I got a several questions yesterday about me Weight Watchers Rant tease.
Well, here you go.
It’s been really hard for me to keep going to Weight Watchers. I really like the leader. I really like the accountability of weighing in front of someone else and we already know I will work for stickers.
But I’m having a lot of difficulty with the some of the members.
It just seems like so many people are trying to cheat the program. And most focus only on the numbers – number on the scale, point value of each food – and seem to be paying no attention to being healthy.
A few weeks ago, we were talking about low-point sweets. I mentioned my choco-cherry cupcakes (which I haven’t made in forever) that use 3 eggs. 3 eggs in 24 cupcakes. And the reaction I get? Why would I use eggs instead of egg substitute? There are more points in eggs! Yeah, and I can also get them unprocessed from the farmer’s market. The consensus? Just make the cake with a can of soda.
Yesterday I was sitting there listening to people complain about not losing weight and struggling to eat all their points. There’s only so long I can listen to people bellyache about being so full they can’t sleep. My suggestion? On the days you have a lot of leftover points, eat full-fat dairy. Add avocado to your sandwich. Have peanut butter on a banana. Have a handful of nuts. The reaction? “Oh, I don’t eat anything with that many points in it.”
I get so frustrated hearing how you ate a whole bag of carrots for lunch so you could eat all your 28 points in one sitting at a fast food restaurant. But you wouldn’t dream of eating a handful of almonds because of the points. And everyone seems impressed with your willpower to only eat carrots for an entire meal. Seriously?
Then the meeting starts and we start talking about ways to make vegetables more palatable. Suggestions? Fat free cool whip. Fat free ranch dressing. Fat free yogurt. Bacos.
Bacos? Could someone PLEASE mention SOMETHING that is a real food?
I mention how I think grilling makes everything taste better – corn, asparagus, tomatoes, sweet potato slices. Everything tastes better (and sweeter) with grill marks. The reaction? That takes too much time.
Then I mention the famous Green Monster that I see everywhere and my plan to try spinach in my smoothie (which I did this morning! Fabulous!) and you would have thought I suggested putting a dirty sock in the blender.
We were challenged to try to get 3 different colors of fruits and veggies in every day. I had strawberries, blueberries, a banana, and spinach in my breakfast. That’s 4! How many different colors of fruits and vegetables were in your Weight Watchers chocolate chip muffin or your low-fat poptart?
And what color are bacos anyway?
Wow, that sounds so frustrating. Unfortunately I have heard a lot of stories like this about weight loss programs like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig and LA Weight Loss. People seem to get this mentality that as long as they’re technically following the program, it’s all good, but they don’t understand the disservice they’re doing their body when they do things like eat a bag of carrots for lunch so they can have fast food later. Not to mention that low fat and non fat things tend to be ridiculously high in sugar and sodium, a sneaky way of keeping the flavor and hiding the calories, which is obviously horrible for your body. Those are the people who lose 50lbs quickly on those programs, and then the second they go off of them and try to live normally, they gain it all back and more, because manipulating a weight loss program won’t teach you how to eat healthy, determine correct portion sizes or learn to stop eating when they’re full. I would be just as frustrated as you, if not more.
You’re doing this the right way, and I think you have great ideas for ways to be healthy, like grilling, and green monster smoothies. And obviously you’re seeing results…you look awesome!! Keep up the good work and try to resist the urge to through some bacos (whatever those are) at those people if you go to another meeting!
Amen. I won’t throw anything at meetings, I promise. I’ll even resist evil looks!
That’s why I gave up on WW — not because the people annoyed me; because I was one of those folks who completely abused the points system. It just wasn’t a system that worked for me (low and behold, I count calories and the weight starts melting off like BUTT-uh).
I hate to be Captain Obvious but have you thought about trying a different meeting? Or maybe checking at your doctor’s office to see if you can stop by once a week to have a nurse weigh you (my doctor in Columbus offered that free of charge, which was kind of awesome). Can you show up to the meeting to get weighed in and cut out after that?
PS. Bacos. Seriously? That grossed me out.
You? Abuse a system? Shocker!
Alright, Captain Obvious, I’ll throw a kink in my schedule and try a different meeting. Although after my coupons are done, I’m gonna totally check with my doctor. That would be very smart. And not too out of my way!
I’ll defend LAWL! :D
I’m on that program and I eat real food. I go to Farmers Markets and stock up on fruits and veggies. I eat almonds and real eggs and walnuts and chicken. I eat tons of fruit and veggies, and yes, to get my amounts right, I will have peanut butter or avocados. LAWL teaches me to eat right, measure my food and to drink my 8 cups of water a day.
And off my soap box.
But it could be soo frustrating to hear people distort their food intake so much. A bag of carrots? Really?
Ahhh well. You can only rock your own weight loss and it looks like you’re doing great.
Thank you! I love nuts. And avocados. We’ll get it done!
and what the hell is Bacos?
I hear you, I used to be like those people but now I’m all about the healthy WW pts. I thought about that today as I was eating almonds, a good fat and 3 pts before I would have had 3 pts worth of fake food. What the hell are bacos?
Bacos? Nasty little bacon-like crumbs that people put on salads and in veggies. Maybe I’ll explain more in a post.
Bacos are fake-like bacon sprinkles for salad…found by the croutons and yucky. I have to admit that it seems many of the members in my meeting are the same…as are MANY on the WW boards…but I keep going because I need my leader and her common sense-knock me in the head attitude.
I need the weekly weigh-in ’cause my scale is wonky. I don’t even look at the boards anymore. Who has time?
Thanks for the Bacos explanation. Yeah, I’ll put a ton of those in my green beans. Whatever.
I would seriously try a different meeting. I was on WW for about a year and I loved my meeting. The leader taught people that it’s important to get all your points and that full-fat is not evil. She often told me to eat some almonds to get to points and actively discouraging the behaviour you talk about.
Sadly, there will always be the people who try to “cheat” the program and refuse to believe that it’s their “cheating” that makes the program not work.
I kinda agree with FB on maybe not attending the meeting portion or finding a different meeting. It can make all the difference.
You’re probably right. Maybe I’ll try a Saturday meeting this week.
Haha, Krissie – so well said! This is why I was always a Weight Watchers Online girl only! I did Diet Workshop (which i’m thinking may be local or regional, but same basic idea) – and i was frustrated for the same reasons. I learned the hard way that i can eat all the “Light” hostess cupcakes that I want, but i’m not going to lose weight that way. The less processed food, artificial sweeteners and healthy oils in your diet the better! Thanks for posting this today!! It just curbed my craving for chocolate!
I’ll do whatever I can to keep you away from sugar!
I’ve never tried WW, but I can certainly relate to some of the things in your story. Some people just think “lose weight” not “get healthy”. I like the suggestion of trying to find another meeting in the area. Hopefully there aren’t crazies like this in every meeting!
Incidentally, I’d LOVE your recipe for choco-cherry cupcakes!
Choco-cherry cupcakes are on my blog somewhere…
Tah-Dah!
http://questionsfordessert.com/2008/01/24/choco-cherry-cupcakes-2/
They do use a boxed cake mix and canned cherry pie filling, but I feel less dirty when I buy them at Whole Foods. I obviously wasn’t doing so when I took this picture…
While I’m FAR from where I need to be I’m tired of hearing people nag at me about things like eating regular yogourt… with *gasp* sugar in it. Because clearly because I’m fat I should pump myself full of aspartame because it’s lower calorie (forget that it gave me daily stomache aches when I did eat it). But alas, that is something I should be willing to deal with to save on the calories.
Do what you need to do! Work your real-food program! It’s not worth saving calories when it makes you sick – either today or in the long-run. Don’t give in to aspartame! Hold on to your sugar in moderation! I’m right there with you, cheering you on with full-fat mozzarella!
Oh goodness–what I will do for a little green BRAVO sticker!
I guess I’m the lone wolf in this one… I say keep going and keep sharing your experiences and your knowledge. I have the same thing in my WW groups. I once asked a lady “do you REALLY like the 1 point bars or would you really just have one bite of real ice cream?” (Fortunately, she laughed.)
Especially, especially after seeing Food Inc. last night, I want to make sure everyone knows the truth abut food and reconsider their eating habits. And, when I can afford to, I want to start a weight loss support group that helps people switch to more natural foods.
There are other weight loss support groups out there–perhaps they might be better since they don’t market their low point snacks? (TOPS is one.)
Good for you and getting it–and that picture you posted the other day proves it!
Yep, I’m gonna keep going to WW and letting my freak-wholefood-flag fly! I can’t wait to see Food Inc. It’s not coming anywhere near here yet, though. I’m looking AND I’ve got the book. I like your idea of starting a new program. I’ll be your first on-line member!
I always find that frustrating, even in the blogosphere. Real food will satisfy you, nourish you and prevent cravings. But no, some people want to do it the hard way and they really resent you when you don’t suffer as much as they do! Such is life. You’re doing great!
I also think it’s about people’s perception of dieting – that it’s all about suffering and hardship and not entirely about a lifestyle change. IMO, the people who tend to focus on the ‘fake’ food are the ones who tend to reach goal and then struggle more to maintain.
I never thought of that. That some people look at a diet as deprivation – as something that shows character. You’ve got me thinking now…
You guys have totally opened my eyes to a diet as suffering and deprivation. I want to be satisfied! I want to be healthy, not just thinner. I want to make a change that I can carry on FOREVER so I won’t get back to where I was. Thanks so much for the thought-provoking comment!
I can so relate to what you are saying! I had lost 25 pounds with Weight Watchers but always felt like I wasn’t really doing it in a healthy way. It used to drive me nuts that I would have to count 2 pts for a banana or an apple, stuff that is good for me! Too me it was almost like being punished for being healthy! I don’t go to meetings anymore but I still try to do my points but make healthier, wiser choices. I feel a lot better when I do! Much better than when I eat 100 cal pack Hostess cupcakes or Baked Doritos! Eating healthy and exercising is the way to go but hey you already know that! Keep up the good work!
It is frustrating that I can have a little fake cake for 1 point, but an apple costs me 2. I can VERY easily see how people get in the mindset of always choosing lower point foods over the better-for-you higher point foods. I’m glad I’ve had enough practice at this to feel secure in my plan today. And, like you, i know I feel better when I’m eating food!
fantastic post. seriously. I love it. You just captured my biggest frustration with weight watchers.
I really think my frustration has a lot to do with my meeting. I don’t know that I can group all meetings into that category. I think with most programs, we have to take the parts that work for us and work them. I have to take a lot more personal accountability to work *my program* and have some patience with how others work their program. I just had an intervention with myself. Excuse me…
Oh, i could not have said it better myself. WW was helpful for me to learn about portions, and how to spread out my points by eating free foods (real fruits and vegetables). But I also took issue with the prevalence of those 1 point bars and two point bars, and little candies – nothing but high fructose corn syrup. I agree that you have a not so healthy group there, and it is a shame that your leader isn’t trying to stop the madness. If you don’t go find a new group – I say you keep speaking up, louder than ever! And tell them how much you’re losing by eating well.
I will keep speaking up – whole foods all the way! I feel empowered by your comment! Thank you!
Wow. I’ve been going to WW for just shy of a year and I love my leader. She’s energetic, uplifting, and doesn’t let us have lame-o excuses if she feels like there is something deeper that we want to explore. AND she focuses on health.
I just went to my meeting last night for this week – and we were challenged with the same idea as you were – eat 3 different colors of fruit/veggies each day. But at our meeting we also talked about how you keep the weight off. She has said routinely that when you change your identity – THAT is when you the weight stays off.
I think that in order to change your identity, you can’t be the person who eats only processed foods. You have to have health as your focus. It can’t be on the numbers – either weight, points, or calories. It simply must be second nature. To turn to the 2 point banana versus the 2 point bar – because your body NEEDS the nutrients, wants the fiber, and you fuel your body with healthy stuff. It’s making consistent choices that are healthier for your body…not about filling up on 2 bags of fat free popcorn because you’re starving. Eat some meat, for chrissakes!
WW does work…because it is a plan that should be more focused on the healthy eating guidelines rather than that you can eat a whole sleeve of fat free pringles for 7 points.
It sounds like your group, and possibly your leader, may not be focusing on the “right stuff.”
Do I think you should quit? No…not if it’s working for you. But I do think that if it’s not working and you’re able to discern what would work, then great!
You’ve got the right focus and because you’re focusing on health, you will have made life choices to keep yourself healthy…and probably a thinner version of you.
Go you! I can’t wait to see the future pictures of that blue sweater getting bigger and bigger. Know that you’re not alone and that a bunch of us are focusing on health – right along side you.
I totally agree. My group isn’t focusing on the right stuff. I’m not quitting at this point because I still have 7 more weeks that I have committed to. I hear a lot in the meeting about the tools for success, but little about the healthy eating guidelines. That’s what i think this fruit/veggie challenge is about.
I have to admit, I’ll be sad when my sweater ends up in the Goodwill pile! And thanks for your “right stuff” comment. I’m singing New Kids on the Block now.
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What depresses me is all the junk they sell at the meetings ;) They keep telling me they’re on sale and i keep telling them i don’t eat those things!!
They have been giving out free samples at my meeting lately! I either offer them to someone else or bring them home to Nathan. That’s not very wifey of me, is it?
I learned a lot about calorie values of foods and portion control from Weight Watchers. But my main leader didn’t like to cook! It drove me crazy… she would bring in those packaged frozen bags of chicken and vegetables that you throw in a skillet. Just didn’t jibe with my habits.
Then I learned about eating clean from the Cheat to Lose Diet, but unfortunately it’s not too helpful with the portion control! So I use WW online and eat as many clean foods as possible. Green Monsters rule!
I can totally relate on this. I joined WW with some coworkers a few years ago, and actually avoided the meetings like the plague because of all the point-freaks that were there. Plus, my co-workers developed the annoying habit of going up to people in the break room and announcing that their hostess cupcake had about ten points, like it was SO GROSS, when hello, guess who used to scarf down those very cupcakes a week ago?! I think that there are a lot of people out there who are anxious for the next quick thing, and you’re right, it’s not nutrition, even if it would actually taste better than the crap they’re eating.
Bacos are a red brick color, and that’s exactly what they taste like, too.
Totally agree with you about weight watchers. One of the reasons I don’t want to go. It just seems silly focussing on points (calories)rather than healthy eating.
The spinach in the smoothie is a wonderful idea. I find it hard to get greens into my diet, even though I quite like spinach.
LOL RIGHT ON! I’ve never been to WW, but of course, have read all about it. Congrats for seeing through it all and rising above :)
PS got here from Amy’s Blog. Love your blog!
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