This morning was my weigh-in time and I've lost 3 lbs in 2 weeks. Not as much as I wanted, but I haven't exercised at all this past week. I plan to make exercise a daily ritual starting today! And drink more water.

How's everyone else doing?

Hi MaryAnn,

I started weight watchers on Sunday. I hope it works for me since nothing else seems to. Do you have any good tips for me? I could sure use some.

Thanks,

Jen

Hi everyone:

I didn't just maintain again this week....lost a whole quarter of a pound!! Whoopee. Hey, it's better than a gain.

Jen: One tip I have for you just starting out is to weigh/measure everything until you get a real 'feel' for portion sizes. I've gone back to doing that after maintaining for so long. Also, if you bite, lick or taste anything, count it.......those BLT's can add up in a hurry. Good luck and welcome aboard the WW train.

Shirley

Thanks Shirley, I am probably overestimating more than under right now. Hopefully, anyway. I am having a little trouble getting the dairy in though. I need to buy some lite 85 yogurt. I really hate milk.

Jen

Shirley, I was disappointed that I lost so little this week, but then I decided that as long as I'm going down instead of up - I will be happy!

I wonder what's happened to all the ones who wanted a WW thread started?!

Here's a recipe I made up when on Core.

Reuben Mini-meatloaves

1 lb very lean ground beef
1 sm can sauerkraut, rinsed/drained (this removes a lot of the excess salt)
1/3 c Quaker oats, soak about 5 minutes in about 1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 T minced dried onions
1 T dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp thyme
salt/pepper to taste
3 T ff miracle whip
2 T ketchup

Mix together all but beef and sauerkraut. Add sauerkraut and mix well. Add ground beef and mix only until it holds together. Divide into 8/10 mini-loaves, place in a baking dish. Bake covered for approx 50/60 min @375 degrees, then remove cover and bake an addt'l 10 to 15 min or until done.

Shirley

Hello! I finally grabbed hold of a diet again. Still not on WW but I thought I had saved MaryAnn's link but all I saved was a Texas yell! Thanks for posting the link again and I will open it before clicking save to favorites.
When I eat out, I head for the Chinese buffet, loads of brocolli, green beans, mushrooms and a little meat. Some of them have salmon too. Of course McDonalds makes a good salad with lite Vinegarette.
The Subway "lite" mayo is not as light as Kraft Fat Free (0 fat, 2 grams carb, 10 calories per Tbsp.) so usually I'll get mustard or bring the sandwich home.
I find when dieting I am either very good or very, very bad which is showing these days in my jeans (not the good). Kind of oh well - I blew it anyway and instead of going off the wagon for a minute I go ahead and kick the wheels right off the wagon!
Well back to work. Glad you started this MaryAnn.
Oh almost forgot has anyone ever joined WW online??
Thanks for any info. Kathy

Hi--haven't been here in awhile--glad to see a WW thread again. Will try to check in regularly.

I am not going to meetings, although, sometimes I feel I should as I seem to stay more motivated. Guess it is paying the money--think I am wasting it if I don't pay closer attention to the program. I am doing WW Online, cheaper than meetings, following the Flex program. This summer has been an off time for me so need to get back to the basics. I had lost down to 178.5# in April but put some back on--hate when I do that as I lose so slow. One basic rule that really helps me is to journal each day. Very easy to go over points if I don't write down what I eat.

I need to get back to exercising--I do so much better if I exercise most every day. I have also been lax in getting my water in. There you have my "failures" and what I need to be working on!!

SW-214.6#
CW-188.5#
GW-165#

Susy:

So glad to see you post today. And you know what? It helps me when I read about others 'failings'; I don't feel like I'm the only one who struggles. I'd lost 40+ lbs, then gained back 6 late summer. It just does not want to come back off again. I have about the same amount to lose yet as you do. I've gone back to journaling faithfully again.

Shirley

Hi Susy, glad to see you here. I agree with the journaling each day. I keep an Excel file and list everything I eat each day with the points. I sometimes don't enter anything on the weekends, especially if Jammer is home. Today I decided to not worry with points. I think that was a bad idea as I ate a sausage sandwich for breakfast and it's high in fat. I have been listless ever since, no energy. Do you think it was from the sudden change in diet? Maybe it's mental! anyway, I plan to be good for the rest of the day.

I am really enjoying walking each day with my DIL and the twins. I get a good workout and can feel the burn. In the past 10 years I haven't changed clothing sizes, but can tell that I have really aged and that's mostly because I used to stay very toned and had muscles in my legs and now I have no muscle tone. To try to get in better shape I have several exercise columns on my excel file that I keep my points on. I tell myself that I have to check off one of the exercise types each day. So if it's getting late in the day, and there is no check - I better start doing steps or ab exercises! It's a mind game.

I can only have 20 points, so it's hard to keep to that number. We eat out for lunch a lot and I don't know what the points are for certain entrees. I try to avoid the obvious things, like fried foods, but I do like Italian. I had ravioli last week and even though the portion was small, I think it had probably too many points for lunch.

I decided to up my exercise and I managed to work out 5 times this week. Now I would like to build up some muscle becaue muscle burns calories much faster than fat does. I have some barbells, so I think I'll try using them at home.

I made some apple bread today but I only ate two pieces of a small one. I make three small breads out of one recipe. My husband loves it and I thought he could have this treat for a change. He has been doing so well with cutting out sugar because of high blood sugar. I'm sure the next time he goes to the doctor's to get it checked, it will be down considerably.

Thanks for the welcome back ---

I get 24 pts. a day and find it doesn't take long to use them up. I learn something everytime I eat out--and we eat out quite a lot--don't go to movies or do anything much like that and eating out has always been our "dates".

Tonight we decided to go to McDonalds as we neither one wanted to change clothes. The McRibs are back! I had one, a diet coke and a side salad with a little low fat vinagrette dressing on the side. I figured the McRib points were going to be high but I didn't remember them being 11.5 points!! So I have used 27.5 points today--will need to dip into my Flex points and be watchful this week.

Going to ride the recumbent bike and watch the Spurs play basketball---maybe burn a few points off!!

I find eating out is hard on the points too. I don't do it very often. I wanted so badly to go thru the Wendy's drive-thru one day this past week, but decided against it. I will save my 'eating out' for a social time instead of just stuffing it in my face on the way home. lol

How do you others use your flex points? I divide mine equally throughout the week. If I don't use all attributed to that day, I use them as a cushion for the days I go over.

Shirley

Good Afternoon!

Please help, I just finished week one and lost Not a single pound! I have went straight by the books and did not even use the 35 flex points. I also walk on the treadmill 60-90 minutes a day on incline. Could it be that I am gaining muscle and not losing weight? This is frustrating.

Congrats to everyone that lost this week.

Jen

Jen--

Just a thought, but do you eat your activity points that you earn?

Maybe your body thinks you aren't giving it enough food. If you do eat your AP maybe try eating a few of the Flex points this week.

Yes, you could be gaining muscle; how long have you been doing the 60-90 minutes on the treadmill? If it is a recent thing it should soon even out.

Did you measure your body and write measurements down when you started? That is a big shot in the arm sometimes to find you have lost inches when the scale doesn't move.

I measure neck, bust, midriff, waist, hips, thighs, calves, upper arms and wrists. I made me a chart for each month and is nice to look back on. I need to measure again as I haven't done that faithfully like I once did.

Hang in there and good luck this week.

Has anybody used the Splenda for baking? They have a white sugar and a brown sugar one. I use Splenda for my tea and find that I only need about a third of an envelope for a mug of tea. One envelope is supposed to be equal to two teaspoons of sugar.

I was concerned that if I used the amount they specify in a recipe, it will be too sweet.

I have used the regular granular Splenda before in baking just measuring like I would regular sugar. Things have always turned out fine.

I made a crustless pumpkin pie yesterday---used one half cup regular granular Splenda (in the pouch) and one half cup Splenda brown sugar blend. I think the pie is sweeter than when I use just the regular granular Splenda. Must be because the brown sugar has some real sugar in it because I have never noticed the too sweet flavor before. My DH loves it but he has a sweet tooth where I don't--I am more crunchy, starch oriented.

I use the recipe on the pumpkin can only use the Splenda in place of the sugar. I add 1/4 teaspoon cloves to the other spices and 1 teaspoon vanilla and bake without the crust. 8 servings is 2 points per serving.