more welcome home. And if you think about this for a second, Weight Watchers is a great marketing tool for the food industry. So you may well see many of the companies who had in the past been teaming up with WW to deliver low point processed food, now change focus.

 

How great would it be to see Weight Watchers and Whole Foods team up??

 

Food Tracking And Journaling

 

Weight Watchers is also placing a heavy emphasis on tracking your foods, noting that it is highly effective. We realized this 4 years ago when we built PEERtrainer, and have a very easy to use, free form food journal that is built into every support group and team on the site.

 

Journaling your foods each day works, plain and simple. Just do it. Does not matter where.

Should I Sign Up For The Weight Watchers Momentum Program?

 

From our perspective, weight loss is incredibly hard to accomplish and maintain. So you really need all the help you can get. It is that important. PEERtrainer is focused heavily on the online, email and phone based approaches to losing weight. If you need an in-person, face to face thing, there is really no alternative. Even if you only join for a month and don't want to go to the meetings, you will find real value and what appears to be a growing set of very practical and proven tools.

 

I Am Thinking About Doing Nutrisystem Instead of Weight Watchers Momentum...

 

You need to find what works for you and what stage you are in the weight loss process. The two offerings are very different. One thing we have seen is that some men have had success with NutriSystem because they simply were not able to get started any other way. Other men have done great going to the Weight Watchers meetings. And it may be that you start WW after a couple months on NutriSystem. You have to find what works for you.

Does PEERtrainer Have An Opinion On The New Weight Watchers Program?

Their focus on identifying healthier foods may well boost their overall success rate. We base any views on what we see among our members, so our view will evolve. But we have a strong gut about what they are now doing. Again, weight loss is so hard for so many that you want to get all the help that you can.

We now have an affiliate relationship with them, and we feel good about pointing people to this new program. Many of you know that we highly recommend you own a copy of Eat For Health no matter what weight you are. If you are overweight and not making progress you probably would do very well to do Momentum. And if you join the program via this orange banner below, you help support PEERtrainer and the work we are doing with our free Tip Of The Day coaching program.

We tend to cover Weight Watchers quite a bit and if you want to read more of what we have written, please click on the link. One of the things we are interested in particularly is helping make sure you integrate all these proven tools into a way that really works for you.

 

We have also started a new thread over in the community on the new Weight Watchers Momentum Program. Please chime in there, here in the comments section or send me an email.

 

1/1/09 Update- We are now getting some great feedback on the new Momentum Plan and it seems like this system is really helping people have success. One user helped to explain that this new program is really different in the area of recipes, and that the new recipes are really really good.

It is funny because the new comments we are getting is helping to bolster my initial gut about the changes. They are very real and for the first time you really have to go to a meeting or join to get the best information.

1/5/09 Update- We just posted a note about a doctor having recommended doing Weight Watchers and The South Beach diet together. Her point was that Weight Watchers was great for portion control but that you needed to also do South Beach to add quality foods. Based on the reviews of the diet and recipes, it seems that WW has added the quality food aspect. Interesting.

We also got a great note from one of our weight loss coaching newsletter subscribers who said they just signed up for Momentum Online. She is 50 and weighs 250 pounds. We will be monitoring her progress with WW online over time.

7/14/2010 Update: PEERtrainer has just created a series of videos that will give you some immediate support, right now. 

 Click here to watch Video 1.   

Click here to watch Video 2.

 

Momentum, not momemtum!

 

3 Reasons To Eat Avocados and 3 Ways To Eat Them

In our Tip Of The Day program I often show you what we do in our own life. Avocados are something that I have as a staple in my diet and life and I wanted to take a second to sort of outline in a very practical sense why I do this and how I do this. I will make sure to prepare some specific recipe ideas as well.

(After the introduction of the new PEERtrainer Cheat System, we have further refined this advice. A small amount of avocado, especially in a salad is tasty and also helps your body absorb the nutrients in the other ingredients in the salad. Most vegetables do not contain fat, yet they need some for optimal absorption of nutrients in the digestion process.)

Reasons To Eat Avocados

1. For me they are one of the most satisfying foods out there. 

They are high in good fat, and they take the edge off when I feel like I could eat 5 large pizzas. For me, the edge is gone immediately

If I eat a normal size portion of pasta, and I cover it with butter and parmesean, it will take me three more servings like that to take the edge off that hunger feeling of wanting to eat everything in sight.

If I eat 1/2 of an avocado (or a tablespoon of peanut butter or cashew butter) it 100% takes the edge off so that I can make a healthier choice. I have found nothing to take the edge off. Especially after a workout.

2. They Make Food Taste Great

It is like putting sour cream or cheese sauce over everything you are eating for me. Anything you can think of that "this needs sour cream or cheese sauce" put avocado on it. Even a portion of vegetables. Put a portion of avocado and lemon juice over a plate of spinach and it tastes great.

Instead of eggs and cheese, have eggs and avocado. A block of cheese will never satisfy you like an avocado will.

3. Avocado Is A Transition And Replacement Food Into Your Thin Lifestyle

I used to use it to make the transition from cheese, sour cream and bacon, and now that I have transitioned into a healthier lifestyle it takes the edge off. But I found it a great transition food.

It helps you cope when you can't do the vegetable thing all the time. For me it has been a savior.

My 3 Rules For Eating Avocados

1. Never Eat Them Alone

Use them to make other healthy food taste good. If you don't like the taste of spinach, try the avocado and lemon. Like tomato sauce, they can make anything taste good. If you want a "satisfying salad" blend avocado into dijon mustard and lemon juice, throw a cup of beans in the mix and you have something that tastes great and really helps you feel full.

2. Always Squeeze Lemon Juice On Them

I make it a habit to always have lemons handy. For me, the combination of avocado and lemon really makes so many other foods taste good. It is also very quick and easy to prepare.

 

3. I only eat 1/2 avocado at a time. 

There are 380 calories in a hass avocado or 6 weight watchers points. So don't go crazy and use half which is 3 points and 190 calories or so in the avocado. But if you do go overboard know that Avocados are also an extremely healthy food and have been proven to help with your heart, overall health and also help fight breast cancer.

If you want some more "why" some specific health reasons, check out WHFoods page on all the research that is showing benefit after benefit. We have a quick summary here. They really are insanely good for you and really help you in the process of transitioning to a new lifestyle, something that is a huge focus for us in the Tip of The Day and Coaching programs.

In the current version of the PEERtrainer Cheat System, your first 1/2 avocado is a free food. Important to note that we are always refining that document.

What Are Your Rules For Eating Avocado?

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There Are So Many Opportunities To Connect With People

I had to run to the grocery store last minute to pick up diapers before everything shut down for the Christmas holiday.  I was definitely in a rush.  I had 3 other stops to make before I had to run home and get ready for a family and friend get-together. 

I hurried over to the express lane, and I lined up behind a older gentleman, probably in his 70's, who was unloading his cart.  I'm staring at his cart.  It has three large Haagen Daz ice cream containers and I'm thinking to myself, mmm, ice cream sounds good and I'm startled by his voice.

"Please, go ahead of me."

Before I had a chance to think about  what prompted him to say, go ahead, he started to explain.

"I know I shouldn't be in this line.  I have 12 items in my cart."

I started laughing, realizing that he must have thought I was looking at the Haagen Daz ice cream and thinking, 'why is he in the 10 items or fewer line??'

I answered, "Did you think i was looking at your items disapprovingly?"

He said,"Yes, please go ahead of me. I know I have too many items in my cart."

I replied, "I was only thinking about how good that ice cream is going to taste!"

He sort of chuckled and said, "This time of year is so stressful.  People in the house, places to go."

I wondered how he made the leap from chatting about the items in his cart to revealing his true feelings how much anxiety he felt about this time of year.   After we exchanged some understandings about how stressful holidays can be, he looked visibly calmer.  I even saw the makings of a smile.

I haven't had an exchange like that in a long time.  I'm usually running around, with my head down, thinking of the next thing I have to do just to go to the next meal that needs to be cooked to the next bed that needs to be tucked to the next business meeting that needs to be prepared for.  It was so nice to just chat in the grocery line.  That's what I love about the holidays.

Ideas For Things To Focus On In The First Week Of A New Diet

One of the things we have found that really works for people to help them get started on a diet is to just focus on the one thing that they know will trip them up. Because people respond so powerfully to this, we have made this the very first tip in our PEERtrainer Tip Of The Day email coaching and training program.

I also ask people to think about that one thing for them, write it down and then email me back with it!! I read and reply to every one of these and they are all so great, so specific and so real.

We all are looking for the big ideas and the magic bullets, but we see that people who are successful really focus on these little details, and do the work one step at a time. Here is a list of recent responses:

Chocolate:

"i was thinking about the one thing that always trips me up 

and i have to admit in the end its always chocolate....

i know i have to work on this and maybe the next seven days will help..."

Finding Time To Work Out:

"The one big, big, big thing that trips me up, is making time for myself and my work

out. I can have the best intentions, but if someone else needs something, then my

workout gets put on hold. I know. I know. I should work out in the morning before

everyone is out of bed. But THAT feels like I am punishing myself. I take no joy in

that.

So, over the Christmas break, I will try to find even a 30 minute block each day

that is just for me."

Night Eating:

"Today and this week I will be thinking about how I tend to eat after dinner, right

up until bed time.

 

I need to eat more salad and vegetables during the day and at dinner, and not leave

myself open to hunger (or emotional hunger or whatever) after dinner.  It's a habit

that I've taken on in the last year or so, so it'll take awhile to work on."

Sweets:

"it is sweets. cookies cake, candy. everyday i ben saying i'm not having any

sweets.."

Eating More Slowly:

"The one thing I would like to focus on this week is eating more slowly.  I think I

eat too fast and don't allow my body enough time to feel full so I continue to eat

until I am stuffed.  I don't like how that makes me feel."

Fast Food:

Don't go to McDonald's!

Coffee:

"My seven day first step would have to be my coffee intake.  Even when I

don't need caffeine and/or I am just thirsty, I always go for the coffee

instead of water.  So for my first 7 days I will try to drink water instead

of coffee."

Reading The Labels:

"the idea i will be focusing on is to eat in moderation...limiting myself 

to the serving recommended on the box/bag/calorie counting book..."

Cookies And Candy Sitting Around The Office:

"we also have a couple of candy bowls setting

around the office.  My goal for the next seven days is to pass them up."

I hope this list might have triggered some ideas of the one thing you can focus on in your first week. You also might want to listen to week one of the PEERtrainer Weight Loss Bootcamp. It is a free program we have put together and people love it. Just click the link and you can get the first call sent to your email box.

If you want to share your one thing, or one that that you did, we have a discussion going on things you can do the first week of a diet.

New PEERtrainer Spotlight Email List, Community Leaders List

The PEERtrainer Spotlight is a group of about 20-25 members that are together for a couple months at a time. One of the main functions of the Spotlight is to provide a place where the "community leaders" tend to congregate. Those of you who are more active in commenting, who start groups and teams we consider very valuable leaders in our community. 

You all know who you are, and many of you have been around since we posted our first ad on Craigslist. Craig got pretty mad at us for being a little too aggressive promoting our new product, but we did get a great group of loyal members.

Anyway, if you are new to PEERtrainer, and feel like you have really found a home, we would love for you to consider being in the Spotlight from time to time. We used to have people just email us, and what we are doing now is getting an email list together for people who want to be notified of new Spotlight openings and who also want to hear about new teams started by PEERtrainer and PT community leaders.

So if you are interested, just enter your email in the form below and open the confirmation email. You will start hearing from us!

Food Allergy Symptoms Can Be Very Mild

I was flipping through my copy of a book on nutrition for children written by Joel Fuhrman (Disease-Proof Your Child), and I came across this:

 

"A large number of children have marginal intolerance to wheat and other gluten-rich flours. Many kids have subtle allergies to cow's milk that perpetuate their nasal congestion."

 

My experience with my husband has shown me that this is not just an issue with kids. So today's Tip Of The Day is to just be aware that reactions to foods can be subtle as well as severe. 

 

This is from foodallergy.org:

 

"Although an individual could be allergic to any food, such as fruits, vegetables, and meats, there are eight foods that account for 90% of all food-allergic reactions. These are: milk, egg, peanut, tree nut, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat."

 

Just because you are not having an extreme reaction, does not mean there is not some effect. I want to really start a conversation about this. We often hear about the extreme stories of peanut allergies, but I know from personal experience that these commons allergens have a very broad set of effects on people.

I even had someone suggest to me that I have an allergy to MSG, which I did not realize until someone responsed to a blog post I had done. Please let me know your experiences and you can also post them here in a PEERtrainer community discussion about food allergies, and mild food allergies.

Top 5 Causes Of Injuries During Exercise

We have a short piece in our new fitness section about some common ways people get injured during exercise. If these sound mundane, let me tell you in detail why they are not.

1. Wearing Incorrect Footwear. My husband was out taking his father for a walk recently and they were on a mulch path that had just been given a fresh layer of mulch. As a result the mulch was soft. His father is pretty tall, 6 foot three, and was wearing a pair of excellent New Balance running shoes. The great grey ones which are highly recommended for running. But running shoes are not great hiking shoes. About 30 yards into the walk on the path, the mulch gave way on the side and my father in law twisted his ankle and got a pretty bad sprain. If he had been wearing the appropriate shoe, the injury would not have happened.

2. Wearing Inappropriate Jewelry and Clothing. Incorrect clothing can lead to incorrect range of motion which is a very easy way to get hurt. Make sure you have very comfortable clothing. This can also provide a great way of motivating yourself to exercise more. If you have an "unstructured day" planned- like a weekend day with the kids or if you are single just doing errands- put on workout clothes in the morning. You will find yourself magically getting more exercise in.

3. Not Warming Up. I play tennis a lot, it is something I love and it is easy (and free!) to play outside on public courts nearby. But if I don't warm up for 15 minutes, I will hurt my shoulder. Warming up is also a great way to trick yourself into exercising if you don't feel like you want to workout. Just tell yourself you are going to 5 or 10 minutes of very light activity- walking and stretching. After 10 minutes you might feel that you are ready to get a little more active.

4. Poor Training And Form. I got my husband into tennis and we enjoy playing it a great deal. But when we started he developed a pretty severe case of tennis elbow which was a result of both improper grip and improper swing. Getting some tips from a good pro cured this pretty quickly. Always try and get advice from experts.

5. Overuse. If you do something a lot, the risk of injury from repetitive motion is huge. We work a lot in our coaching program on developing the mindset to exercise more. We want to get you out there and find something you love. But make sure to also mix things up and the minute you feel something funny, just stop.

Real Hunger Is Something You Feel In Your Throat And Mouth

This was part of the diet fusion article I posted yesterday and I realized it was also a great standalone piece.

One thing that Dr. Fuhrman teaches, and I just saw this talked about in the PEERtrainer community, is the idea of "true hunger". What this simply means is that real hunger is something you feel in your throat and mouth. It is not a panicky feeling, it is your mouth watering. If you are between meals and feel like you have to snack on something, reach for a piece of fruit, or a Lara bar or Kind bar. Nut bars are great diet tools. Very practical things you can keep with you.

Overall, this idea of "Diet Fusion" is really finding what works for you, and making it a practical habit. Diets fail when we feel hungry, they fail when we don't correctly control our portions, and they fail when we feel like we can't do them. How often have you felt that "losing weight is just not possible", or that "gaining weight is just something that happens when we get older." It truly does not have to be this way.

So instead of simply restricting calories, focus on a gradual transition to more plant based stuff. And this does not mean that you be a vegetarian- although some people do that for many reasons. I don't. But I keep reading more and more research that indicates that you don't want more than 10% of your diet to be animal based. Again, this is very general and there is a lot of conflicting information out there. You have to find what works for you. 

The hardest part of all of this is developing these good habits in the face of overwhelming societal pressure. Maybe you are a mom struggling to feed healthy foods to your kids. Then the grandparents come to town and their version of love is force feeding them cheeseburgers. Maybe you are a guy who works in a stressful environment, job and the only choices seem to be sweets in the vending machine. Or you go to a restaurant and want to make some good habits, only to feel subtle but strong pressure from the waiter or waitress. One thing we focus on in our intensive coaching/training program is literally training you, ingraining in you a set of habits that help you get what you want. We do this with the help of a trained psychotherapist, because it is that hard!!

I will close this note with a simple idea- everyone talks about the importance of a "balanced diet". But what if you body is out of balance? Hitting the salads hard, and keeping the fat out of them, might be a great way to get back into balance.

Share Your Feedback In The PEERtrainer Community!

Portion Control Is Key To Success With Any Diet Plan

We got permission to post this comment from the Eat To Live/Eat For Health Challenge team. It is important because it helps to illustrate one of the key components of our "Diet Fusion" framework. No matter what diet you are on, you need to do portion control. With so many people now adopting plant based diets, many of us are tempted to think that we can eat whatever we want. We see Dr. Oz on TV giving people huge piles of fruits and vegetables and they lose weight. But you really have to be careful with the oil, nuts and fats.....

"Other than my slip this past week, I thought I had been doing fairly well, but I lay awake early early this morning really thinking about what I am eating and why I'm not losing a little faster. And I think I am sabotaging myself in a couple different areas. I think somehow when starting to follow the E2L guidelines as well as using some McDougall recipes, I sort of adopted the idea that now I was eating for nutrition I could eat as much as I wanted - being careful of course not to ever stuff myself. While I do measure my flax meal, nuts & avocado, I also usually go back for seconds of whatever I have made for dinner. And my salads at lunch are huge. Even though I make my own dressings and count the fruit and nuts I use in them towards my daily totals, it's still a lot of calories for someone who wants to lose weight.

So today I am going to really pay attention, and start cutting back on quantities - because my activity is a little limited and I can probably eat less and still be satisfied. Maybe I needed to work my way towards this, maybe I needed to learn I don't have to restrict what I am eating - that I can eat tons of healthy food and not gain. And having learned that, maybe now I can trust in the quality of the food and accept that I don't need to eat quite as much since it is all so nutritionally dense. Speaking of which, that's the second thing I thought of. I've been using up the vegenaise that made it's way into the house over Thanksgiving, and those are empty calories. I think that's the last of the holiday extras and the house is once more a safe place."

Discuss this post in the PEERtrainer Community!

Diet Fusion- A Practical Approach To Long Term Weight Loss

I got an email last night from a subscriber to our Tip Of The Day weight loss coaching/training newsletter. The person asked for some general tips on what to eat now that they have decided to lose weight. We really refer out to the experts as much as we can, but I introduced her to something we call "Diet Fusion." This is something we talk about in the Point of No Return as well, I think in week three. But here is what I said to her in response to her specific question:

"This gives me a great opportunity to get a little more clear and focused on one of the key "organizing themes" of our overall coaching program.

First of all, you need to see your doctor for specific advice. That is not just boilerplate- we mean that. And you will see some videos coming from a great doctor who will be explaining the role they have in this process, and also what a great doctor should be doing. Not all doctors are great, but finding one is well worth the effort.

 

Now, one of the key themes we talk about in the overall PEERtrainer coaching/training program is an approach I have termed "Diet Fusion". Diet Fusion is customization, finding what works for you, depending on your life stage. If there is one thing we have learned, it is that having only one diet for fitness regimen works for very few people. This is a list of some of the diets we have seen work:

 

-Fat Smash Diet, this is something we see to help kickstart a diet. Very popular, very effective in the short term, very easy to fall off track. But it is a good shock introduction to better nutrition, and does take a page or two from Joel Fuhrman's work.

 

-South Beach Diet- another diet we have seen help people drop a quick 5 pounds. It works well especially if you are in metabolic risk. But this should be done in combination with WW points and a high nutrient diet like Eat To Live.

 

-Weight Watchers- we have seen really help people get a handle on portion control. They have also completely revamped their core diet with the introduction of the Weight Watchers Momentum Program.

 

-Joel Fuhrman's Eat To Live/Eat For Health- The most important idea of his is that intense amounts of greens help you lose weight, and that not all foods are created equal. He has designed a point scoring system to guide you to the best foods. He is probably the primary innovator in weight loss today, with people like Weight Watchers now following his lead.

Again the idea here is really find what works for you. Here is also a list of some very general principles, things we have seen work, and ideas put forth that we have seen help people on PEERtrainer get off the yo-yo cycle.

 

1. Nutrient Density- What this means very generally is eating a diet very high in fruits, vegetables, nuts and beans with a specific focus on greens. We see this work over and over again when it comes to successfully losing weight.

 

One of the things we continually focus on in our program is tips and ways to practically, cheaply and easily get high amounts of plant based foods in the diet each day. And making them taste good. And uncover the myths we tend to cling to that prevent us from seeing these as easy choices.

 

If you want to learn more about the work of Dr Joel Fuhrman you can read what we have written about his new book "Eat For Health". We tend to reference tips from him, simply because we see the specific effect his ideas have on people in the PEERtrainer community. We also like to link out to specific experts in different fields, to really make sure our readers and clients are exposed to as many ideas as possible. The core idea of Diet Fusion is customization, and the more good ideas you have, the more tools in your toolbox. We want to keep filling up your toolbox with things we see work.

 

There are many other doctors out there as well who are all focusing on the idea of pointing people towards diets that totally rebalance what we assume to be a "proper diet." The reality is that a growing number of people are really challenging our widely held assumptions. Dr. Bradley Willcox for example is another who is focusing on examining the habits of people in Japan who regularly live to 100, do not gain weight when they age and who tend to not get disease at anywhere near the rate Americans do.

 

It is important to point this out because what worked for you when you were 25 and single might not work now that you have a husband who you are eating with every night. Maybe you are a 70 year old man who is still eating with the diet assumptions you had in 1955. If what you are doing is not working you really need to be open to a real examinations of your assumptions. That is Diet Fusion.

 

2. Weight Watchers Points- this is another proven tool in our "Diet Fusion" approach. No matter how well you eat at home- fruit with every breakfast, salad as an entree, low levels of overall "animal protein" intake, spinach at every possible point- you are going to continually get out of your comfort zone. You will go out to restaurants, go to parties, be at the mall, on the road. You will be in situations where the option of nutritional excellence is not available to you. 

 

So you have to be able very easy figure out how many points are in a bagel, and how to eat 10 point meals when you are out. A great way to do this is quickly to google "Weight Watchers Points Calculator" and start learning to add in calories, fat and fiber. Or go to a meeting or brush off your Points if you tried WW in the past and it did not work for you. This is much better than just plain calorie counting because the points system makes you look for high fiber, low calorie foods. Which incidently tend to be plant based. "Fiber" is the stuff in plants. 

 

I have even recorded a short video that explains my own process of how I thought I was making the right choices, until I really mastered portion control.

 

3. Focus On The Transition- this is another very key point in the "Diet Fusion" approach. Restrictive diets fail because they are often all or nothing approaches. You are not going to go from eating cheeseburgers and bacon, egg and cheese bagels to spinach and fruit in a week. It is going to take time and take some work. So give yourself time and realize you cannot fail at this. View each day and each meal as an opportunity to make incremental progress. Something as small as deciding to eat a plate of veggies at a party instead of what the waiters bring around is a win- and should be celebrated.

 

4. Focus On The Volume Of Food When You Have A Chance To Eat Well. We tend to think of dieting as simply limiting calories. This is an incomplete approach for many, especially for the long run. How many times have you started a diet and then fell off?

 

You sort of have to do portion control, which is why Points are so important. But you have to feel full, not feel hungry. A truly healthy diet probably will not leave you cranky and hungry all the time. A large salad, that only has a tablespoon of olive oil in it, some lemon juice and garlic for flavor, with beans to make you feel full, tons of vegetables- can an ideal thing. You get a lot of plant based nutrients, but you also feel full. You can also feel full eating a lot less.

 

This is something that we have seen work and is something that has worked for me. Here is something that I do at home all the time- I take a two dollar bag of frozen organic spinach and a one dollar can of organic black beans. I throw it in a frying pan and heat it up. Maybe a touch of olive oil, throw some garlic in there, maybe some curry spice for flavor. Serve it with some rice. Fast, easy, cheap. I eat it, my husband eats it, my kids eat it. In fact, my husband cooks this so often that our daughter refers to them as "daddy beans". And for guys, the volume aspect is particularly important, if you are familiar with what I call "insane man hunger."   I am using this as an example of how to think about the volume aspect of it.

 

Maybe you are out at the Cheesecake Factory for example. They serve HUGE portions of foods. But they also serve huge salads. Make that work for you. Order the salad, as for dressing on the side. Better yet, ask for 4 lemon wedges. Maybe get some steak or chicken on top of the salad. There are all sorts of options. (Their menu is like a book). Squeeze the lemon wedges on the salad, maybe some pepper (try to avoid the salt), a tiny tiny amount of whatever dressing they have. And wham- you have something that fills you up and will help you lose weight. 

 

And make sure to keep the cheese and butter out of it. Cheese and butter are diet killers because of the hidden calories. Restaurants for some reason put cheese and butter in everything. Get in the habit of asking for butter and cheese free dishes. Interestingly some of the higher end restaurant chains in the US have removed butter from the menu. Seasons 52, a very good restaurant chain in the Southeast US have no butter in their dishes. Each dish is designed to be less than 500 calories as well. So this seems to be a trend.

 

5. Rethink Your Notion Of Hunger. One thing that Dr. Fuhrman teaches, and I just saw this talked about in the PEERtrainer community, is the idea of "true hunger". What this simply means is that real hunger is something you feel in your throat and mouth. It is not a panicky feeling, it is your mouth watering. If you are between meals and feel like you have to snack on something, reach for a piece of fruit, or a Lara bar or Kind bar. Nut bars are great diet tools. Very practical things you can keep with you.

 

Overall, this idea of "Diet Fusion" is really finding what works for you, and making it a practical habit. Diets fail when we feel hungry, they fail when we don't correctly control our portions, and they fail when we feel like we can't do them. How often have you felt that "losing weight is just not possible", or that "gaining weight is just something that happens when we get older." It truly does not have to be this way.

 

So instead of simply restricting calories, focus on a gradual transition to more plant based stuff. And this does not mean that you be a vegetarian- although some people do that for many reasons. I don't. But I keep reading more and more research that indicates that you don't want more than 10% of your diet to be animal based. Again, this is very general and there is a lot of conflicting information out there. You have to find what works for you. 

 

The hardest part of all of this is developing these good habits in the face of overwhelming societal pressure. Maybe you are a mom struggling to feed healthy foods to your kids. Then the grandparents come to town and their version of love is force feeding them cheeseburgers. Maybe you are a guy who works in a stressful environment, job and the only choices seem to be sweets in the vending machine. Or you go to a restaurant and want to make some good habits, only to feel subtle but strong pressure from the waiter or waitress. One thing we focus on in our intensive coaching/training program is literally training you, ingraining in you a set of habits that help you get what you want. We do this with the help of a trained psychotherapist, because it is that hard!!

 

I will close this note with a simple idea- everyone talks about the importance of a "balanced diet". But what if you body is out of balance? Hitting the salads hard, and keeping the fat out of them, might be a great way to get back into balance.

Update: People have loved this basic concept over the years, and have found it "liberating." One thing people have said though is "ok, I get the basic idea. Now tell me exactly what to do." People wanted an eating plan to help put this advice into practice. So we developed a very simple to follow list of foods to focus on and foods to move away from. We call this the "Cheat System." It works incredibly well. It is free to download from this page.

 

Share Your Feedback In The PEERtrainer Community!

Weigh Less By Eating More?

I was just reading a post in the PEERtrainer community, and the subject was diets that work. The discussion was interesting, with some people talking about success with Atkins, some going on a dairy free and gluten free diet.

And then someone posted this comment, which caught my attention:

"My friend is studying chemistry right now, and explained to me that digesting animal protein puts our body into an acidic state. In order to bring the body back into a neutral state it robs our bones of calcium and potassium. The best way to get protein and calcium is to cut out the middle man (cow) and to eat plants.

Everyone does NOT know what healthy eating is, or we wouldn't be seeing threads on Atkins and cottage cheese diets. Atkins is where I started, and yes, eliminating white foods took away my heartburn and yeast infections. I was thrilled. But ultimately I couldn't live with the restrictions, and my research took me in a different direction."

The poster then provided a link to a video of a presentation by T Colin Campbell, who wrote "The China Study" many years ago. The one thing I know about this man is that he is controversial. 

So that was my bias going into watching this video, which has prompted this blog post. Anyway, this whole issue of does animal protein cause cancer, is the main protein in milk the most toxic thing on the planet- those I will leave for another time. (As a meat eater and non vegetarian I definitely am open to those ideas. But mostly I tend to focus on adding high levels of vegetables.)

But the thing that prompted this blog post in the presentation was Campbell's assertion, and this was based on studies with 6000 chinese office workers, was that the average Chinese person consumers 11% more calories than an American but they weigh less. 

This struck me because we hear over and over as stated fact that a persons weight is simply calories in and calories out. And I think this is important for a very practical reason when it comes to actually losing weight. Vegetables help you lose weight, and seem particularly good at it. There may not be total proof that animal protein (not just fat) causes cancer, but there is total proof that vegetables help you lose weight.

This is why I keep focusing on really practical ways of buying them, keeping them, making them taste good, making them cheap and finding ways to make them easily. The fact is, we really know all of this, but it still takes a ton of work to actually do this.

What Do You Think Of This Issue? Discuss In The PEERtrainer Community

Make Exercise Something You Value

Joshua Wayne challenged everyone (including me!) on the 4th weight loss bootcamp call. 

I don't have to remind you about all the health benefits of consistent exercise.  You already know you need to do it and you need to make it valuable to you.  If something isn’t valuable to you, you’re not going to stick with it. 

Bottom line is this: we make time for things we think are valuable to us.  If you're a Gray's Anatomy fan, you will do anything it takes to make sure you are near a television at 9:00 on a Thursday, and if for some reason you can't be?  You'll dvr it and take the time to watch it later.  Patriots game on Sunday?  You'll find a way to watch it.  The "twice annual" sale at Saks?  You'll find a way to get there. 

You have to find a way to make exercise valuable to you. Your body is already ready for the transition to a more active lifestyle. If you make it valuable and fun, you will find a way to do it.

We All Get Off Track- How To Get Back On

We all lose momentum in our exercise program- if it is valuable to you, you'll jump right back in. If it is not, we will find an excuse not to do it. After hearing Joshua's comment about making exercise valuable I went back into the community and looked for some more specific ideas on things that other people have done to make exercise fun and valuable.

One great idea I found was to buy a step to put in front of the TV:

"I put a step in front of the tv -( like a reebok step for step aerobics class) and I put on a dvd and step for an allotted time. its fun because i dont have to worry about following a routine, I just do my favorite moves from class for as long as i want and break a sweat and get a good cardio workout."

I also found a great discussion on how to get up in the morning to exercise. The most creative tip I found was one suggestion to put the alarm clock as far away from you as you can. This way you are forced to actually get up. I am not sure this will help make exercise more valuable, but it will help you get the habit formed. I think Joshua mentioned that it takes three weeks to form a habit according to some researchers, so you really want to think about all the things to get the habit going, to make it fun, to make it a priority and to make it something you love.

I also want to hear what you think, and have started a thread on this subject to get the discussion going a little more:

Ideas On Making Exercise Valuable and Fun

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5 Things To Focus On In The First Week Of Your Diet

This is an article from the PEERtrainer Weight Loss Framework, which is a guide to some of the best ideas that we have found that address the fundamentals of long term weight loss. The Framework is a page that you can bookmark and it is especially useful for people starting out on a diet or weight loss path.

1. The Goal

We talk a lot in this guide, in our Tip of The Day email program, in our coaching calls the importance of goal setting and planning. It is so fundamental and you have heard this a zillion times, but it is precisely these things that you need to do to succeed. Like on a trip, you need to know where you are going, where your destination is.

Losing weight is no different. Setting a specific goal that is really yours is important. Not what anyone tells you, but what you really want at the core, what is in your heart. I think it was Thoreau who said that "people do not attain what they do not aim for." So no matter what stage you are on in your journey, take a moment and actually take out a pen or pencil and right down a goal you really want. Or better yet, one that you expect to attain.

2. The Why

Using another real life example, to do anything you need a reason to do it. Without a reason you are not going to do it. You are not going to follow through on a diet just because you think you are supposed to, or it is January 1 or whatever. You have to find a reason and is has to be a priority. It has to be something you deeply value and is the top priority. This reason, this burning desire, will help to fuel your motivation. When you get off track, which you will, this goal and this reason becomes this force that you gravitate towards, and that picks you back up.

3. The How

You also need to know how to get where you want to go, and you need a route, a map or some sort of itinerary. You need to know how get from point A to point B. You can do this on your own, but it is so much easier when you do it with others. Imagine going out in the wilderness without a map? Going to a party, you need the same mindset- you need to be prepared beforehand, you need a ruleset that you will stick to. You need to be able to cope with the "food wilderness."

This brings us to support and guidance which is one of our core organizing themes and ideas. Why do millions of people pay each week to travel to a room to weigh themselves and hear a pep talk? Because it works and is valuable. One thing we talk about at PEERtrainer is the idea of "diet fusion", of blending different approaches together. My own "diet fusion" is to use the Weight Watchers Points system and combine it with a very high nutrient diet like the one advocated by Joel Fuhrman. I think on week three of the bootcamp calls I go into this specific idea.

Once you have done the fundamental work of goal setting, expectation setting, finding your reasons you really need to figure out how to stick to it, to get the support to keep you on track. You can join a PEERtrainer group, make sure you are getting the daily emails, or join a coaching program that will help to customize your path for you. There are all sorts of things you can set up for yourself to help bolster your own self motivation and discipline. If you have heard the PEERtrainer bootcamp calls, you know how motivating they can be.

4. The Measurement

Develop a weekly plan to stay accountable. Do you hate the scale? That's fine. Maybe one day you will make friends with it. In the meantime, find a different way to chart your progress. Maybe buy a measuring tape and take your measurements weekly. Maybe you have a pair of jeans that you can try on weekly. Find something that works for you, whether it's an old pair of jeans that you try on once a week, a measuring tape, a scale, your partners eyes, whatever it is and measure your progress.

5. The Follow Through

It's important for you to see progress so that you'll have a reason to stick with your plan. You're not sprinting; you're running a marathon. If you don't see the miles tick off as you get closer to the finish line, how are you going to know that what you're doing is working? Logging your goals, your progress, and your daily habits will show you what is working and most importantly, give you the confidence to keep up your good work. Your first week on PEERtrainer is critical if you have never logged before. Once you develop the habit, other positive and healthy habits will start to happen.

Next: Get A Support System

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Replace The Fat With Red Pepper Flakes

When you start on your diet it's easy to think, ugh, now I'm going to have to eat dull tasting food.  How can anything possibly taste good without cheese?  How can a baked potato taste good without butter and sour cream? 

It's hard to stick to something if you don't like the alternatives and a great way to make things taste good without all the fat.  Here are the two that are ALWAYS in my kitchen:

Red Pepper Flakes: a few shakes of these can make any ordinary dish of whole wheat pasta with very little olive oil oil taste amazing.   Broccoli, spinach, plain salad dressings all become fantastic. 

Spicy Asian Chicken Soup looks like a good red pepper flake recipe from the community. (Disclaimer:  I haven't made it!  But if you do, let us all know.  I'd use a little less brown sugar.)

Think of red pepper flakes as your parmesan cheese.

Whole Foods Muchi Curry Powder:  A perfect combination of spices for Indian Food.  The best you can get to come close to making it on your own.  Unfortunately, this is not available everywhere but it is a wonder spice. 

Whole Foods is the only place I've found that carries it, but it is worth the effort.  If you don't have one near you, make it a wish list item.  It's $4.99 and one bottle will last you for a couple of months. 

Sprinkle this in beans, rice, even a compliment to tomato sauce and you have an authentic Indian dish.   I give these as presents and people just love it.

I have more that I use  but they take a little prep time, including fresh garlic, fresh ginger, red chili peppers.  I'll be posting videos of these combinations and how to make "staple" spice mixes to add to your fish or vegetables.  Please post any of your "must have" spices in the meantime!

Jackie

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Are Your Relationships Subtly Sabotaging Your Success?

Maybe you sense your husband doesn't make it easy on you to workout.  You could be right.  Your husband might like you bigger because a)  if you get thin, you might leave him and/or  b) maybe he doesn’t want to deal with his own health and weight issues.   Guys, does this sound like you?

Your friends might secretly like when you’re heavier because they have always gotten the attention from being the thin one.  Do they always seem to insist on dessert even when you've said no three times??

Guys, are your girlfriends/wives secretly trying to make it hard for you to workout or further your career?  Maybe it's because they fear you'll lust after someone else or leave them alone all the time.  Are you one of those women? 

This agenda may not be coming from malicious intent;  your coterie may not even know they're doing it.  These subtleties could be coping mechanisms. 

I'm not suggesting that you get rid of the relationships in your life.  I'm suggesting that you learn to set boundaries.  Maybe you limit the time you’re spending with a saboteur, or perhaps you can pick different activities.  Instead of meeting your friends for dinner, why not make plans to go roller blading or an art event?

It may be tougher to "limit the time" with your significant other but you can change the activities you do together.   If you sense your significant other is subtly challenging your new habits, talk about it or better yet, include them.

Instead of dinner plans, why not go hit a bucket of balls at the driving range?  Be aware of the subtle things that are happening and suggestions that will take you down the wrong track.  

You need to get through the rocky transition period.  Often times, when you start setting an example for a while, people around you start to follow you in your healthy habits. 

It's much more powerful to lead by example than to preach and prod.

We didn't get a chance to cover this in depth in the weight loss boot camp but we'll be going into this - in depth - in the coaching program to give you strategies in getting through the "rocky transition", how to set boundaries and that "no" is a complete sentence, because it's not easy.

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Pick An Exercise And Commit To Doing It 5 Minutes A Day

If you're having trouble starting a workout regimen, pick any exercise that you know can be done easily with minimal excuses and commit to doing it 5 minutes a day.  It can be as simple as stretching or walking. The single best way to develop a habit is to start slowly and do it consistently. 

If you’ve been working out, pick a way you can “sprint” this week.   Spend an extra 10 minutes on the treadmill.  Add yoga after your run.  Work out at a high intensity for 5 minute spurts in your normal routine.    Think of new cross training ways to mix it up.  If you find yourself at the gym on the treadmill, take your friend up on the suggestion to play raquetball.  If you find yourself always at a spinning class, try a strengthening Pilates class.  (Pilates is amazing.)

If you're just starting, you will build up to 30 minute levels.  The 5 minutes a day commitment is what will get you there.  Think of this 5 minutes as if you're learning to crawl before you walk and eventually run.  And you will run! 

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Become Friends With Your Body

Joshua Wayne, in week 4 of the weight loss boot camp, asked the following question: 

Are you friends with your body? 

If you don’t like your body, in fact if you don’t love your body, you’re not going to take the best care of it.  You’re not going to be patient with it and do everything you can to make it healthy. 

If you’re not friends with your body you’re going to neglect it.  Think about it…what do you do with people you don’t like?  You avoid and neglect them.  Well, strange as this may sound, you will do the same with your body.   You’ll avoid and neglect it by not taking care of it with good diet and exercise.  It’s the only one you have…you’re stuck with it.  You’re either going to be friends with your body or enemies with it.

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Create A Favorite Music Playlist That Is Ready To Go At All Times

One of the biggest obstacles we see is that people don't have their ideal music ready to go.  If you're dreading the thought of getting off the couch, one of your favorite songs can give you instant energy and make you want more.  It's the single best way to change your mood and make you motivated to just DO something.  

Invest in the time to organize your favorite music in one playlist.  If you're intimidated by the ipod (mp3 players), find the nearest teenager/20 something to help you.  It has never been easier to get all the music you love in one place, in an easy to play format as it is now.  Mp3 players can be purchased for $20 dollars and you have your energy to go.

Reconnect With A Sport/Exercise You Loved When You Were Younger.

What did you like to do when you were younger?  Maybe it was dancing or kick ball.  Maybe it was frisbee or basketball, or maybe doge ball!  You can recreate all of these sports even without Coach Dan and get some great bursts of cardio in. 

Go pick up a frisbee and get out on your front lawn.  If you have children, they will be begging to play every day. 

Get a pair of 25 pound weights and keep them in your bedroom to do mini-lifting sessions anytime.  You'll build up to a routine in a short time.

Have a lifestyle where you can't get to a club to dance (or maybe you simply don't want to!)  Blast your favorite music on your ipod or computer right in your living room and dance.  Even if it's for 5 minutes you'll feel that same rush.

If you played basketball, football, swam, soccer, whatever it is, there is a local organization or gym or community gathering of the sport. If you simply didn't like sports or activity when you were younger, this is the best time to pick up something you've always wanted to do. 

Coaches and trainers love that you are brand new because they don't need to retrain you from bad habits.  Tennis is a great example of this:  it's much easier to teach someone to swing with the raquet down low if they've never done it, vs teaching someone who has been swinging a certain way for 15 years. 

Don't be intimidated - people will love to teach you whatever sport you've dreamed about.

If It's Going To Be An Unstructured Day, Wear Workout Clothes.

Wake up and put on your workout clothes.  Your entire day will go differently.  If you're out with the children and you're looking for an hour activity, suddenly the park or a local tennis court will be an option because you're wearing the proper gear (not kitten heels!).   You're likely to take stairs or park far from the mall entrance because you have the shoes to get you there. 

This doesn't mean that you stop dressing up and looking hot! You also don't have to spend a fortune to get great gear. This just means if it's a relaxing day without much planned, start the day off in your workout clothes and running shoes.  Getting the "5" minutes in of exercise will be that much easier.

How To Make The Most Of PEERtrainer

We just reworked the welcome email that we send out to new users of the site. I want to share this with you because it reflects our own mission with PEERtrainer, and how we see it best used. We got a great email from a member of the PT family yesterday, and that prompted a reworking of what we are communicating to people new to using the site for daily logging and group support.

Welcome to PEERtrainer, We Look Forward To Working With You

Our core mission here is to make sure you have the tools, support, guidance and information you need to be successful in losing weight and improving your health. Please take a couple minutes and be sure to follow these steps. Maybe print this page out or save it in a folder on your computer.

1. The first thing you want to do is make sure you are signed up for our free Tip Of The Day weight loss coaching newsletter if you have not already:

http://www.peertrainer.com/tip_of_the_day.aspx

If you go to the page you can read more about it, but basically this serves as a virtual coach to keep you on track each day. Users love it and the structure it provides. You can also reply to the messages and ask us questions directly. Our objective is to build as personal a relationship as possible with you. This is an internet company run by real people, and we care deeply about helping you. We want to hear from you and we want to help you.

2. Join Groups and Teams. If you don't find one you like- Start One. The act of writing down your food each day is proven to help you lose weight, and the support of a group is also proven to help you. It is important for us to set the expectation that this is not always easy. Be patient, join and start several groups and teams. If you email us directly we can also help you with this important process.

3. We have just rolled out a free 4 week "Weight Loss Bootcamp." This is a series of 4 calls that are sent to you each week that will help you get into the proper mindset of successful, long term weight loss. They also give you a set of rules to follow in situations like parties and eating out. Users are finding that the combination of the daily logging, groups and teams, daily tips and weekly calls provide a powerful system and program.

http://www.peertrainer.com/weekly_online_meetings.aspx

4. Develop the Logging Habit. Daily logging is the cornerstone of effective weight loss, and engages you in a process called "self-monitoring." This is basically a conversation with yourself each day. If there is one thing to focus on in the first few days on PT, it is this.

5. If you are new to logging, only focus on that for the first few days. It takes a while to develop a new habit, and you want to start this process by breaking them down into easy, achievable goals.

6. Find active groups and teams. This is the SINGLE most important factor in the success of a group. Yes, you might want to find people with similar interests, geography, backgrounds etc-- but first and foremost find active members.

7. If you want to jump into things, visit and bookmark our "PEERtrainer Weight Loss And Site Guide". This is another resource to help you.

More Tips On Success With PEERtrainer and Weight Loss

8. Start slow. Find achievable, short term goals. Whether you want to lose 50 pounds or train for a marathon, it is going to take time. Take your time. It will make it easier, you'll be more successful, and you'll have more fun.

9. Want some tips on how to lose weight? Read this article, bookmark it and re-read it. The people giving that advice are some of the people you will be interacting with on PEERtrainer!

10. The PEERtrainer "Aha Moment." The other members of your group or team can see and read your logs, and you see what you are eating. The first week on PEERtrainer is an eye opener for most people.

11. You can join as many groups as you want, our users suggest that three is a good number to be part of. The only thing we ask is to be positive and active in your groups.

12. You can invite friends directly into your group, through an "Invite a Friend" feature. Put in their email address, and they will be sent an invitation right to your group. When they sign up, they will be automatically placed in your group.

13. Watch A Video Of PEERtrainer on NBC!!! This is a 2 minute video clip of a PEERtrainer user describing how it works to an NBC TV Show. It is pretty slick.



14. Please Please visit the PEERtrainer Community This is a great place to ask questions, see what others are talking about. We do ask that you be as positive and supportive as possible. There is a very short list of rules that we ask you follow.

The PEERtrainer success formula-- log consistently, comment actively, commit to your group...you'll most likely meet your diet and fitness goals. Once you get comfortable with logging and the small group interaction, you'll be hooked, and most likely find PEERtrainer to be highly effective.

Helping Your Co-Workers Lose Weight Can Help Yourself

I just got a fantastic email from a user and I wanted to share it with you. There is a lot in here, but the first thing I wanted to highlight was that this person got started on PEERtrainer through a weight loss contest at work. As you will read, she is more active in her groups than her co-workers right now.

In answering her question, I pointed to a new team we have started associated with the Weight Loss Bootcamp we are doing. But I would also point out that people go on a journey like this at different paces, and just being there for the co-workers might do the trick. You might also start a team and invite many people into it. The reality is that some will be more active than others.

I also said that we started the daily email program and the coaching calls as an added layer of support. So if your groups lag, PEERtrainer is there to pick up the pace. Here is the email:

"I love Peertrainer!

I signed up with three of my co-workers because we were looking for additional ways to support each other in our weight loss goals. We've had a "Biggest Loser" contest going for the past three months. At the end of each month, we each pay $10 to whoever loses the biggest % of their body weight. We found after two months that the contest itself wasn't enough motivation. None of us were really doing anything to try and lose weight-it was always just luck that someone's weight happened to fluctuate to their advantage the last week of the month. So we talked about different ways that we could support each other through the month, did some research on the internet, and found Peertrainer. We work in different locations, so the online support group environment sounded like a perfect fit for us.

What I thought was going to be just a tool for online food journaling has become so much more to me. I'm signed up for the daily tip email (which I make a point of taking the time to read every day), I called in for all of the Bootcamp conference calls and I plan on signing up for the intensive program. I'm also motivated now to look into Weight Watchers and find other ways to incorporate diet and exercise back
into my life. In the past I've avoided figuring out the cause of my poor eating habits, but now I'm looking forward to taking that journey and fixing it once and for all.

The one thing that I would really like more help with is finding ways to get my co-workers more involved again with our Peertrainer group. Their online journaling has dropped off in the last two weeks...they feel that don't have enough time to keep up their journals. I know that I can't force them to participate, but I would love some ideas about how to get them involved again and how to encourage lots of active participation in our group.

I'm looking forward to a long and successful relationship with Peertrainer.com! Thanks for all you do!"

Weight Loss Ideas For You And Your Co-Workers

That was a great email and prompted some thinking on how to lose weight along with your co-workers. One of the biggest things you can do is really help create a thin culture at work. Simple things like candy dishes can be a huge temptation for people. Keep in mind that everyone has their own downfall, their thing that knocks them off track. Office food, cakes in break rooms, candy dishes from well meaning people- all these things really throw folks for a loop.

Maybe you are an HR person or even a CEO or senior executive. You know how health effects the bottom line in so many ways. Instead of struggling to do expensive and burdensome programs, just start talking to people in the company and ask them specifically if the workplace hinders their weight loss.

Daily logging and journaling works, and so does group support. An online PEERtrainer team can be a great way to get everyone in the same page and help create the culture. And if you are worried about people doing too much internet at work- have the HR and Executive staff join the team as well so they can see the benefit.

Join Weight Watchers Online instead of doing onsite meetings. Most people won't tell you that while they love Weight Watchers, they generally hate doing the meetings at work. People are often embarrassed and sometimes senior people in the company do not want to be on a "level playing field" with others in the company. It can erode their authority in their mind.

So join Weight Watchers Online and then challenge your co-workers to join as well. No matter what you do, remember that the workplace is tilted towards creating pitfalls and so much has to do with corporate culture. Creating an example and leading others in a successful effort to make the workplace healthier is also a great example of showing leadership. And this might end up being a pretty good career move as well. If you show you can control yourself, that you can lead and inspire others- the senior folks are going to notice.

If You Are Active On PEERtrainer You Have Already Started This Leadership Process 

As you learn to become a mentor to others, either informally or formally, you will develop a greater mastery of the area of focus. As you teach an idea, the questions that you get will force you to approach an idea from a different perspective. The questions will force you to ask the same questions of yourself. Given how long the journey to health and self-discovery can be, embracing this role might just help to achieve your goals or further refine and clarify them. 

Maybe you have started to run and lost some weight. Maybe you have run a 5k, or a 10k- or a marathon. Any level of success can enable you to start working on your mentoring skills. Simply being supportive on PEERtrainer is a great start- you have begun the process of leadership training just by being a group member. 

Anything you have done can serve as an incredible inspiration to others. After you have been a member of PEERtrainer for a while, offer to write an article or upload a success story to share your knowledge and experiences with the others in the community. You never know how the simplest story can help motivate another. Reading an informative article from someone like Joel Fuhrman can improve your knowledge dramatically. But people need to know that people "just like them" can and have done something. Often it is the most motivating thing in the world for them. 

How To Become A Great Mentor or Leader: Some Basic Concepts

If you want to begin to think about or prepare for a more formal role as a leader of any sort, start to think about how you have interacted with people on PEERtrainer. What has worked, what hasn't? The following is a very rough outline of some of the basic principles of leadership. The framework is modeled after the work of Stephen Denning. 

All sorts of people teach leadership, but what is amazing is how the basic principles are usually very similar. Basic character traits like respect, understanding, and being a good role model and listener are all important. Learning to empower and inspire, things people do routinely on PEERtrainer are essential to the basics of leadership. Here is a list of some more ideas, a specific sequence to follow to get people to actually act in their own interest. Something that is often very very difficult.

 "Why Won't You Just Listen To Me?!" 

Telling someone to do something has an uncanny knack of not working. Sometimes you have to show not tell. And sometimes you have to trick them!!! If someone believes something firmly, trying to reason with them may only lead to them digging in deeper and questioning your authority as a leader or motivator. This is called "confirmation bias", where people hear an opposing argument or something they don't want to hear and assume something is wrong with the source. This is a classic psychological phenomenon.

So when you start working with people or interacting with people in your groups and teams, gauge the people you are with and try and avoid triggering confirmation bias in people who may not be open to an idea. Generally great leaders seek to understand before they seek to be understood. (This is one Stephen Covey's 7 Habits)

Avoid analyzing the problem and then recommending a solution. This is what everyone does, and it fails to work in an overwhelming manner. When people are open to getting information, this can work. But you need to really test and see if someone is truly open. That test is pretty simple- if the person responds enthusiastically and does it, you are in business. If they gently question the idea- keep working to understand them and making them feel understood to preserve the communication channel. Remember the context- getting people to change a behavior is extremely difficult. 

Get Attention First 

Learn to get people's attention first. Unless they are listening, there is little point to communication. An online peer mentoring system like PEERtrainer is ideal for this, because you can say something in a probing manner and then the comment sits out there in the screen. People can't get around it and you have a little more margin of error. Asking a lot of questions before giving any advice is generally a great start. It will get them to respond, and do so that might trigger some helpful emotions. You can then start to identify their triggers. You may find people want to talk about the negative stuff, things that you can then use as reasons to do something. 

Find The Motivation And Provide Inspiration 

After you have their attention, then you can focus on a desire to act. And these are two distinctly different things. The negative stuff gets people's attention, but people tend to go for positive goals. This is where motivational skill comes in. People don't take new actions just to be healthy. But they might to fit into a pair of old jeans, to look hot for a guy or girl, to make more money. Yes, the changes you help them make might extend their life twenty years and improve the quality of it massively. But has to be connected to the stuff that taps into their burning desires. 

Stories work to provide motivation incredibly well. Your personal journey of success on PEERtrainer, in all its gory detail will most likely inspire in a very effective manner. People can relate to it as long as you are like them. This is the Weight Watchers group leader model. Most of their leaders have been successful on the WW program, and as a result have a huge amount of authority to lead and be listened to. Never underestimate how the smallest success can be inspiring to others.

Reinforce With Motivation and Support 

After the motivation kicks in, and goals have been identified, now comes the really hard work! You have to successfully keep people going and on track. This is finally the part where reason kicks in, where people will listen to well reasoned suggestions that reinforce the mission and evolving personal narrative. Remember to keep in mind that you are helping change not just someone's habits, you are changing many surrounding and related behaviors. 

This is a potentially very powerful and important role you are playing in someone's life. You need to communicate to someone their potential, and do so in a manner that they can really begin to visualize it. Getting someone to believe in their potential, their worth and their voice in a clear and sustainable manner is the height of leadership.

 It is likely that this is a tough approach to grasp at first because it inverts our traditional sense of structure and hierarchy, especially the part of using logic and reason as the last step of the communication process. People naturally resist forms of authority, but they are very open to a peer to peer framework or one where they truly feel listened to in a coopertative and communicative manner. Even people at the top of small or large organizations can embrace this approach. The great ones usually do.

The Best Stuffed Pepper Appetizer Recipe Ever

I have never liked "stuffed peppers" because the mere title suggests bread crumbs, fried, cheese, cream, anything to make it taste good.  But then, I had this version of stuffed peppers last summer. 

They are so fresh, so light so incredibly good (and did I mention filling??) that you will make them for every dinner party, every potluck, and everyone will be raving about your stuffed peppers.  Who knew that a recipe could be so healthy and taste so good?  

They only take minutes of prep time and place them in the oven for 35 minutes and you're done.  The best part is after they are cooked, they taste even better at room temperature so they can keep for any party that you're preparing for ahead of time.

4 large sweet orange peppers
4 large sweet yellow peppers.
2 pkgs of mushrooms or one very large package
fistful of cilantro
4 Table spoons of olive oil.
squeeze of fresh lemon
salt/pepper to taste
6 shakes of red pepper chili flakes, more or less depending on your taste for "hot" things
1 large pkg of small cherry tomatoes,(if only large is available, this is ok, you'll just quarter them instead of 1/2 them)
6 cloves of garlic (again, depending on your taste)

Preheat oven to 400.

Slice the large peppers in 1/2 and clean out the seeds and pull off the stem.  Place on a large oven grill tray

Slice the mushrooms into small peices, about 4 or 5 per mushroom.  Slice the cherry tomatoes in 1/2, if they are large, slice them in quarters.  Grind the garlic cloves and cut up the "leaves" of the cilantro.  Throw the stems away.

In a large mixing bowl, throw in the mushrooms, tomatoes, olive oil, cilantro, garlic and squeeze of leomon  Mix together.  Shake on the red pepper flakes, little salt and pepper.  Mix all together.    Taste it.  It is soooooo good even by itself!

Then, take a spoon and place the mushroom/tomato mixture in the peppers.   You should see the browns, greens and reds mixed together in the large orange or yellow pepper.

Place the tray in the oven for 35 minutes.  The peppers should be somewhat soft and brownish on the outside edges.

Makes 16 halves.   1 halve of a pepper is only 1/2 a weight watchers point. 

Here is the community discussion about them.  Soon I will be making these on video so I'll post the entire thing!

Jackie

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