WEIGHT WATCHERS...

[Troy810]

I am 41, 6'3 238 when started it last week, I workout 4 days a week with weights. I bench about 315, so decent strength, not that heavy, but have a little belly going so doing weight watchers.
I get like 28 pts, feeling little tired,
WILL I LOSE STRENGTH?
If so, when do I maintain? I just completed 1st weigh in and went from 238 to 234. That's 4 lbs in 1 week.

I guess what I'm asking, does anybody like the WEIGHT WATCHERS diet and should I continue or after reach goal, just maintain?

[Emoore]

Of course you're feeling tired!!!! Have you ever sat down and figured out how many calories is in 28 Points? 1 point is about 50 calories! You're eating about 1400-1800 calories a day which is rediculously low for a man your size. If you want to do WW, make sure you're eating lots of unprocessed foods (processed foods have a higher points/calorie ratio) and please eat your activity points and Weekly points as well.

I tried WW and was ready to eat the furniture after a few weeks. I think it's a great program for people whose idea of exercise is a 30 minute walk or a circuit at Curves, but for those of us who exercise more intensely, it's just not enough food.

[Jodi]

Emoore said it perfectly. WW is good for those who only mildly exercise. I have been in WW before and always found their point requirements too low calorie wise. I was always starving on WW. If you really like WW, skip the points system and follow their Core plan. At least with it, if you eat from the Core food list....you can eat as much as you want and perhaps you won't feel as hungry.




Jodi

[Troy810]

Really?
Thanks for all the information, but the reason I DO like the POINTS system is cause I do like the flex, and I do like living still such as having some beers over the weekend, and if beers are only 2pts, hell that's 10-20 beers of cheat pts...
I miss the fried WINGS but see? This is helping me with that craze.
But I follow the book at 6'3 240, I was only to get 28pts, if I give myself 30-35, I wont lose weight will I?
What do you mean by the Process foods and such, have any examples?
Thanks for all your information.

[UConnJulie]

What Emoore and Jodi have said is exactly true. 28 points is 1400 calories about. If you are lifting heavy several times per week, you will "earn" exercise points (which you might not learn about until week 4 or 5) and you need to eat those points too (don't bank them). Also aim on weight training days to eat an extra 5 of your extra 35 points (that still gives you 20 points for beer on the weekends).

But really, if you want the accountability of having to go and weigh in, that's great. Make some mild modifications to the plan though.
1. Eat 5-6 meals per day.
2. Each meal consists of protein, veggies, some real unprocessed carbs (like fruit, brown or wild rice, quinoa, beans, etc), and some fat (aim for healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, etc)
3. Limit your treats to once or twice a week.
4. Drink plenty of water.

Technically you shouldn't be hungry. If you are, then eat more veggies and increase your protein.

Maybe we could offer more concrete suggestions if you posted a typical day's menu ...

[AFI82]

Heh, you get 28 pts a day, and you are drinking ~10 beers on the weekends? That's why you're tired, you're living off of beer alone.

[Troy810]

First off, thanks again for replys.
OK NORMAL DAY FOR ME.

Get up 6 am
I have 3 Egg Whites and 1 Whole egg ( 3pts)
3 pieces Turkey Bacon (1 Pt)
Salsa sprikled on eggs for flavor (0 PTS)

GO WORKOUT at the Local Y.
Example of workout BENCH PRESS 7-5-3-2-1 finish with 315lbs.
INCLINE up to 275
DECLINE up to 320.
SOME cable flys.
SITUPS
Go to work at 10 eat 1 apple (1pt)

LUNCH
Greens Salad, VINEGAR ONLY (Approx 1PT)
Some meat, maybe chicken (3pts)
VEGIES (0pts)

3pm snack at desk 1 small apple (1 PT)

Dinner 3 pieces chicken, maybe a yam,
cooked brocoli (Normally dinner 12pts)
That leaves me 5 -6 pts to eat snack of lite popcorn or such.

THATS A NORMAL DAY..
PLEASE HELP. I like the results but wonder if killing my workouts and if I stop will i baloon up.


AS for the beerse, don't want to sound like alcoholic, far from it, I was just meaning like I am A HUUUUGGEE COWBOYS FAN. so yes Sunday will have 6-8 beers that day for game..cause then have my 35 pts to cheat..

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and THANKS

[Emoore]

Originally Posted by Troy810

What do you mean by the Process foods and such, have any examples?
Thanks for all your information.

Processed food has more points for the amount you need to fill you up and get your nutrients in. I don't have my materials on me, but as an example a cup of oatmeal has fewer points than a cup of lucky charms and the oatmeal will keep you fuller longer. Not saying you're eating lucky charms for breakfast, but I found that in order to keep from feeling like I was starving on WW, I had to eat pretty much all non-processed foods-- fruits, veggies, lean meats, etc.

THATS A NORMAL DAY..
PLEASE HELP. I like the results but wonder if killing my workouts and if I stop will i baloon up.

I'm a 140-ish pound woman and WW had me on 20 points, which is about 1000 calories a day. Even with my activity points and weekly points, I was starving all the time and had no energy for my intense workouts, so I quit.

[sunshinekisses]

i'm doing weight watchers flex plan. at 5'4" and 130 some pounds, i get 20pts a day. yes 20pts is about 1000 cals a day BUT i don't count any 0pt veggies(lettuce, green peppers, tomatoes, onions, zucchini, cucumber, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower etc.)

i use all my points for fat and protein sources. i use the 3-4 exercise points i get when i exercise for a nice smoothie that has carbs and protein in a 2:1 ratio (carb:protein). i also allow myself 2-3 of my 35 weekly bonus points a day when i exercise.

on random days, i will enter my food intake on fitday (veggies and all) and see what i'm getting calorie wise. today, for example, i ate all 20 of my daily points, 3 of my bonus points and 4 exercise points. my calorie total for today was 1278. my protein was at 116g, carbs at 73g and fats at 61g. aside from my protein maybe being at tad low, i think this is right on track for me.

i choose to save extra points for my weekends becasue it fits my lifestyle better and keeps my weekly calorie intake right on track.

i think weight watchers is a good plan if you use your points wisely to get adequate amounts of protein and fat, don't count any points for non starchy veggies and use your activity points.

[AFI82]

I'm just give you a hard time Troy, I'm a beer lover also.

Are you feeling weak or tired during your workouts? If not then you're probably doing ok. But if you feel like you should be lifting more than you are, you probably either need more food, or need to rearrange your intake around workout time.

I don't do well lifting if I just have protein in my stomach, I need some sort of carbs. For me, it's usually in the form of a banana, some milk, or a protein/carb shake about 15-20 minutes before I plan on lifting. I wouldn't be able to do much after the breakfast you just listed. But again, if you're feeling good at the gym, then stick with it.

[AnnetteW]

I'm on WW and have lost 15 lbs since September.

Do Core and use your extra 35 pts on your beer if you wish.

I've also been tracking my macros this past week and I'm eating around 1800 calories.

I have pretty much been able to keep my Core foods and extra points within my 1800 calories, but I have allowed myself a few things I don't count (which does not follow the plan, but they are foods I consider healthy and necessary and I don't binge on them and they don't trigger.

I allow myself whey protein, a serving of nuts or seeds (not peanut butter, that I would count.) I also eat more than 2 t. of healthy oils which I don't count. You could possibly consider lo-fat dairy as Core, rather than only Fatfree and get a few extra calories.

I count points for bread products, alcohol, chocolate...basically anything I don't consider healthy.

[UConnJulie]

Originally Posted by sunshinekisses

i'm doing weight watchers flex plan. at 5'4" and 130 some pounds, i get 20pts a day. yes 20pts is about 1000 cals a day BUT i don't count any 0pt veggies(lettuce, green peppers, tomatoes, onions, zucchini, cucumber, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower etc.)

i use all my points for fat and protein sources. i use the 3-4 exercise points i get when i exercise for a nice smoothie that has carbs and protein in a 2:1 ratio (carb:protein). i also allow myself 2-3 of my 35 weekly bonus points a day when i exercise.

on random days, i will enter my food intake on fitday (veggies and all) and see what i'm getting calorie wise. today, for example, i ate all 20 of my daily points, 3 of my bonus points and 4 exercise points. my calorie total for today was 1278. my protein was at 116g, carbs at 73g and fats at 61g. aside from my protein maybe being at tad low, i think this is right on track for me.

i choose to save extra points for my weekends becasue it fits my lifestyle better and keeps my weekly calorie intake right on track.

i think weight watchers is a good plan if you use your points wisely to get adequate amounts of protein and fat, don't count any points for non starchy veggies and use your activity points.

Originally Posted by AnnetteW

I'm on WW and have lost 15 lbs since September.

Do Core and use your extra 35 pts on your beer if you wish.

I've also been tracking my macros this past week and I'm eating around 1800 calories.

I have pretty much been able to keep my Core foods and extra points within my 1800 calories, but I have allowed myself a few things I don't count (which does not follow the plan, but they are foods I consider healthy and necessary and I don't binge on them and they don't trigger.

I allow myself whey protein, a serving of nuts or seeds (not peanut butter, that I would count.) I also eat more than 2 t. of healthy oils which I don't count. You could possibly consider lo-fat dairy as Core, rather than only Fatfree and get a few extra calories.

I count points for bread products, alcohol, chocolate...basically anything I don't consider healthy.

I think that these are both reasonable ways to "modify" WW ... my concern (with the OP) is that you are using that many points on beer (even limited to one day on a weekend) and are therefore depriving yourself of valuable nutrients during the week.

What you posted as an example day is not bad, but I don't see any healthy fats in your menu. Fat is an essential part of a healthy diet. Fat is a primary building block in our diets ... for hormones, cells, neurotransmitters, etc. If you really limit it, your body will suffer. Dietary fat does not make you fat!!!

I am also assuming that your workout was for "chest day". I hope that you do something different on other workout days. If you are looking for fat-loss, you also might do better with a full-body program or even an upper/lower or push/pull instead of a body-part focused split. NROL is a great book and would really steer you in the right direction as far as that goes.

HTH

[Troy810]

WOW, very good replys, the two lovely ladies on weight watchers? WHY? Where they going to lose weight, in their eyebrows? hahaha Both look great. GOOD LUCK.
As for me, maybe you're right, but I lift at 6 am, so hard to eat earlier than what I do.
I crash around 3 and have like the little pumpkin weight watchers muffin...and I nibble at it to keep my sanity hahahaa.

The beer isn't at 1 setting, but like starting Friday night, may have like 4 at happy hour, 5,6, Saturday night total, and maybe 4 SUnday for the COWBOYS GAME!!!!
That's where I get that 14, but not always going to be that many..
I MISS WINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!! hahahahaa.

I miss ALMONDS at my desk too, so may be able to eat those without the points? LEast a few?
What kind of Fats do u guys want me to get..
Here's today.

4 EGGS (3 white, 1 whole ) 3 PTS
2 pieces WW toast 1 PTS
1 ww sandwich turkey 3 PTS
1 small apple 1 PTS
2 PUMP. Muffin 2 pTS
________
10 pTS and it's almost 4 and I'm about to FAINT.hahha.
My pic in profile, don't get wrong impression Im not a heavy guy just a little gut and face had a litte shape to it.. so cut back..by being on WW.

I have 18 PTS for TONIGHT or do I get WEIGHTLIFTING PTS.. Did SHOULDERS and BACK this morning.
SO 18 pts should be a nice dinner!!!!
Probably 14 pts and 4 pts snack.
Please reply and HELP haha

[sunshinekisses]

Originally Posted by Troy810

WOW, very good replys, the two lovely ladies on weight watchers? WHY? Where they going to lose weight, in their eyebrows? hahaha Both look great. GOOD LUCK.

thank you!

for myself, i know my weakness is chocolate... well to honest with my self, my weakness is sweets in general. to diet and still enjoy the things i like, i have decided to use 20 of my bonus points three days a week (friday, saturday and sunday) for treats. the other 15 bonus points i spread out across the other four days of the week. by adding those extra 2 points, AND using my exercise points, i get plenty of food.

there isn't any reason you can't eat almonds. just work them into your points. set aside 4 points a day for almonds(that's an ounce of almonds). substitute it for some other points in your daily plan. i get my fat from olive oil, cheese, whole eggs and cream in my coffee. to make sure you get enough calories from protein and fat to meet your needs, use 3/4 of your points for fat and proteins, and the last quarter, exercise points and bonus points for carbs. so for example, use 12 pts for fats, 12 points for proteins, then the remaining 4 points and some bonus points for startchy carbs(although if it were me, i would do 14points protein, 14 points fat, lots of green 0pt non startchy veggies, and only exercise points for carbs).

I have 18 PTS for TONIGHT or do I get WEIGHTLIFTING PTS.. Did SHOULDERS and BACK this morning.

you do get weightlifting points! i give myself 2 points for a half hour of lifting(i count it as high intensity activity). i have a nice little activity calculator spread sheet that i use to figure out activity points that i have attached to this post.

a 14 point dinner! lol funny. my meals are about 6 points max lol

[Frank.S]

If points = calories.. why not just use calories, then no looking things up and what not..

[sunshinekisses]

Originally Posted by Frank.S

If points = calories.. why not just use calories, then no looking things up and what not..

the difference about just counting calories and counting calories with weight watchers points is that weight watchers gives you a daily point limit as well as 35 weekly bonus poinst that allow you to have a weekly average that is at deficit. so for example: i get 20pts a day (about 1000 calories a day), and 35 bonus points a week (1750 calories). with this set up, i can vary my calorie intake on a daily basis if i want and as long as i stay within my point limit i will still be eating at deficit. so on the weekends, if i want, i can have a 10pt treat or 500 calorie treat (on top of my 20 daily points) and not worry about it causing excess damage. with counting calories i found i would eat at deficit 5 days a week and then on weekends (when i tend to eat more treats) eat too much to really see the benefit from the 5 days of eating a deficit. it might sound silly, but working with a flexible points system just works better for me.

[Cynic]

Originally Posted by Frank.S