PEERtrainer

Can I Do Weight Watchers On My Own?

For whatever reason, people are constantly trying to figure out how to do Weight Watchers on their own. We have some ideas for you, but it first makes sense to outline the strengths of Weight Watchers before you decide to set out on your own.

The primary service that Weight Watchers provides, is that they help people learn portion control.  If you are going to succeed on your own, you will need to first master that, and understand how a portion relates to calories. 

If you are going to lose weight on your own, in addition to getting a handle on portion control, you will need some sort of mechanism to make better food choices. You will need a simple system that guides you towards certain foods and away from others. The new PEERtrainer Cheat System provides a good starting point. It contains a list of unlimited foods, foods to start to move away from, and a very basic system to help you keep track of your portions.

It can be download here for free, and you can read it in about 10 minutes and process the main ideas.

Drilling down a bit further, beyond the main concepts of portion control and better choices, you'll need to decide whether or not you want to follow their system, or do portion control on your own.

If you decide you really like the Points System, know that there are many people who are Weight Watchers lifers. It works for them, for the way they live. This is something you'll need to figure out on your own.

There are four fundamental areas you need to focus on to successfully do Weight Watchers on your own. Following these steps, combined with an accountability tool like PEERtrainer can give you a very broad toolset. This approach also allows you to practice "Diet Fusion"- imagine counting points while you follow Dr. Fuhrman's Eat For Health!

(1) The company sells a line of electronic trackers that you take with you to calculate points and keep you on track. This is really an excellent accountability tool. You can find them periodically on Amazon, but they sell out very quickly. If you see something for sale and you think you want it, it may not be around for long:

(2) You will need a scale, (and if you don't have one get one:) You really need to weigh in once per week, and it makes sense to "make friends with the scale." Getting on the scale helps you confront reality. If you count points and measure your progress, you will be surprised at how well you can do.

Weight Watchers WW43/WW43D Memory Glass Electronic Scale

(3) Part of the power of Weight Watchers are their tips and recipes that you get in meetings and online. This very practical advice helps you make changes in your real life. The company has some books and publications that can help you follow the program on your own. The Momentum Program recipes are particularly good from what we hear:

Best of Weight Watchers Magazine : Over 145 Tasty Favorites--All 9 POINTS or Less
Simple Goodness: More Than 100 Quick & Easy Recipes
Weight Watchers Magazine

(4) You also need to focus on the mental aspect of weight loss which for many people is the most difficult. And you will want to get some help. Most of you know about our coaching programs, and we do recommend following the Points system as part of our PEERtrainer coaching program:

The Point Of No Return Mindset Program

 

NutriSystem Flex Coupon

NutriSystem Flex is the cheapest program the company offers and you can follow the plan for $7 a day

Is It Hard To Stay On The Weight Watchers Points System?

At PEERtrainer, we understand the specific challenges people face in their quest to lose weight. You might be doing great on Weight Watchers for three weeks and then you are "ambushed" by a social event. Maybe you find yourself eating at night and know that is the one thing that trips you up. Or your friends and family might not have the same commitment to overall fitness and health, and you find your self constantly tripped up. In situations like these, you know exactly what you need to do, but you find yourself continually back at the same place.

PEERtrainer has put together The Point Of No Return Program to deal with situations like these, and help you develop the skills you need to get you to the "point of no return", where you feel empowered to deal with daily challenges. If you feel like you are not ready to start Weight Watchers, this program will help you get there. And if you are having a hard time sticking to the program or going to your meetings, this program will help.

"I'm allowed 28 Weight Watchers Points". Any tips?"

MB asked me the following question:

I am trying the new lifestyle change now.  What are some tips? I am allowed 28 points."

Here are my tips:

1.  Log, log, log your food.  You might think you are eating 28 points but you're only eating 20 and wondering why you're feeling hungry.  Or conversly, you could be eating 40 points and wondering why you're not losing weight!  The only way you really know what you're eating is to write down your food and it only takes a couple minutes a day.   (You can get a PEERtrainer log here). 

2. Two excellent 3 point snacks (click here for more weight watchers snack ideas):
- a pear and a tablespoon of peanut butter
- a quarter of avocado with salsa and black beans. 

3. One of the easiest ways I've seen to split up 28 points through the day:

- 7 for breakfast,
- 7 for lunch,
- 3 for a snack
- save the remaining 11 for dinner.

If you're on a 20 point track:

- 5 for breakfast
- 5 for lunch
- 2 for snack
- the remaining 8 are for dinner. 

If you're curious about how many points you personally get, take this personal assessment from Weight Watchers to see how it works.  

Jackie

Look At This Before And After Picture!

I saw this today in the PEERtrainer member logs:

"I am 24 and when I joined PeerTrainer back in August, I had a goal to lose 64 pounds before my Aug. 8, 2009 wedding. PeerTrainer has helped me lose 49 pounds and I only need 15 more to reach my goal. Before I started I had been maintaining 195-200 pound weight for the about three years. I'm proud of my progress thus far but I'm excited to reach my goals."

Then I clicked in and saw her before and after pictures.  Look at this!!  She looks AMAZING! 

Congratulations 'umchicana'!!

More congrats from the PEERtrainer Community

NutriSystem Select Menu Items

NutriSystem Select is a move into the frozen foods market. This allows the company to offer a much greater selection of food- because you can freeze anything. The foods are still prepared in a portioned controlled format that has been shown to help people lose weight. The frozen format also allows the company to deliver foods it could not previously- perishable fruits and vegetables. This makes it easier to eat healthier and potentially simplifies the process of being on NutriSystem. It is also designed to taste better:

Sample Menu Items:

Homestyle Pancakes (1)

Garden Vegetable Omelet (2)

Golden French Toast (1)

Vegetable Frittata Strata (1)

Turkey and Egg Breakfast Sandwich (2)

Toasted Ham and Cheese (2)

Steak and Cheese Melt (2)

Chicken Fajita Melt (1)

Roasted Vegetable Pizza (1)

Margherita Pizza (1)

Asian-Style Beef (1)

Tender Beef with Portobello Mushrooms (1)

Roast Turkey Medallions (1)

Glazed Chicken Tenders (1)

Chicken Alfredo (1)  

Shrimp Alfredo (1)

Ravioli Formaggio (1)

Ice Cream Sandwich (1)

Fudge Swirl Sundae (1)

Chocolate Fudge Bar (1)

Orange Crème Bar (1)

Blueberry Parfait (1)

Apple Crisp (1)

Peach Crisp (1)

(Customers who order the NutriSystem Select Men’s Program will receive an additional 7 Ice Cream Sandwiches for their extra meal occasion.)

Complete List of NutriSystem Select Meals

Simple Sauteed Spinach Recipe

Cooking time:  4 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 2 teaspoons of olive oil
• 1 bag of Fresh, pre-washed spinach
• red pepper flakes
• tiny bit of sea salt

Drizzle 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a sauce pan on medium high.
Add Spinach.
Use a wooden spoon or a spatula to stir around for about 3 minutes
Add a few shakes of red hot chili peppers and a bit of sea salt.
Stir for one more minute.

Serve!

If your children don't care for spinach, serve mustard or soy sauce on the side for dipping.  Works great for green beans too. If you want to add a little more flavor, chop up a couple garlic cloves and saute them in the olive oil before adding the spinach. 

There is also nothing wrong with frozen spinach, and it is very cheap. A one pound bag of organic Spinach at Whole Foods is only $2. Other places are cheaper. Spinach is cheap, can be very tasty if made right. 

Click Here To Read PEERtrainer's New Recipe Blog

Can Facebook Help Keep You Fat?

I came across this blog post when looking at the links in 'jana's' peertrainer log.  The post refers to a Washington Post Article that laments about the "muffin top' ads and other targeted dieting advertising.

I would observe that dieting ads appear everywhere on the internet, regardless of whether you've selected "single, female" in your profile.  While there is some merit to the suggestive selling of advertising in general, at least we're taught that it is an AD that is trying to sell you something that will hopefully solve your latest problem. 

What I find more challenging are Facebook status updates from my friends.* Almost every login I read a status update that says something about food: 

"should I have the ice cream or a cookie?''
'''im eating the best burrito from chipolte!"
'Dunkin Donuts coffee is just so much better than starbucks.  mmmmm...."
 
or my weekly fav:  'I am eternally grateful for Red Bull.'

That said, I see just as many status updates such as this:

"I just signed up for my 3rd marathon!"  Or
"i strongly suggest a run in Central Park.  truly divine."

As many of my "friends" that are posting "I just grabbed a handful of goldfish at 4am.  Pure bliss", I have just as many that are inspiring me daily with their triathalons or their ability to choose a large salad instead of pizza while taking care of 5 children!

So the real question is this: What do you choose to focus on?  There is almost always a Fruit Cup directly next to an apple fritter at Starbucks.  There is always a chance to put on running shoes rather than sack out on the couch.  Facebook has proved it's really no different - you get what you focus on.

*All status updates are actual facebook status updates.

Snacks That Fill You Up Without The Guilt

I saw this in the community and couldn't help but repost some of the responses here:

1) Bake pita chips with Picante medium salsa. I eat just 5-6 chips and it gets rid of my craving to eat potato chips.
2) Dried fruit bars at Traders joe. I love the passion fruit one.
3) Yoplait yogurt original with blueberries.

My mom swears by trader joe's popcorn.  It's one point if you're on counting Weight Watchers Points and it's a HUGE bag.  She says it takes her such a long time to eat that by the time she's done, she's ready to go to bed.

I personally like to get a combo of fat/protein/carbs and anything that fits within what I call "diet fusion" (Here's what diet fusion means.)  My favorite is a table spoon of peanut butter spread on each bite of a banana.  A friend of mine has cashew butter on celery.  Black beans and salsa.  Yum!!

Your best bet is to get something you like, that is satisfying, and gives you the energy to turn away from the food and back to something that is engaging.  Let me know your favorites.

Jackie

How long does it take to form a new diet or workout habit?

"They" say that it takes 21 days to form a new habit.  A great new team has been formed on PEERtrainer to do just this.  Here's the description:

They say it takes 21 days to create a new habit. Join me in testing this. We can
help each other stay dedicated to starting a new habit (or breaking an old one) every 21 days.
If we stick together, we can do it!

Click here to join them.

Jackie

Gotta Love Emails Like This: "I'm Doing Great!"

Hi Jackie,

I'm doing great! My good friend and I are buddies in a group I created, and
we're having a great time encouraging each other. I also am part of the
Weekly Weigh In, Daily Accountability team, which gives me a broader sense
of how and what others are doing. Your weekly emails are also helpful. I am
logging everything, which has really opened my eyes to my eating habits and
has also made me feel accomplished in regard to my workouts. Plus, I've lost
6 pounds since the beginning of the year!

Thanks for providing such excellent, encouraging free services.

- Lauren

If you want to join the Weekly Weigh in, Daily Accountability team, I've provided the link directly to join above.  It's 1928 members and growing daily.  It's a great active team.

Jackie

A Great, Focused Goal As A First Step Towards Weight Loss

In the PEERtrainer Tip of The Day email (sign up here, it's free), I often ask, what is the one thing that "trips you up"?  Meaning, what is one thing you could give up for the next seven days that you KNOW will help you towards weight loss and get you on the right track? 

Two responses I've received in the last week were great examples of "bite-sized" goals that are doable and a great step in the right direction;

1.  Jackie:

There is a vending machine at work with snacks for sale. I have to walk
past it to get a coffee, tea or glass of water. Most days I will stop
and look at what is available. More often that not I will buy something
and this can be twice daily.

 It is my intention to focus beyond this machine without stopping or
purchasing.

2.   Jackie,

One of the things that has been tripping me up is eating chocolate.....buying the
dark chocolate and thinking it is healthy and allowing myself to nibble on that way
too much.? I need to realize I'm kidding myself.? I shouldn't even go there because
I can't control it.? So I am going to concentrate on saying "No" to chocolate
because it really adds up.? No to buying and No to eating chocolate!

Thanks!

These are good focused goals that are achievable without being overwhelming.  We talk more about goals and how to finally believe weight loss is possible in our coaching program as well.

Other good examples include "skip the bread basket at lunch every time I eat out this week" or "no donuts at work!"  The very first thing I did was give up my bacon egg and cheese sandwiches in the morning.  Hard but worth it;  from there I went on to habit after habit until I got back to my pre-pregnancy weight.  Let me know what you commit to this week!

Jackie

Carrot Dip Chips!!!

Very quick tip today- next time you go to the supermarket, go to the produce section and see if they have "Carrot Dip Chips." These are carrots cut like potato chips and they are a new secret weapon of mine.

Dip them in guac, dip them in dijon, just snack on them. So the next time you feel like some mindless munching, grab the bag out of your fridge and go to work. Carrots are also highly nutrient dense, which means they improve your health a great deal. There are very few calories in carrots and a whole range of disease fighting and weight loss promoting nutrients.

Think about it this way- you can snack in a way to improve your health and lose weight.

"I Completely Changed The Way I Eat."

Another success story from a subscriber of the PEERtrainer Tip Of The Day:


Hi Jackie,

Well I must feel proud to share this because it is a success.
I have lost a total of 9 pounds for the month of January. I completely changed the
way I eat. I have a salad for lunch every day. For breakfast I have oatmeal or a hard
boiled egg. For dinner I eat lightly. I have not started to exercise which is something
I am looking forward to doing starting next week. My trip to Los Angeles was a "trip"
I had foods I shouldn't have but still in moderation.

That's 36 sticks of butter!!

Way to go JM!!

Trying To Lose The Pregnancy Weight While Breastfeeding, Working Full Time And Little Sleep

I got a very interesting email today:

Hi Jackie,
Thanks for your emails.

I'm wondering if you could focus a tip of the day on my issue:   5 months
ago I had my second child. I'm breastfeeding and working full time. My
baby doesn't sleep well at nights for a number of reasons so I've had on
average 3 - 4 hours of sleep each night since the day he was born. I'm
shattered - I need ideas on foods to eat that will help me stay awake as I
tend to go for the sugar knowing full well the crash I'll feel later. 

I know exercising will help give me energy but I'm just not getting enough
sleep at night to allow my body to recover from exercise - that and I've
got to sacrifice time with my baby to do it and I'm not willing to do that
as I hardly see him as it is.  You may say 'exercise at lunch'. But my
lunch break is spent dropping off and picking up my children from school
so I have to work through lunch every day.  I'm sure I'm not the only one
in the situation, but at the moment I feel this way.

I read this email and it seems like I'm crying 'poor me', but please be
assured that I don't feel that way. I can make choices like everyone else
and right now I'm choosing the health of my baby (both by breastfeeding
and by spending as much time with him as I can whilst he's and infant).
Unfortunately, my waist line and overall health is suffering this year.
Thanks so much,
j

I remember this like it was yesterday:  the frustration, the overwhelm and the lack
of a clear and defined path to get back to pre-pregnancy weight.  This was my
response and I thought it might be helpful to others.

Hello "j",

I remember this well. I know that you are not crying "poor me" because I
was EXACTLY where you were, with both my first child and my second. Of
course I have to say this, I am not a physician and it's always prudent to
seek medical advice from your physician. I can give
you my personal experience because this time in my life was SO hard.

First, I'm going to tell you something that you probably already know, but
it's not necessarily something you want to hear. It is very challenging
to lose weight when you are in a sleep deficit. Even when that deficit is
only a couple of hours, sometimes you think you're hungry but you actually
need sleep. Imagine what happens when you're at a 4 - 5 hour deficit.
The feelings are doubled and tripled. It also makes it that much harder
to workout because you simply are sleep deprived.

You also still have the hormones raging through you. I know that you're probably
looking around and seeing all the really skinny women breastfeeding or
you're talking to your friends that tell you it just "melted off" because
breastfeeding burns so many extra calories but this is minority of the
population. It took me a long time to accept that I wasn't in this
coveted minority but when I accepted it, I was ready to deal with it.
However, even though I accepted it, I was still very upset with all the
extra weight. I didn't want to socialize and I made excuses to stay home.
 I always dressed in sweatpants as much as possible when I wasn't working
and I was extremely self conscious.

So are you breastfeeding for a year? Over a year? If so, you're reaching
the "height" of the frustration. It's a middle point. For me and most of
my friends, the weight started to come off just a tiny bit faster after
the 5 - 6 month mark. The 2nd becomes a bit more manageable, they usually
start to sleep a tiny bit more and things start to moderate themselves
just a bit more.

There is nothing clinical I'm referring to for "scientific evidence" but
for many of my friends, it's a 9 months on, 9 months off process. It takes about a nine
 month period for your body to regain it's chemical balance, and if
you're still breastfeeding, that process gets prolonged where you still
have that extra 5 - 10 pounds still, after the 9 months.

Many people I know (I am included) lost an extra 5 - 10 pounds about a
month after the breastfeeding stopped.

It took me an entire year and a 1/2 to get back to my original
pre-pregnancy weight. Now I'm even a bit lighter in pounds, but it took
an entire 18 months!! It was beyond frustrating. But I can tell you the
last 6 months were more or less struggling with 10 - 12 pounds, not much
more than that.

None of what I'm saying is going to make you feel that much better since
the essence is that you have to be patient. It's hard when you just want
the weight off. But when you're facing a 2nd child, sleep deprivation and
breastfeeding, you're asking your body to take on a lot physically and it
might be a lot to demand. Of course, you can start off very slowly.
Maybe give up one thing this week that you know you can do, that you don't
need to indulge. Maybe it's the latte, or a donut, whatever it is, you
can give that up for 7 days, then once you've mastered that, move on to
the next thing you can deal with.

The most important thing for you to know is that you've reached a pinnacle
of sorts. The 5 month mark is very profound and for me, it got easier from there.
I would highly suggest figuring out the one thing you can do this week,
that you can truly deal with that you KNOW will make a change, no matter
how slight.

Let me know what you do.

Jackie

Q&A with Jenna Bergen, author of the new book Your Big Fat Boyfriend: How to Stay Thin When Dating a Diet Disaster

We had a chance to ask Jenna Bergen, author of "Your Big Fat Boyfriend" some questions about her new book. You can read the interview here. We are also discussing this book on this thread in the PEERtrainer community. Here is the press blurb about the book as well which helps to outline the (we think important) premise of the book:

Is Your Man Making You Fat?!

Bad news, ladies. Your guy’s wing-grubbing habits could be rubbing off on you. Research shows women almost always gain weight when in a relationship and pick up the unhealthy eating habits of their partners, while men tend to pick up the healthy habits from the ladies in their life. “It’s not fair, but it’s true,” says Jenna Bergen, author of the new book Your Big Fat Boyfriend: How to Stay Thin When Dating a Diet Disaster. “But love doesn’t have to mean love handles!”

Recently featured on Entertainment Weekly’s “The Must List: 10 Things We Love This Week” and deemed a “Great Read: Not Your Average Diet Book” by People magazine, Bergen—a Spinning instructor and yoga addict, who’s work has been featured in SELF, Men’s Health, Women’s Health and Philadelphia magazine—packs the book with study-backed tips that will help you avoid love-induced lbs. while still having fun with your sweetie. “A guy doesn’t have to be overweight or living off McDonald’s to affect your waistline,” warns Bergen. “It all goes back to size. Men are generally bigger than women and tend to carry more muscle mass, which means he can burn through calories much faster—even if he’s just sitting on the couch.”

The problem? Studies show that simply seeing food can make you hungry, so the second Mr. Right (or Mr. Right Now!) starts snacking or reaching for seconds, it’s all too easy to join him. “Women can gain anywhere from five pounds to 20 pounds or more,” says Bergen, who interviewed over 50 women for the book. “A few pounds isn’t anything to cry over, but when it starts to affect how you feel, how your clothes fit or when it’s a big enough jump on the scale that you’re suddenly at risk for obesity-related health issues like type 2 diabetes, it’s a serious problem.”

Filled with everything from why you can’t eat like a man (and still fit in your pants) to fun ideas for active dates to healthy recipes even veggie-hating BFBs will love, Bergen shares laughs from her own experiences and backs up her advice for avoiding love-induced chub with sound studies. “It’s not about dieting,” says Bergen. “It’s about adopting healthy eating habits for life. There are so many fun, easy things you can do to stay slim, from making regular ‘guy’ food like burgers and fries healthier to using simple tricks to get through all those dinners out and nights on the couch without giving up your favorite pair of jeans. Because in the end, it’s up to you—even if buys three pints of ice cream because ‘they were on sale’ or subjects you to fast-food runs daily. The book really teaches women how to take care of themselves, no matter what their guy eats or how much he might hate the gym—whether he’s a boyfriend, a fiancé or a husband.” 

Losing Weight With A Positive Attitude

This is a guest blog post from Personal Development Coach Joshua Wayne, MA

Positive Attitude: How Smiling Can Help Your Weight Loss

Are you the sort of person who takes yourself very seriously?  Do you spend a lot of time focused on your problems? Do you walk around with a serious, intense look on your face, or even a furled brow? 

If so, you might want to consider going out of your way to smile more.  While that may sound trite, I have become more and more aware in the past few years just how important it is to smile.  AND, it just might have a positive impact on your weight loss.

Smiling conveys optimism and a positive attitude.  While of course we often smile in response to things in our environment- a child saying a funny thing, hearing a good joke, or watching our favorite sitcom or movie- this is also something we can choose to do at any time.

Exercising that choice- in other words “Choosing Optimism”- might just do us a world of good.

According to Christopher Peterson, Ph.D, a researcher at the University of Michigan, “There is a link between optimistic attitudes and good health. It has been measured in a variety of ways. Overall, we have found that optimistic people are healthier. Their biological makeup is different. They have a more robust immune system.  Optimistic people act differently ... [and] are more likely to do the things that public health experts say are associated with good health. Generally speaking, they eat sensibly, they don't drink senselessly, they exercise and they get their sleep."

 So get in the habit of catching yourself when you’re being super-serious.  Build the habit of smiling even if you’re in a funky mood. It actually feels better to smile.  The more you ‘practice smiling’, the more will find that it’s a first step to actually changing your state of mind.  You can actually begin to transform a heavy, serious mood into a lighter, more easy-going one.  And over time, it just may begin to help those pounds keep coming off.

Has A Positive Attitude Helped You Lose Weight?

PEERtrainer Editorial Note: Joshua Wayne leads the PEERtrainer Coaching Program which is a highly effective program that sets the stage for sustainable, healthy and long term weight loss. You can learn more at http://www.peertrainer.com/coaching. He also has a private practice where he coaches people all over the world via telephone and email to achieve their long term weight loss goals. You can learn more at http://www.joshuawayne.com

Yo Yo Dieting: How To Stop The Cycle and Get In Control

This is a guest blog post from Joshua Wayne, MA

As a Personal Development Coach who focuses on weight loss and mind/body health and wellness, many people come to see me with the desire to lose weight and keep it off. Most of them have lost weight before, but have difficulty keeping it off for good. Quite often, within 6 months or so they have put back on all the weight they initially lost. This is typically, and understandably, referred to as “yo-yo dieting”.

The reasons for this “yo-yo” dieting are many. People lose their focus, can’t sustain their motivation, get overwhelmed by stress or succumb to temptation.

As I get further into the conversation with them about their hopes and struggles, I often become aware of a much deeper belief they have that ultimately prevents their success. I have noticed a common theme amongst the people who come to see me wanting to lose weight but who are struggling to keep it off, and it’s this:

They don’t truly believe permanent weight loss is possible in their lives.

Think about that for a second, because the ramifications of that belief are profound. If you don’t truly believe that permanent weight loss is possible, in spite of your dieting, exercise and other life change efforts, more likely than not you will end up where you began.

So one of the first questions I have begun to ask my clients is the following:

“On a scale of 1-10, where 1 means you don’t believe that permanent weight loss is possible at all, and 10 means you couldn’t believe it any more, where would you put yourself today?”

Getting an honest answer to that question is a crucial place to start, because if their belief “score” is low, we first have to begin working on that. This ends up being much more important that discussing diet or exercise programs, and it allows me to help them build a solid foundation that will help them get to their ultimate goal- permanent weight loss, and finally the end to their “yo-yo dieting”

Discuss: How Have You Ended The Yo Yo Diet Cycle?

PEERtrainer Editorial Note: Joshua Wayne leads the PEERtrainer Coaching Program which is a highly effective program that sets the stage for sustainable, healthy and long term weight loss. You can learn more at http://www.peertrainer.com/coaching. He also has a private practice where he coaches people all over the world via telephone and email to achieve their long term weight loss goals. You can learn more at http://www.joshuawayne.com

How To Be Happy With Your Body When You Are Not Overweight

As many of you know, I attempt to read every email I get from the Tip Of The Day subscribers and respond to as many as I can. Many are extremely interesting and help to further discussions in many different ways. This email got me thinking about those of you who are not overweight, but for whatever reason are not totally happy with your body. 

"Jackie-

Just thought I'd respond to your latest email to let you know that your emails are daily reminders that have helped me.

I've recently had my most challenging time with weight loss and also my most empowering breakthrough. If you don't mind, I'd like to share it with you.

I've never been "overweight" or what anyone but myself would call "fat." However, there has only been about one or two years in my young life (I'm 23) where I've felt happy with my body. Those years have come and gone, along with the college-level volleyball that got me into such great shape. Since then I've stayed away from dieting, but I've tried many different forms of exercise and managed how I deal with food in many different ways. I started noticing a few months ago that everything that used to work and get me back into shape when I needed it just stopped working. I started to get desperate and, if my husband hadn't stopped me, I probably would have used weight loss supplements even though the smart, rational part of my brain was telling me it was a waste of money and potentially dangerous to my health.

Then I had an epiphany. Well, I don't know if it was an epiphany, really, but it was a complete mindset change that I'm just now able to commit to in the form of writing. I want to have kids within a couple of years from now. Never before have I said I wanted kids within a set amount of time (or that I really wanted kids for that matter). But suddenly, with that thought, it wasn't about looking hot or being able to fit into the newest two-piece bathing suit. It was about being healthy so that I can have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. I'm not worried about getting ready for bathing suit season anymore. I've given myself a goal of two years - in two years I want to physically be up to my personal standards.

I'm having a much easier time with eating healthfully and not criticizing myself if I miss a workout or eat a chocolate chip cookie (or two!). I know I have time. And I know that what I'm striving for is worth picking myself back up, dusting off my (slightly perkier) bottom and trying again when I slip up.

I had heard about PeerTrainer before, but I rediscovered your site and signed up for the daily emails. I love your suggestions, and it's great to just have a consistent reminder. Weight loss is a very personal issue for me, as I know it is for most women, and I don't like to discuss it with my friends and family. Having this kind of anonymity and still getting personal support is amazing. You mentioned goal setting in your email, and I never had the correct state of mind to make this sort of goal before, but for some reason it has finally clicked with me and I cannot believe how amazingly different I'm feeling and thinking.

Thank you what you have created. Two things are keeping me going: my goal and your daily encouragement. Thank you again, and please keep it up!"

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your feedback and your email. It's so gratifying when I read about how PEERtrainer and our direction and guidance has personally helped. Weight loss is such a personal issue and to this day, even going on year 5 of PEERtrainer, I still take advantage of the anonymity in certain ways. I too have changed my mindset and I never thought i would be comfortable shopping for a dress or getting in a bathing suit in front of my friends and I am! I'm not a size 0 and I have cellulite but it doesn't matter because I am so comfortable with my figure and the choices I make. It has been an extremely liberating process and sounds like you've had a similar process in getting to a goal that works for you.

Please keep emailing me and letting me know your progress. We also have started a thread in the community on the subject "How To Be Happy With Your Body."

NutriSystem $100 Savings Offer

NutriSystem alerted us to a new $100 off the first month offer, and this is only good for their Core program, not the new Flex or Select. We hope to see a coupon for NutriSystem Select when it formally launches later this month. This is the link and it may only be good for a couple weeks from what we are being told:

Try NutriSystem and get a total savings of $100

Incorporating Weight Watchers and Dr. Fuhrman's Eat To Live and Eat For Health

This was the first email from the subscriber with specific feedback on the new WW program. It is very cool to read this, especially the idea of "Diet Fusion" that we have developed here. People are frustrated and tired of "failing" at dieting, and this new approach of focusing on gradually increasing fruits and vegetables appears to be working really well. Even NutriSystem is getting in on the act with their new "Select Program" where you can choose fresh frozen foods.

It is important to highlight these new approaches to dieting, because so many people have been losing and then regaining with low fat and low carb diets like Atkins or South Beach. The South Beach Diet has been the subject of a lot of debate on PT recently, with some people pointing out how for many the gains can be short term. And a couple MD's now have weighed in on the subject pointing out the dangers of these low-fat low-carb focused diets.

The most important part of diets like Momentum and Eat To Live and Eat For Health is that they are gradual things you can't really fail at. It is just work that you do or don't do. But it is not this frustrating thing where you start to eat carbs again after restricting them and you ballon back up. Which is something we see all the time.

"Hi Jackie,

I just wanted to drop you a line and thank you for all the PEERtrainer resources. I have been receiving your Tips of the Day for a couple months, and while it has taken a while for things to sink in, I am really coming to appreciate your approach. Specifically, the concept of 'diet fusion' has been very helpful, previously I was always looking for the 'perfect' system, that would make it easy. 

I recently rejoined Weight Watchers (I really like the new Momentum program), have read Eat to LIve and Eat for Health, and am working on incorporating much more plant foods into my diet. I'm a vegetarian who didn't eat much vegetables. :-)

I have listened to a couple of the boot camp calls, and Dr. Fuhrman's call last week. I don't currently use the site for logging, but have been using the principles of accountability and support via an 'accountability partner' that I meet with weekly. Your tips, and blog are relatable and helpful, and I truly appreciate that you share the resources at no cost. Again, Thanks!"

Thank you for sharing!

Changes To The Weight Watchers Program: Some Feedback On Momentum and New Points System

Another great email from a subscriber to our Tip Of The Day coaching program. We have been writing about Weight Watchers Momentum, and encouraging people to get restarted on the program if WW has been a fit for them in the past. We have also been blogging about how people can get motivated to go to Weight Watchers if they have signed up but are having a hard time showing up to the meetings.

I have asked specifically for people to tell me their successes with the new plan. The idea here is that this can motivate others to join or to make similar changes on their own.

"Hi Jackie, 

I have done Weight Watchers in the past, more times than I care to admit. :-) Some of the reasons I am feeling like it is a better fit for me now, are actually changes in me, not their program. Specifically; I'm not looking for the 'perfect program', just a tool to help me find what works for me, I am eating a LOT more fruit and veg, which makes points go much further, and I view the program as my choice rather than something I 'have to do' which tends to makes me rebel.

More specific to the Momentum program: I like not having to choose between the Flex and the Core programs - I always felt like the grass must be greener on the other plan! Also, the new formula for points gives me a few more points per day, which seems to be just enough that I don't feel deprived."

This is great to hear, and very interesting. One thing we talk a lot about on this blog, in the Tip of The Day emails, in our coaching programs is "Diet Fusion"- the idea that there is no magic bullet and you need to incorporate the proven elements of different diets together and discover what works for you. And this subscriber has successfully adopted that idea.

It is also interesting to hear that the emphasis on fruits and vegetables "makes points go much further." This is something we emphasize and is at the core of our relationship with Dr. Fuhrman. He shows us why we need to increase fruits and vegetables, not just that we need to. It is a very important distinction. Weight Watchers has moved in this direction, and their new Set Points System helps to provide some structure around this.

Dr. Fuhrman talks a lot about the relationship between fruits and vegetables and hunger- that when your body is getting the nutrients it needs, that helps to curb the hunger cravings. The micronutrients in plant based food are key to getting your body what it needs. Weight Watchers has made fruits and vegetables a greater focus of their program and it appears to be working. If you are interested in learning more about the relationship between food and hunger, and how to learn what "true hunger" really is, please get a copy of Eat For Health. You can learn more about the book by clicking here, and we also have a link to a PEERtrainer discount.