Who weighs the watchers?

[sqbr]

A month of two ago I and Cam joined weight watchers. Cam and I had discussed the possibility of this sort of thing for him before, but it was only after col_ki mentioned going on it with Wendy that it occurred to me that we could go together. I checked it the website and they were having a limited offer of free registration, so away we went.

It's actually been pretty good. Every week we turn up and pay our $18 (each! I know!) and then get weighed. The woman at the desk tells how we've done (in a low voice, the whole thing is set up to keep it private) and writes it in our book, then we're free to go. We try and stay for the meeting after that, where the leader goes through the Topic Of The Week (Set by upper management in a pamphlet), though she tends to see this as more of a guideline and discussion often veers into other topics. After that anyone who's done particularly well is congratulated, and in some cases given a little star (silver for positive life changes, gold for every 5kg lost) The first 9 weeks or so you get a little book each week on the main principles of the program, starting with a description of the two Plans and suggested recipes and going on to stuff like exercise and how to resist snacks.

If it all sounds a bit like primary school, well..it is. That crossed with a church afternoon tea. But regardless of how my adult conscious mind feels about it, deep down I am thrilled to get a little round of applause when I go down a kilo, and the desire to get that again is surprisingly effective. The actual advice is, afaict, pretty good stuff, and you're under no obligation to eat any of the official weight watchers products as long as you stick to the eating plan (ie a strictly limited amount of sugar and fat depending on your body type and exercise level) Which is good because they are pretty much all foul or can easily be replaced by better, cheaper products :)

And what's been the result of all this? distancam has lost eleven kilos. Woot!

And me? Well... I've..gained 1.5kg. Which, you know, not good but I was pretty much guaranteed to gain weight after going from *poor+energetic job* to *able to afford big lunches+ desk job*. I've been trying to exercize as much as possible and have taken to heart the recent pamphlet's advice to try and even out my blood sugar, not sure if it'll help with my weight but I certainly feel a lot better.

Comments

[sonictail.livejournal.com]

urk, the meeting fee is steep. do you cook off the plans or purchase their food?

[alias_sqbr]

Cook your own. You can buy their food if you want but it's extra and at the meetings they only sell snacks.

[stephiepenguin.livejournal.com]

Wait, col_ki went to WW? But he's a million metres high and not at all wide...

I understand that sometimes the weight gain happens, particularly as you've said in your sort of circumstances. Though I would not have thought you were particularly overweight.

[dafwarg.livejournal.com]

I suspect it was in a supportive fashion :)

[alias_sqbr]

Pretty much, though losing weight myself would be a nice bonus.

[col-ki.livejournal.com]

Partially - it is a lot easier to live more healthily (not: that's how I think of it, not as "losing weight") together.

I'd put on quite a bit of weight (enough to see my face change significantly, for example) in the last few years and had been trying to lose it for about previous 18 months unsuccessfully.

[alias_sqbr]

it is a lot easier to live more healthily

Oh, is it ever. I had to go off deep fried food last year after getting diagnosed with reflux, and it's a lot easier to avoid now that Cam is eating healthier.

[col-ki.livejournal.com]

While I was working at Claisebrook Rail Depot, and having a daily lunch of burger + large chips (and often fish and chips for dinner :P), I had reflux to the extent that my stomach sphincter spasmed on an almost daily basis.

Since I started eating normally, the only reflux I get is after 3 or 4 days of very spicy food + beer.

[alias_sqbr]

Mine is a lot more sensitive than that, I've had to pretty much cut out alcohol and deep fried food all together. Also red capsicum and paprika for some reason (that took me a while to figure out)

I saw a gastroenterologist and he said losing weight might do me some good, so that's extra motivation :)

[alias_sqbr]

Well, not enough that I'd bother going if it wasn't to support Cam, but I have gained about 15 kilos since I was in first year. Admittedly I started a little on the skinny side, but still. And it wouldn't be fair on him to go to meetings and not go on the plan.

I wouldn't want to speak for col_ki :)

[col-ki.livejournal.com]

Yep!

I lost 15 kilos (102 -> 87), which took me from overweight to healthy - I'm back to the weight/waist size I was back in my first few years at uni (1998-2000).

It's true that being tall helps me look slimmer - but trust me, life is so much better without those 15 kgs!

[callistra.livejournal.com]

I did like the weight watchers meal plans and recipes from when I went. Which was a long long time ago.
:-)

And the social support network is probably the most important key.

[alias_sqbr]

Yes, I've come accross a number of ex-WW members online who found it useful to start with but then decided they were better off just living a healthy lifestyle. I think the structure is useful when your own judgement is unreliable.

[nico-wolfwood.livejournal.com]

I agree the fee seems a bit ouch inducing but congrats to distant cam!

[alias_sqbr]

Yeah, though he could stand to be less smug about it :)

[nico-wolfwood.livejournal.com]

LOL!

[mandragora2003.livejournal.com]

Indeedy; Kudos due to anyone who manages to lose weight.

The funny thing is that is easy to lose weight *up to a certain point*, after which it becomes really hard. I think that it's because the first few kilos are simple "I know I shouldn't be eating this" type ones, but the others are more of the "exercise more, eat less volume" variety.

I think that I watched my mum go through about twenty diets. But she never got further than the first five kilos. Eleven kilos rocks!

[alias_sqbr]

Yes, exactly, he's past the super-easy point, if still a long way from where he really should be. We're both aware that it won't be this easy to get down to his goal weight, but even if he stalled at 11, as long as he could keep it off that would be something.

Since I was already living a fairly healthy lifestyle I am of course finding it a lot harder to lose any weight. But hey, if feeling superior about beating me makes Cam feel positive and motivated, I can live with that :)

[(Anonymous)]

Congratulations to the both of you for making thiis progress so far.

but with diet comes excersie...jusr a little. just half an hour a day.

Cardiovascular is the one source of training with the most benifts....so weather it's cycling, swimming, running or walking....half an hour every day + healthy diet plan = healthy lifestyle

[alias_sqbr]

Oh, yes, exercise is a big part of it

[col-ki.livejournal.com]

I didn't exercise at all - but I did have a fair amount on incedental exercise, working in the factory now and then, up and down the stairs in the office 10 or so times a day, SCA and sometimes walking the 5km home instead of bussing.

[col-ki.livejournal.com]

Well, men do have an easier time losing weight. Just when I got to goal they announced that they were giving all men an extra 4 points a day, as they were losing weight too quickly.

That's (almost) and extra pint of Guinness a day!