Weight Watchers (Part 1)

[bilrus]

I think fruits are going to get me through this (at least to start). Yesterday it was more watermelon for breakfast and pineapple for dessert after dinner.

Dinner by the way, was very good and very low in points. I took a salmon fillet, marinated it in a Thai Kaprow marinade of fish sauce, soy, garlic (a lot of garlic), 3 serrano chiles (couldn't find thai chiles), 1 tbs of sugar and 1 tbs of peanut oil then grilled it. I took the reserved marinade and did a stir fry of green beans, onions and grape tomatoes. Served with 1 cup of jasmine rice. I figured the points to be 5.5 for 8 ozs of salmon, 4 points for the rice and 2.5 for my half of the marinade. A lot of food for 12 points and it was easy too.

Now that the first weekend back is out of the way, it is onto the next challenge - weekday lunches. But 20 minutes on the staionary bike that had been gathering dust got me going this morning.

Edit - I forgot to list the most important part of the marinade - thai basil (that is what puts the kaprow in kaprow).

Edited June 16, 2003 by bilrus (log)

[elyse]

Very healthy, Bill. Great.

[Xanthippe]

Very healthy, Bill.  Great.

What elyse said, Bill. And take heart in the fact that you're starting up again in spring/summer; much more food variety to choose from, plus the abundance of fresh produce now coming into season. Vastly easier to maintain a healthy eating plan now than in the dead of winter.

Keep at it -- you can do it!

[bilrus]

My first weigh-in was this Saturday morning. I am happy to report that I lost 6.8 pounds. My wife lost 5.6 pounds in her first week back at it as well, so I am proud of both of us (not to break my arm patting myself on the back or anything).

I managed to stay within (or close to within) my points every day this week, had four days with good sessions on the stationary bike and wrote EVERYTHING I ate in my journal. In order to allow ourselves to still get in some nice meals while on the diet we have always allowed ourselves one meal "off-plan" on Saturdays after weigh-ins where anything goes and does not go into the daily tracker. This wekk we did the same thing, but can already tell the difference as we couldn't eat quite as much as we normally would have.

My goals this week are to up my water intake and make more of an effort to stay stricly within my points range even if it means going to bed hungry, as opposed to saying "this extra two points worth of (fill in the blank) isn't going to kill me". Also, after my next weigh in I want to come up with a short-term weight goal.

[Fat Guy]

Congrats, Bill.

I'm assuming the executive committee is busy devising the program and will report back when it's closer to being in final form?

[bilrus]

The plan was for all of us to report back at the end of this week on the topics we were working on.

In the meantime, I am moving forward on my own.

[elyse]

Wow Bill, excellent. Glad to hear you and your wife are having a running start.

[nerissa]

Did anyone see the special Women's Health section in the Sunday NY Times? Great articles about weight loss.

[joler]

I'm a little late posting to this thread, but couldn't help adding my 2 cents worth.

I went on WW last year and lost about 25 lbs. Since then I'm back up about 7. I never attended any meetings, just joined on-line and used their point calculator and journal. I subscribe to Cooking Light and I would take each new issue and calculate the points on the items I was interested in - I like their recipes much better than WW's, although I have made a couple of WW recipes that weren't bad. Sometimes I'd make up my own recipes and use their calculator to figure out the points.

I stopped buying the WW bars because, even though they are tasty, they are full of partially hydrogenated oils AND I didn't think it was such a good idea to get into the habit of eating what is basically a couple of candy bars every day.

I would like to lose the 7 lbs I put back on but I'm totally bored with WW. I'm not much of a red meat eater either so Atkin's is not all that appealing. Part of my problem is that I have not been able to continue exercising as diligently as before since an injury.

I'm bored with WW. I've sort of been doing what I call "Weight-WHatkins". Which is pretty good amounts of low-fat protein (mostly fish and eggs, some chicken) and lots and lots of veggies and fruit. I do not load up on a lot of fatty protein like cheese and cream. I drink lots of water and alcohol in moderation and then only when I go out (not when I eat at home). It seems to be working - at least on the weeks when I don't break down and consume what remains in the peanut butter jar...

Nutrition is also a hobby of mine, I am considering going back to school to acquire my Masters in Nutrition. So if you get overwhelmed with your project and need some assistance, or a proof-reader, I am happy to assist.

[Nikki]

Hi egulleteers

i've just stumbled across this thread for the first time. Warmest congratulations to those working towards goals that are important to them.

I would jump on an egullet eating plan. Please let me know if I can be of help. I'm a social worker/counselor, have done groups on self acceptance, body love, self esteem etc. let me know if you need assistance with the "support and motivation" side of the program

[claire797]

Hey,

Have you all seen this site? This is a great resource for eating out.

http://www.dwlz.com/restaurants.html

The site has been going down a lot lately, so keep trying if you don't get it right away.

[Fat Guy]

How's our executive committe coming along? I think I gained about 5 pounds thus far waiting for the plan to be developed and revealed.

[Marlene]

The executive committee is coming along just fine FG. Everyone is off working on specific items and will report back this week. By next week, I should have a first draft to you that we can then work on refining.

I'd rather take the extra time and do it right than rush through it. Stay tuned!

[Marlene]

Congrats Bill! That was a great first week back on the program.

[Fat Guy]

I'd rather take the extra time and do it right than rush through it.

Hey, that's not the eGullet way!

[Marlene]

I know. I'm a radical, what can I say

[wawairis]

I think it's a requirement to not have a sense of humour at WW meetings or their leaders.  Which is why I chose to decline being one   You go Bill.  We're all going to have wonderful meals, and still lose weight.  It's all about choices

Wha??? I've been going to WW for a while now (34+ lbs) and my leader could easily be a stand up comedian! She's an absolute hoot! Sometimes we're all laughing so much that we forget about the weight part. It's a very closely knit, supportive group.

[Marlene]

I think it's a requirement to not have a sense of humour at WW meetings or their leaders.  Which is why I chose to decline being one You go Bill.  We're all going to have wonderful meals, and still lose weight.  It's all about choices

Wha??? I've been going to WW for a while now (34+ lbs) and my leader could easily be a stand up comedian! She's an absolute hoot! Sometimes we're all laughing so much that we forget about the weight part. It's a very closely knit, supportive group.

That's wonderful! However, based on what I've experienced and heard from other members, your leader is the exception, rather than the rule.

[Bloomers]

A few years ago, someone put all the point values for foods into a downloadable format for palm pilots and the journal as well.

I had a copy of that but switched to pocket PC and found nothing. I did develop my own excel spreadsheet for keeping track of my point - replacing the journal, but I couldn't find the points calculation formula.

The formula for their Pure Points diet is 1.5 points for every 100 calories plus 0.25 points for every gram of saturated fat (usually around half the total fat listed if it is not split out on the ingredients list)

Worked this out one day when I was VERY bored by using the points calculator on their website and doing some calculations in excel - so can't guarentee it is spot on but it checks back to their published food lists OK.

Lost 30lb using it before my wedding but now off to the western USA on honeymoon for a month with the culinary highlights being Picasso in Vegas, Chez Pannise and the French Laundry (so excited!!) - so will probably pile it all back on! Oh well - at least I'll have the photos with me looking thin

[wawairis]

I think it's a requirement to not have a sense of humour at WW meetings or their leaders.  

Wha??? I've been going to WW for a while now (34+ lbs) and my leader could easily be a stand up comedian! She's an absolute hoot! Sometimes we're all laughing so much that we forget about the weight part. It's a very closely knit, supportive group.

That's wonderful! However, based on what I've experienced and heard from other members, your leader is the exception, rather than the rule.

That's true too. I've heard some real horror stories about some of the WW leaders and their phoney enthusiasm. Yuck!

So your committee is going to do a WW inspired egullet thread? I'm very interested and would glady take part, especially if people actually commented back to me. I usually wind up being ignored.

[Marlene]

We promise not to ignore you . We are working on a full program that will be unique to egullet. We will certainly dervive some inspiration from WW and other programs. We do not seek to turn people away from whatever program works for them, but rather, to provide a starting point for those who are not doing anything at the moment. WW members and all others will be welcome. It will be a place to share tips and successes and problems, provide a base meal plan from which to start, provide a way to track what you eat etc. We hope to have a rough draft to FG next week. Even once it goes up, it will continue to evolve of course!

[chezcherie]

i'm ready----hopefully my duck confit will be gone by the time you get the plan up and running?!

[wawairis]

We promise not to ignore you .  We are working on a full program that will be unique to egullet.

That sounds pretty nifty.

Hell, count me in! I've got some good tips for getting over a plateau.

[bilrus]

I think it's a requirement to not have a sense of humour at WW meetings or their leaders.  Which is why I chose to decline being one You go Bill.  We're all going to have wonderful meals, and still lose weight.  It's all about choices

Wha??? I've been going to WW for a while now (34+ lbs) and my leader could easily be a stand up comedian! She's an absolute hoot! Sometimes we're all laughing so much that we forget about the weight part. It's a very closely knit, supportive group.

The problem with many of the leaders is that they think they are comedians. Let's not encourage them.

[wawairis]

The problem with many of the leaders is that they think they are comedians.  Let's not encourage them.

But why not encourage them? She's obviously a caring woman that is willing to work with members of the group if they're having specific problems.

She shows genuine concern (not that phoney rah rah stuff!) about our accomplishments and our setbacks. There was a couple of times that I was going to quit, but she get me to stick it out.

Yes, Yes, I know it's a multi-million dollar business, but she's very good at what she does. By the way, she's a music teacher, maybe that has something to do with her ease in front of a group of people.

Okay, I'll get off my soapbox now. I'm still interested in contributing to the egullet version.