It's Wednesday weigh ins! 2007-2022

[Sarah in SC]

Bob, I use a Corinne Netzer Dieter's Diary, a small spiral bound notebook that also includes a small calorie counter in the back. I'm on my second 16 week book now. I recommend it as it is more formal than a legal pad, but still pretty simple. I also log my weight and calories every day at traineo.com.
Alan is doing what all succesful (that I've read about) losers do--keep accountable. Congrats on doing what it takes to keep fit! I worry a lot about how hard maintenance will be for us in the long run.

[Alan]

Bob,

In the Weight Watcher program you get a little calculator to figure a "point" value for everything you eat which is actually so easy that you quickly good at estimating things even without the calculator at hand. Its 50 cals per pt + little bit extra for fat content minus a little bit for fiber content.

eg if something is 200 cals, 0 fat, 0 fiber it is 4 pts. 200 cals, 10g of fat, 4g of fiber and it is still 4pts. 200 cals, 0 fat, 4g fibre is 3 pts.

You also get a booklet where you can look up most every food. Just about all veggies are 0 points.

Fruits vary, eg small apple = 1 pt, banana = 2pts etc

You then have a weekly target of total points depending how heavy you are. The heavy you are the larger the allowance. For 175lb my target is 24 pts / day plus a floating 35 points which really equates to 31 pts /day on average. It means you can be good during the week, saving up your points for exuberance at the weekend. For me I like to walk down to the pub from work on a Friday afternoon and a few pints (20 oz glasses) of ale with some friends from work and walk home (4 miles).

It is not really a diet in that there are no banned foods. You just simply record everthing you eat. I use my diary I carry around with me for work but you could carry a small notebook. If I fancy a doughnut, no problems, but that is going to cost me 6 pts (25% of my daily allowance).

The program just takes discipline. If you can be disciplined enough to manage a household budget, you can be disciplined enough to manage a "point" budget.

The first 6 months of doing WW I journaled all the time, but since then (3 or 4 years now) I only journal when I get beyond my target weight range which usually happens after lots of business travel where I find it really hard to eat well and exercise

[Alan]

not much different to calorie counting I suppose

[ESRBob]

Alan,
I like it -- especially the part about walking down to the pub for a few pints with friends! I lived in England for a few years back in my college days and enjoyed that aspect of the country very much.
I'll try to find a friend in WW and bum a spare copy of the points book off them. It seems like a good and simple system and allows me to postpone the inevitable: finally becoming a calorie counter.
Sarah, I may end up with one of the Corrinne Netzer books if my WW friends don't come through. (Just being cheap...)

[Alan]

Bob,

I moved from England 20 years ago and walking down to the pub is one of the things I have missed. In December last year an Irish pub AND an English pub opened up right next to our offices. The guys and gals in the office didn't need much persuading to adopt this Friday afternoon ritual.

If you have trouble getting a WW book I have a spare one. Feel free to send me a private message with your address and I'll mail it to you.

[ESRBob]

179 and change today -- no movement down, but no movement up, either! Could have been worse: DW has discovered an Irish Pub cookbook and is getting us all ready for our trip to Ireland this summer with recipes out of this book. Here's a hint: none of them are low-fat...

Alan -- Glad civliization has come to your neck of the woods in the form of a nice pub!

[Alan]

176 today - same as last week. I'm trying to lose the 9lb I put on over the last couple of months. Lost 5 so far in 4 weeks, 4 more to go.

[Sarah in SC]

I'm so glad you two guys picked up the posting--all my other weight loss friends here have fallen away! 147 today, it is true what they say about the last 5 lbs being the hardest! Just two pounds to go!
Ah, Irish food, I made some great colcannon for St. Pats this year--yum! And if only I had a hollow leg for the ale, that is the hardest part about keeping on the calorie routine--way less beer! But on a good note, I'm a cheaper date now that I've lost about 50 lbs! The nights of taking down a 12 pack are over, I guess!

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarah in SC I'm so glad you two guys picked up the posting--all my other weight loss friends here have fallen away! 147 today, it is true what they say about the last 5 lbs being the hardest! Just two pounds to go! Ah, Irish food, I made some great colcannon for St. Pats this year--yum! And if only I had a hollow leg for the ale, that is the hardest part about keeping on the calorie routine--way less beer! But on a good note, I'm a cheaper date now that I've lost about 50 lbs! The nights of taking down a 12 pack are over, I guess!

Colcannon - not heard of that before. So, are you from Ireland?

During my WW effort lasting a whole year, I gave up beer altogether, but now that I am back in control I allow myself the Friday afternoon down the pub.

This pub is called The Gooses' Acre and is a one-off. It dates back to 1860's and went out of business in 2005. It was in County Cork and 2 Irish American entrepreneurs whole own several other pubs bought the name and all the bar fittings from the owner and have re-created it here in Texas.

[Jeffrey]

Back from China for 2 weeks. Ate a lot of great food, but with walking the Great Wall and extra activity, I lost 2 pounds. Down to 213. I need to vacation more often!

[DangerMouse]

Glad to hear that everyone else is managing to successfully fight the battle of the pounds. I was away on a work trip and gained a couple. However, I am back on the treadmill this morning as soon as I finish my breakfast. I am more determined than ever to get this weight off.

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeffrey Back from China for 2 weeks. Ate a lot of great food, but with walking the Great Wall and extra activity, I lost 2 pounds. Down to 213. I need to vacation more often!

Well done. Isn't it great when having a brilliant vacation doesn't leave you with a weight debt to pay down. We find that our vacations have similar results when we manage to get in plenty of exercise as well. As long as we stay fit and the weather cooperates our vacations will include lots of outdoor activity.

[Sarah in SC]

Alan, I'm Scots/Irish, but born in Charleston--Fleming is my family name. I enthusiastically embrace the beer drinking habits of the Irish.

Colcannon (Irish: cál ceannan, white head) is a traditional Irish and West Scots food made from mashed potatoes, kale, butter, salt, and pepper. It can contain other ingredients such as milk, cream, leeks, onions, chives or garlic. At one time it was a cheap, year-round staple food.<Wikipedia>

I'm a half-pound from my goal weight--just about 50 lbs lighter than 6 1/2 months ago. Pretty darned cool, all things considered.

[Alan]

Sarah,

First, congratulations on losing 50lb in 6 months, that is a great achievment and done at a rate that gives your body time to adjust to and be more easily maintainable.

We lived in South West Scotland (Dumfries) for 2 years back in 1984 but never came across Culcannon. It sounds delicious. While in Dumfries our local "fish shop" sold the usual deep fried stuff you get in a fish shop in England plus they sold, deep fried in batter like the fish and sausages, Haggis and Mars bars.

Needless to say I was not quite so health conscious in those days and loved the deep fried haggis, but I used to cycle 5.5 miles to and from work every day, and that included some serious long hills.

[Outtahere]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarah in SC I'm so glad you two guys picked up the posting--all my other weight loss friends here have fallen away! 147 today, it is true what they say about the last 5 lbs being the hardest! Just two pounds to go! But on a good note, I'm a cheaper date now that I've lost about 50 lbs! The nights of taking down a 12 pack are over, I guess!

I haven't fallen away, I had surgery a month a go and I'm just getting back to normal...I'll be back soon. An WTG on 50lbs!!!!

[Jeffrey]

Sarah - Congrats on 50 lbs!!

On a worse note, I went to the gym for the first time in forever yesterday. I used the doctor's style scale in the gym rather than my home scale. The gym scale says I am 222, not 212 lbs. I still lost 2 lbs in China (home scale went from 214 to 212), but I think my home scale is not accurate. Waist is 49.5 inches (I read the stuff above and measured).

I was tempted to try the new weight loss drug out there, but then read about the side effects and that people did not lose that much weight anyway. I know that the only solution is increasing the veggies, watching the portions, and aerobic exercise. The main problem I think is that overeatng is pleasurable, and a relief from stress (mostly job related). I need to find some other substitutes for overeating when I am tired or burnt out. I play piano, read, watch movies, but none of them quite provide the stress-relief that overeating does.

[simple girl]

Hey - just a quick note to say I haven't fallen away completely! Just been super busy with a new job and traveling a lot on the weekends...exhausted here with limited time to surf the net. I have gained back 4 pounds, so I'm back to my starting weight of 135#. I'm not actively trying to lose weight right now as I'm too overwhelmed at the moment with other stuff, but I'll be checking in periodically.

Wow, way to go Sarah!!! I'm really impressed!

[Sarah in SC]

Thanks so much--I am officially at goal weight of 145 today! Now to the BF% goal of 25--right now at 30%. Boss told me he's giving me a bonus of $10 per pound now that I met my goal--and I was 60 lbs heavier in November--cha-ching! Nice! He says I have to spend it on clothes!

I can tell you that exercise is a huge stress reliever, Jeffrey. I think steer clear of the drugs--if you just write down what you eat, it will make a dramatic difference, I promise.
Simple Girl, Outtahere and DangerMouse, thanks so much for the encouragement and kind words--I FEEL GREAT! We are going on a river float trip on July 7th, and I can't wait to hang out in my two-piece with my skinny friends! And don't sweat not being focused on that right now with all the other stuff going on--I've been there! Now, if I can get through the CFP exam in 4 weeks without taking a hostage, life will be good!
Sarah

[ESRBob]

Way to go Sarah! $600? Not bad.
Simple Girl-- hope the new job is going well -- did you just switch or did you and your DH move again. You're profiled in the new book due out this Fall, btw -- your moving-around LBYM lifestyle should be interesting to readers.

Well, 4 parties for end-of-school year/kids birthdays in the last week and I gained 2 pounds back, but it was probably worth it. First square meals I've had in weeks. OK, OK, back to the deprivation, I mean discipline now to get them off and a few more besides!

[Alan]

Great work Sarah. I'm afraid I have not made any progress this week, still at 176.5lbs Very wet weekend so little exercise, plus I've had to work late 3 nights in a row no no trips to the gymn. I suppose I'm lucky to have maintained my weight.