1) Did he do the meetings or just do ww online? -- went to meetings
At PEERtrainer we have created a very simple guide and system that helps you make some of these changes. It is called the "Cheat System" and it is something you download for free.
"I looked at your system a few weeks ago when it first came out and the second I saw the left side column, I dismissed it. Even though I had already on my own been dramatically increasing the salad and vegetable intake. I was losing weight, it was very simple, but the daily diet was very rigid and had certain rules that if broken meant no weight loss for a day or two. This had worked once before very well but the boredom finally took its toll.
With much respect for Peertrainer, I took another look and realized everything I was doing already fit the cheat system, just not the best choices, so I took a leap of faith. It took 3 or 4 days to educate myself and turn my wife's kitchen into a farmer's market (which I though was very cool). I also learned how to chop, use a rice cooker (quinoa), craft salads from lots of fun green stuff, steam vegetables, use all those funny little cans of spices in addition to salt and pepper, etc.
I'm having a great time... never knew who bought all that stuff in the vegetable department except apples and oranges. Finally, I put it all together and now feel like I know what I'm doing. Weight loss is back on track.
I am so glad I decided to download the Peertrainer Cheat system and glad I was able to get beyond my traditional thinking.
Good luck and thanks for doing what you're doing.
P.S. I was recently in the San Francisco Bay area and needed to go to the store and not knowing the area wound up in a large Asian market. I knew it was different because half the store was devoted to greens and vegetables. The customers, mostly Asian, were all thin-active looking people and most were buying greens. Now I understand why."
Why This Email Is So Interesting
One thing that this email shows is that this guy thought he was doing the right thing. When he opened up his mind to a new idea, he found some success. At PEERtrainer over the years, we have observed that when people are more flexible in general, good things happen. If you are doing the same thing and not getting a different result, obviously you need to do something differently.
The second interesting thing is that he cites oranges and apples as the produce he was familiar with, and is now familiar with the full range of vegetables. After you sign up for the Cheat System, we also follow up with some awesome recipes from time to time. A recent one is "Asian Fusion Chicken Salad." Delicious!
Finally, what an interesting comment about the visit to the Asian market. As part of our "PC" culture we are sort of taught to not acknowledge our differences. Or at least not actively point out ways in which we are different. (It seems like comedians are the only ones who are "allowed" to talk about this.)
I think WW is a great program and totally doable by most of the population. I think it's more realistic than Dr. Fuhrman's plan, which I don't knock, but I just don't think I could go that radical with my food unless I was sans the hubby & sons. The point to any food program though, is that you stick with it regardless of the program you've chosen. It would seem to me that losing weight would bring such wonderful health benefits even if you chose less healthy foods on the WW points system. I have done this sometimes because it gets me through tough times. I feel guilty & somehow less successful when WW's & those on the program chide followers because they ate something besides fish, chicken & lettuce. There I said it! Now THAT'S politically incorrect! Lol...
Posted by: Cathy | September 01, 2010 at 12:03 PM
I think WW is an excellent program. I have been doing it for sixteen weeks and have lost about 21 lbs. I still have about sixty to lose. I am 52 years old, 5'7'', and I now weigh 190.
About two years ago I decided that I was done eating sugar, preservatives, and other crap, and I went on a whole foods diet, eating only fresh foods. I was very good about it, though I would occasionally indulge in something off-diet.
Even though I felt better, I didn't begin to lose until I started with WW. WW helped me with portion control and being accountable for everything I put into my mouth. Weight Watchers does encourage us to eat healthy foods, but it also sells a lot of crap in their packaged snacks and foods. I would just ignore the packaged crap and stick to counting points with my healthy choices.
It feels really good to be losing, and I hope to reach my goal and stay slim for life.
My favorite indulgence since cutting out the crap is Endangered Species 72% dark chocolate bars (my favorite is the wolf, with almonds and cranberries). It has a minimal amount of Beet Sugar, and is totally delicious. It's also blissful when combined with a nice red wine.
Here's to losing!
Posted by: Bette Moe | October 06, 2009 at 11:38 AM
A few years back my husband went to Weight Watchers and I coat tailed onto his program. Using the point system, he lost 90 pounds over the course of a year and I lost 30 pounds. He has regained some of his weight (enough to need to lose some again) and I gained back the original 30 plus 20 more. I had consistantly weighed 204 pounds for probably 10 years. I wish I had never dieted. I was happy at 204. (I'm 55, 5'7', like to kayak, dance, cross country ski, garden, swim and am very healthy). Some of my current weight is stress related, I'm overseeing the care of my 90 year old parents who need lots of my time and attention.
When trying to lose weight, new eating habits must be adopted and used for a lifetime. There really is no such thing as "dieting", it really has to be a life style change.
(P.S. It was really frustrating to see my husband be able to eat more than I did on the points system, and then see him drop more than 5 pounds a week compared to my 1/2 - 1 pound)
Posted by: Mary Kaye Shackelford | July 15, 2009 at 08:15 AM
Hi, I guess I'm a logical woman too. I've actually lost 172 lbs on WW. 125 of that took a year. The rest came slower and I'm still trying to lose the last 20. I don't think the position that their "Momentum" program is what makes them a bonafide healthy choice now is appropriate. While WW always espoused a healthy lifestyle (8 glasses of water a day, 2 tsp healthy oils, low fat or non-fat dairy daily, 5-6 fruits/veggie srvings daily and activity!) under the Points and Core systems, the blending of the two just makes things easier and healthier for those who may have abused the Points system. No meeting leader, to my knowledge, has ever said - go ahead and eat your daily points in WW cakes. No. I was always told to eat healthy portions, fill up my salad plate (not dinner sized plate) with 1/2 veggies, 1/4 lean protein, 1/4 complex carb. There's really not much new to the Momentum plan IMHO. They're just telling you outright that filling up on veggies will keep you full at a low cost calorie and point wise. That's something the Core plan always taught. When I'd get hungry I'd make a big huge salad with romaine, celery, tomatoes, onions, and sometimes avocado with oil/vinegar. They've always said to cut restaurant portions in (at least) half and put it away "doggie bag" immediately when served so it's not a temptation. Start with a salad or broth based soup so you eat less of your entree. Stop BEFORE you're stuffed. Just eat until you're not hungry anymore. For me, moving more (I now go to the gym 5 days a week for an hour and do more fun stuff on weekends), and changing to more home cooked meals and less take out did a lot. I know what's in my food now. I just don't think there was anything wrong with WW to begin with. If you followed their plan, you didn't have room to eat your points in junk. Those that did only wasted their own time and monthy fee.
Posted by: Claudine | June 18, 2009 at 02:13 PM
Weight Watchers is not a diet. It teaches you how to eat healthy and the proper proportion of food that should be in every day.
It also makes you conscious of what you're doing, not just stuffing empty food into your head.
And I'm a logical woman, if that matters!
LOL
Posted by: Heidi | March 24, 2009 at 04:05 PM