My Weight Watchers Experience

[LC_Dave]

I've had a bit of history with Weight Watchers, as I'm sure you all have! Let's share these experiences!
I've had a Doctor in the past ( a few actually) recommend weight watchers.

Well after joining, failing, and re-joining a couple of times, I was finally at my breaking point at 150kg.
A friend of mine who was a 'weigher' at the meetings suggested I fill their empty 'recorder' space, that way I could attend meetings for free (having a lot of weight to loose - I would save $$).

I did end up loosing 30kg, and gaining back 55kg - all whilst I was a recorder for two years! Some support!

WW is a Big Business, and they make a shite load of money. How? They pay didley squat to the workers. The leader gets bugger all - sometimes only $25 for her half a day. the recorder and weigher would get around $11 a piece, and if you weren't at goal - you don't get paid as a recorder and weigher - their justification was - you are getting the meeting free which is now about $17 a week!

I was recording for two years - and it was a job. Every Saturday morining I gave up my time. The thing is people would come late to the meetings and some would want to leave, so most meetings I would be recording the whole time (whilst the actual session was running).

I was foolish, I was starving! They pump you full of hype, and little sayings to 'motivate' you! It's damn difficult when you have a lot of weight to loose!

The most successful people where those you had lost ten kg or under to get to goal (and they call that a weight problem!)

The hard thing was seeing the return failures. If your were a LTM (Life Time member) and gained weight - you come back and get a discount. So many people did I sign up who were enormously overweight and had LTM discount cards. It was difficult for me to believe in the diet too, when a few leaders started to gain back the weight (fighting low metabolisms) . Some leaders even left because of that, I see them at the shops every now and again and they have unfortunately ballooned.

We had a shake up in our area and a few ladys were sacked as co-ordinators. The meetings got changed around and I was not invited to be a 'recorder' at any of the new Meetings (even with my two years experience). One of my friends who was a leader told me that the new co-ordinator (Who was a bitch) didn't want anyone working who wasn't at goal, it was an image thing!

The irony is that an organisation that supposedly was set up to help 'fat' people, was discriminating against me because I was 'fat'!

I don't blame everyone who gained back their weight on WW, because this Weight Watchers program does not work in fighting obesity for the long term!

phew! long post! :o

LC_Dave

[s.a.kaye]

Hi LC_Dave :wave:
Good for you!!!! You give it to them !!!! I'm pretty darned angry myself with all this nonsence different weight loss organisations are giving out too.
I've not joined "WW" myself, but know heaps of people who have, and guess what - every single one of them have failed to keep whatever weight they lost off!!!
I have joined a local weight watchers group, it is not the one we are talking about, has a very similar name, but totally different outlook. They basically give food choice advise, and LOTS of support, which I need. it's up to each individual which plan they use, and they don't knock/discourage anything. A couple of people have asked what I am doing, because I have been very successfull with LC, so I am starting to get the message across to those who ask.
One thing I have been noticing - in our local sunday paper there is always a sort of health/beauty liftout. Today I was having a pretty good look at it, and I couldn't believe the number of references from many different places to carbohydrates, and what part it plays in your diet.
Maybe the penny has dropped to some orgs ???
I sure hope so !!!!!!

Anyway, good luck with your LCarbing :thup:
bye for now
Kaye

[Rosebud]

Hi Dave!
I, too, was pretty fed up with WW.
Money definitely seems to be their main interest.
I joined 2 years ago; lost 13 kg in 17 weeks. Couldn't go for 6 weeks (hurt my foot and couldn't drive) and as it was going to cost me extra(!) to go back I thought I could continue on my own.
I regained 10 kg so restarted a year later.
I was horrified to see all the same old faces - all at the same big weights. I think those ladies were using it as a social outing as much as anything.
I only lasted 2 weeks the second time; the leader was a different one and as a grown-up, I very much resented the way she "talked down" to us.
So I joined WW BY Mail. What a take! The same old booklets, you send them your weight each week and they (most weeks it was a different person) send you back some encouraging words. They must have a supply of letters they swap around. At first, I used to tell them how I was going, expecting some response, but everything I said was totally ignored. And of course if you don't post off your weight (usually because you've gained and are feeling depressed) ther's no way they'll follow up. You pay your money up front and that's what they care about.
Whew, what a rant! Feels good to get it off my chest, though.
All the best, Dave.

:rose:Rosebud:rose:

[CherylAust]

I've had experiences with WW too. Yes I lost weight at (then) $13 per week. I went for 10 weeks and lost a whole 6 kilos, thats $21.66 per kilo. I didn't have the extra $30ish fee on top of that, joined on a coupon. Yes the weight went straight back on, with interest. Speaking of recorders, the one that worked at the meetings I went to, I spotted stuffing herself with chips and gravy the day after the meeting. She was sometimes used as the presenter, telling us how to eat "properly" and not cheat!
I discovered Low carbing last year, lost about 8 kilos, went off it for a few months, I only gained 2 kgs back in that time. It took me less time to regain the WW loss. I'm back on board now, started earlier in the week, have already lost those 2 kilos and the best thing is it hasn't cost me a cent.

Cheryl :wave:

[Rainbow]

Hi everyone

To S.A.Kaye, in the Sunday Telegraph Body and Soul liftout yesterday, which covers health, exercise and nutrition. There is a double page feature on so-called healthy diet which is based on the food pyramid, with all of the regular and uninformed diatribe, then down the side of the page, there is a column with the heading "Fad Diets that take the cake". There are listed mostly Low Carb Diets by name and they are bagged so badly that the author, who seems to be just a journalist, hasn't done any research at all on any other types of eating plans. Here is the input on Dr. Atkins:

"The Hollywood set has taken this low-protein eating regime to heart. It'll be a sure-fire hit if your priority is to get a skeletal figure, miss out on B vitamins and risk ketosis (an unpleasant side effect of eating too much protein and not enough carbs, with ssymptoms that include constipation and bad breath). Atkins maintain that carbs are bad for you and you can eat only less than 20g per day, which is equivalent to a carton of flavoured yoghurt or one piece of bread. You can eat an unlimited amount of protein."

Can you believe this?? Where has she been for the last 20/30 years, sleeping with Rip Van Winkle?

I am going to write a letter to the paper about this type of reporting, although I know that it won't get me anywhere, but have to do it anyway. Grrrrrrrrrrrr.

Now that I've got that out of my system, hope you all have a great LC day. :roll:

[s.a.kaye]

Hi Rainbow :wave:

I just read your post, and I can't believe it. I know I have read that same article !!!! Now I'm racking my brains to remember where it was, I know it was in the last couple of days.
I felt exactly the same as you do !!!!!!! Stupid illinformed reporter, like you say can't be bothered to do some PROPER research into these "lousy fad diets"
Hey, I'm with you about writing a letter, if I can find the darned thing I'm going to write one as well. I do think the message is slowly getting out about LC, but it's not happening fast enough. There are sooooooooo many people out there suffering neddlessly, I know I was one 3 months ago !!!!!
I just know that in 10 or 20 years time, there will only be one type of diet, and that will be LC, because it *(I^&*(^ works, unlike low cal low fat which DO NOT.

hehe it's good to have a small rant now and again isn't it.
Anyway how are going with your plan ???? I will try to pop into your journal and take a peek.
bye for now
Kaye

[Rainbow]

Thanks Kaye, just needed to get that off my chest. It was in the Sydney Sunday Telegraph. It seems that every time that I hear of a positive report, then along comes another illinformed reporter or journalist, and there we go again. I would just love to be able to let everyone know how much better I feel, and how much better all the blood tests are etc. since I have been LCing.

I guess if we don't complain, the newspapers think that everyone agrees with these articles. :agree:

I am only new to this site, so haven't started a journal yet, but I am on the fat fast as from today, as I have been stalled for about four weeks, so am giving this a go to see what happens.

Are you doing well, and how long have you been on this WOE?

[Rainbow]

Sorry Dave,

I've jumped in here and changed the subject of this thread. Apologies. :(

[s.a.kaye]

Hi Rainbow :wave:

Firstly, good luck with your fat fast !!!!! I'm not 100 percent sure of what that is, but guessing it's something to do about restricting fat huh ????

In answer to how I am doing, I am absolutely amazed at this WOE I just can't believe that I have finally found something that works for me !!!!!! I found out about LCing by accident on the internet, was looking for some answers related to some health problems I have and I saw the words "the only diet found to be of help is a low carb diet" anyway I did a bit of digging around and I saw this message (but worded differently) twice more on other site's and thought maybe somebody's trying to tell me something hehehe
I figured I would give it a try, not expecting anything mind, well I lost 4 kilos the first week, 3 kilos the 2nd week, and that was enough for me.
Overall I have lost 20 kilos in 13 weeks, my blood pressure when I started was 140/110 I had it checked yesterday and it's now PERFECT 120/80 , my cholesterol was 8.1 and now is 6.4, coming down really well. I'm just so thrilled, I can't put it into words......

I feel the same as you about these stupid articles, but hey what would happen to Jenny Craig, WW and all the other huge corporations making a fortune on people's misery ???? if the truth got out ???
I've decided to make it a personal mission of mine to get the message across to as many people as I can. I know how much overweight people are suffering from experience, sure you put on a happy face but underneath it's a whole different kettle of fish.

In the last couple of weeks I have had lots of people ask what I am doing, so I'm telling them !!!!!!!
Had one lady Monday night at WW (not the point counting WW) ask me because she heard me say to my sister that I'm only allowed 30 gm carb per day, when I told her about it the only thing she had to say was that Dr Atkins was draconian, I'm going to have to look this up in the dictionary, but I gather it's a derrogatory remark, I just gave her a huge smile and shrugged it off. Hey all you can do is tell them, what they do with the information is their choice right ??

Sorry to go on and on, how about dropping into my journal so we can chat some more, better yet PLEASE start one of your own, I promise to come visit OK

Bye for now
Kaye

[Bloom]

Ive joined up twice in the last 5 years and both times lost about a stone and then no more even though Id stick to those points and GO HUNGRY. In the end Id give up and put it back on and more :rolleyes: . Its just too much trouble to commit to forever , who could be bothered. because everything is 'legal' its too tempting to use half your points up on some refined carb rubbish and then your left to literally dream about food in your sleep. WE were even incouraged to exercise so we could eat more of our favourite 'treats'.
I can see now its all silly silly thinking. It does seem to work for some people that dont get so hooked on carbs and can just comfortably cut back and voila but were all different and its not my answer. i could see that even those that it did work for still would save and look forward to there 'fix' of whatever and on this we dont have to hink like that anymore.
nah this is SO MUCH BETTER!!!
Fat onWW is counted really highly and carbs arent. This WOE feels like a real treat to me and Im losing weight and I feel sooo much better its amazing.
I wouldnt of believed it till I tried it .

[Rainbow]

Hi Bloom,

I have found that the more research you do into the Low Carb WOE, the more you realise that it is the only way to go, not only for weight loss, but also for your health's sake. So glad for you that you found out all the info in Dr. Atkins. It's when you start to feel better, and lose the carb cravings that you know you are on the right track.

Good Luck. :roll:

[Rainbow]

Kaye,

The Fat Fast is in DANDR, and is for metabolically resistant people who are very slow to lose weight. I'm not sure if that is what I am, but have been stalled for about 4 weeks now, so decided to give it a go and see whether it moves things along. It consists of mainly very high fat content and theres a ratio between the fat and calories to maintain. But I am having lots of trouble eating all the high fat food with nothing else to balance it out. So might just go back on to induction and carry on from there. I have my own business, and am going to be very busy for the next couple of days, will probably be able to post, but will wait till next week to set up the journal and to come visit yours and chat.

Talk Soon

Need to get some zzzzzzzzzzzzz

[MissBecca]

Howdo all,

I haven't personally been a Weight Watchers member (or a Jenny Craig member, or Gloria Marshall or any of them), but I have been tempted in the past - enough to try out one meeting. The leader was overweight which I found a bit disarming - I expected a leader to be someone who had been a successful 'weight watcher' who had kept the weight off. I also found it a bit confronting to stand in a queue to be weighed in. I understand that the embarassment of putting on weight and having everyone know is what keeps many people on track - but I wonder for how long? I think we can only be bullied into something for so long before we snap and go "no more!".

What I have seen for years and years is people who try those programs, and shout their virtues from the rooftops - only to go quiet when they put all their hard-lost kgs back on again, much to their horror and despair. I think low-fat dieting has a lot to answer for. I am a terrible failure when it comes to low-fat diets. I thought for many years that this was a lack of willpower and that I was a weak person. Now that I've discovered low-carbing, I KNOW that I'm not weak and I don't have a problem with willpower. I was BIOLOGICALLY DRIVEN to crave carbohydrates because my blood sugar was so all over the place! I can happily say that after 7weeks and 7kg lost on Atkins (and my own variations of Atkins), I haven't touched bread or pasta or rice or cake and I haven't missed any of it! The one thing I will confess to missing is the sweet stuff - chocolate is something I love and I have 'fallen off the wagon' a couple of times and had some chocolate. Don't anybody hit me - but I can see that long-term I will be happy to leave the bread/pasta/rice/potatoes/starches alone 99% of the time, and leave the sugar alone about 95% of the time. I know that Atkins preaches 'no sugar ever again', but I think it's important to find a balance we can live with. I know that any more than a little bit of carb/sugar is too much for me but, all the same, I'm not prepared to go the rest of my life without having coffee and cheesecake with my friends once in a blue moon. I think the key is finding what works for you long-term, and if that includes a slice of cheesecake or a bar of chocolate once in a while, then that's OK. What I do know now is that if I 'fall off', I can reduce to induction levels for a week or so and that will redress any imbalance. When I started Atkins I was very gungho - still am really - and was prepared to forego sugar for the rest of my life. Now I'm prepared to forego sugar 'almost all of the time' :) Life is life, low-carb cakes are a pain to prepare and just don't taste the same!

(Waiting for lightning to strike me into the ground!)

Rebecca :yay:

[Bloom]

Rebecca, what you are doing is very obviously working and suiting you, congratualtions of your success.

I felt driven to eat carbs to and cutting back only made it worse by far and I suffered terribly headaches. Cutting the carbs out like this has cured me of craving and I havnt had one headache . Ive just finshed my first 2 weeks today and lost 12 pound sand feel so energetic its like a miracle. It is like a big gloomy clould has lifted :D Im going to stay at this level another 2 weeks for now and see how I go.
Once I have lost most if not all of my weight I imagine I will do something like your doing , like once a week have a small something that would blow it for me now at the stage Im at.
I think once I get to maintance I would look at it slightly more as a balance over a week instead of rigid every day.

[LC_Dave]

Becca,

I can relate to the cab addiction.
I have found it pretty difficult to start on Atkins, and have fallen off the horse a few times.

I hate the judgements of people when they find out - like tsk tsk, what are you doing? type of remarks.

Everyone has a different biology, and everyone will deal with it better.

I do know that the key is perseverance. If you get back on the wagon after falling off, every day you are getting stronger and more able to control yourself.

You might suprise yourself that in the future - you can live without cake or sugar.

we'll see

Good Luck

:thup:

LC_Dave

[natty-fay]

Well I have been a member of Weight watchers Four times, not bad considering I am 23 later this month. My mother, 2 Aunties and cousin have all been members as well. Surprise, surprise we are all still fat, or at least fat again.

The worst thing about it is that they have us so brain washed that my mum, Aunties and until recently I still rave about it. Seems so stupid now I think about it but I guess I figured It was just my own fault.

But that's just wrong, surely the only measure of a diet's success is weight loss and maintainence.

Anyway I'm on the right track now!!

[Melberry]

Hello all. Pardon me, I have been a member of this forum for a few weeks and only just discovered the fellow Aussie's! Sorry about that!

Weight Watchers huh!? I can tell you about them! I have been a member probably about 6 times!! The first time I went I lost a lot of weight but that was about 12 years ago. Looking back, I think the success of that program was because the carbs were limited. Then came along the fat and fibre diet where nothing worked because I was having lots of low fat muffins and low fat pasta sauces and baked potatoes (because they didn't have much fat but did have the fibre). Then came along the points and I don't think I lost more than 2 or 3 kilos on that program. The best way to have your points without going hungry was to stick the carbs. Obviously (well it is to me now) I was never going to lose weight on that because my carb intake was too high and my protein too low (meat cost too many points).

I also took a job as weigher at a meeting and got paid peanuts. I usually couldn't enjoy the meeting because I had to work and I don't think I lost anything the whole time I was doing the work. Since then, I haven't been back - and certainly don't intend to as I no longer believe in that way of life. I'm FREE!

Melberry
:)

[CherylAust]

While we are on this subject, my mother asked me to go start going to a weight loss meeting with her, not WW but another one. She said it's only $13 per week. After all I've told her about this WOE! I said a nice "no thank you but I'll stick with what I am doing". I may be on a stall but I am still losing size. I tried on some old clothes yesterday, my tight shirt fitted well, my way too tight shirt was just tight :p

Cheryl

[LC_Dave]

Way to go Cheryl!
I guess sooner or later your weight loss will speak louder to your mother than words! :thup:


Weight Watchers

Weight watchers is effective in loosing weight - if followed very rigorously, and you don't mind starving!

It's the keeping the weight off that doesn't work. Starvation can only occur for so long!

This is why I investigatied Low Carb. I thought - if I have to keep this wol (diet) up for the rest of my life, it might as well be with food I can enjoy and a starvation level I can control!

cya! ;)

LC_Dave

[Anndi]

The main reason the low carb message is not getting out is because of the vested interest of many large diet corporations and food industry makers/suppliers. If people knew the truth about sugar, white flour, white rice etc then they would lose mega bucks so they fight against the low carb message.

It's only through word of mouth and forums such as this that the message will slowly filter through. It's up to us to prove that low carbing works and then others will jump on too.


Dianne

[CherylAust]

Mum is only 10 kilos overweight but because she is short it looks just as bad as my 20.

She has been on a wide range of diets, WW, Easy slim even a doozy out of Slimming magazine, you were given a certain amount of food to eat, the more weight you wanted to lose, the more days you stretched that food over, I think she was eating 600cal when she stretched it over the maximum days.

As for me I was just as bad, I tried a Limmits diet. For a week I ate 3 meals a day consisting of Limmits biscuits and rode 5 kilometres on my bike each day. I lost 5 kilos, I also came close to fainting a few times. The weight went straight back on.

Cheryl

[MissBecca]

Dianne is absolutely correct. The food manufacturers and diet industry (and to an extent the medical profession) have a vested interest in keeping us eating a high carb diet. Imagine what would happen if everyone started "living off the land" as it were - which is really what low-carbing is about - and eating natural foods focussing on meats, fats and low-carb fruit & veg. All those "convenience" foods would stop selling! No one would buy bread, TV dinners, chips, chocolate, biscuits, cakes, jams & spreads, soft drinks ... the list goes on.

It's hard message to sell - the low-fat/high-carb diet has been endorsed by so many 'health professionals' and government bodies that people just believe it but the western world grows fatter every year and heart disease and diabetes are at epidemic proportions. As Dr Atkins says in his book, before refined sugar and flour (in the form of Coke and white bread) hit the market, heart disease was unheard of! Yet we have been eating fat for centuries (in fact we eat less now than ever), and they blame the fat body on fat food. I can't believe they won't acknowledge the obvious correlation between increased carb intake and the increase in diet-related illness!

Rebecca

[Melberry]

One thing I really hate is that most magazines that you pick up give nutrition advice based on the pyramid. I feel like yelling "no, no! That will make it worse!" I picked up the April edition of Good Medicine yesterday and was pleased to see a large editorial on "Can't lose weight? You Could Have Syndrome X". I also deal with a lot of doctors in my work and often when I visit them I can see papers and books with "Syndrome X" on it, so maybe some doctors are starting to pay attention. I guess if a nutritionist has done training based on the pyramid, it will be extremely difficult to change their ideas.

Melberry
:)

[Anndi]

Rebecca, I know a girl who has successfully reached her weight through the Atkin's program and now that she is there she sticks to the program through the week and then on the weekend enjoys herself and then gets straight back on the program either Sunday night or Monday morning.

It works for her and she is able to maintain her weight and enjoy her lifestyle and some of the high carb foods as well. I hope that works for me when I get there. Like you I want to be able to have coffee and cake with my girlfriends once a month.

Sorry this is not exactly about WW but.... :roll:

Dianne