I have a friend that is doing Weight Watchers, she started the same time I started Atkins. We are both losing I'd say at the same pace...IF I could stick to this WOE. When Im faithful this WOE works wonders, weight melts off. My prob is I hate being left out of gatherings because I eat so differently - I usually end up thinking, "well, I'll just have a little because Im hungry and theres nothing for me to eat" which usually turns into a 2-3 day cheat.

So here's me and my little will power - I've lost a total of 4 lbs in 2 months. PITIFUL!!!

My friend eats what I call more 'normal' foods in moderation and has lost (by my best guess.. I know for sure its at least 15) 20 lbs in 7 weeks.

I feel like a big baby here - do I just need someone to tell me to suck it up and quit cheating. I self sabatoge all the time.

All advice - even brutal honesty or yelling - is much welcome.

OK, suck it up and quit cheating!!!

Gatherings can be challenging, i know, but I have never really had a problem with them. I always make sure and bring someting LC along so I have someting to eat, too. Plus there is usually some kind of meat to eat. Bring veggies and dip, or LC coleslaw (they'll never know) meat to BBQ, a bag of pork rinds, whatever. Always carry an emergancy LC protein bar in your purse, that helps, too.

Or, eat beforehand and don't eat at the gathering. That is always an option. It is really up to you how successful you want this to be. Instead of focusing on all the things you can't have, take a look at all the wonderful LC recipies there are available and look at what you CAN have.

Shannon, this is your choice and you have to decide what is right for you. Would you be happier following WW and eating low-fat foods? I know that for me it is a very simple choice, would I give up my steak with cauliflower cheese and extra veggies to eat a baked potato with zero fat cottage cheese? Not a darned chance!

Weigh up the benifits of this WOE (not just the delicious food but the health benefits too) and think if you'll be happier going lowfat/lowcal.

Just an additional reality check - don't mention any kind of diet/eating plan but call this girlfriend up and ask her just how she'd feel if on HER plan she was allowed a massive juicy steak with a big platter of veggies drizzled in butter and/or cheese sauce!

I'd just like to add that I think you should make your choice and stick to it! My teenager and I have both done very well on this WOE, but my husband--who has lost 50 pounds over the last two years--swears by Weight Watchers. He enjoys the fruits and whole grains it allows him to eat, and doesn't mind keeping quantities of proteins and fats relatively low. So it's totally a personal matter--do what's right for you. But make a commitment to it.

I agree that you have to make up your mind about what you can/can't live with. For me, WW gave me too much freedom to binge on foods that I need to stay away from and I would end up wasting points on ice cream, candy, etc. Not good for me! I prefer to eat my yummy salad dressings and meat and veggies with butter, etc. I also have some problems at gatherings, but I will eat BEFORE I go.

Weight Watchers is another fantastic diet. If I wasn't a complete carb addict I'd be doing it right now. There is also a lot of support out there for WW and the point system is kind of fun once you get the hang of it. I've done WW 3 times and I never last more than 2 months because of course you are still eating bread and things like that. Now if you are a true carb addict this will only continue the cravings. You can only get rid of the cravings by not eating those things. So on WW I was still miserable 24 hours a day b/c I was always craving. On Atkins, after the first 2 weeks of doing it totally cheat free the cravings were gone so now I don't even feel as if I am on a diet. It's just mostly a breeze. WW wasn't like that for me b/c it did not relieve me of the cravings. It all boils down to...are you a carb or sugar addict? If you are then diets like Atkins or some of the others that cater to this problem will be better for you. If not, then by all means try WW but you have to decide what your exact problem is first so you can get the right solution.

The only problem that I see with Weight Watchers is the room to binge if you're a carb addict (and I know that has already been mentioned here). But look at it this way. . . it's kind of like being an alcoholic (sorry for the harsh comparison. . . my brother used to be one!). You can't tell an alcoholic. . Oh, ok. . part of your recovery includes being able to have one to two beers a day. . that's gonna turn into a twelve pack a day! With carb addicts that's what two cookies or one candy bar turns into. . . there's too much room, at least for someone like myself, to mess up. I dont know if this is the case for you but this was SO much better for me in that it broke me of my sweet tooth and I dont ever worry that I "wont be able to stop" after one bite of anything. . . usually I'm wanting to stop but I know I have to eat MORE with Atkins. . . .I never thought Id see the day when I WASNT hungry. Make a list of pros and cons that are pertinent to YOUR lifestyle. . . writing things down can help put things into perspective a bit easier! Good luck!

Hi Shannon

You want motivation? Really?

My mum started on WW... it gave her very serious diabetes (which is what killed her mum). Now she's on Atkins... her diabetes is symptom free so long as she sticks to the rules.

How's that for a clear winner?!

I know its hard... and I mean really hard... to watch folk tucking in to all those carb-laden goodies. The only way I've found of dealing with it is to reprogramme my body. We all know what too many carbs do to you, so why envy others when all they're really doing is messing up their bodies?!

I'm with Shelly on this one; eat before you go. If you like, eat a really low carb meal so you can permit a little something at the party. That way, not only will you feel less tempted with their high carb offerings, you'll look like an absolute saint to everyone who still believes starvation is the way to go!!!

When Iw as checking out a WW message board, the most common thread was "I'm out of points, but starving". Most of these people would have high point meals or snacks through out the day however.

Weight watchers can work, but to relaly be able to stick to it and not be hungry you have to make wise food choices. Choosing low or 0 point veggies for the bulk of your eating. Atkins and LC are the same. You can choose to have a samwich and use up half of yoru allowed carbs for the day, or you can have a massive amount of veggies and LC items. I can eat veggies at each meal amounting to around 2 cups salad greens and a cup of other veggies at 3 other meals and not go over 10 net carbs.

The advantage to Atkins is that fat has 0 carbs, and keeps you fuller for a longer period of time. Cravings are reduced by not being allowed high sugary items, and candidia can heal. Also for some the insulin produced by carbs is enough to make them gain weight, even on low fat. Blood sugar is also brought under control.

Weight watchers has a long history with quite a few recipes. It is more widly accepted, with points being placed on some menus and on items in the grocery store. The meetings can be a plus for some because of the support, for others it can be humiliating because of the weigh in. Alot depends on how good the leader is.

The choice is up to you. Remember even switching though you will never lose at the exact same rate as anyone else including your friend. You can both eat the exact same things and do the exact same exercise, but your metabolisms and bodies are very different and you will still lose at times she isn't, and she'll lose at times you aren't.

Why don't you bring stuff with you to these gatherings? I am both a vegetarian and a low carber and that makes eating out pretty challenging. I find that it is easier to (as has already been suggested) feed myself before I go and use the gatherings as just a way to interact socially and/or bring some of my own food to eat.

My hubby and I started diets at the same time 18 months ago. I Adkins and lost 40 lbs and he Weight Watchers and lost 35 lbs. He was always measuring and weighing and logging points. Yet I was a free sprite - eating when I was hungy and not worring about amounts. It take alot of control on my part not to eat pasta. After a while I got over that.

When we stop (I am not sure why), we both gained back the weight we lost. I am back at it again re-losing the weight. He will not do Atkins and saids we will start Weight Watcher again.

It is a personal choice. To each thier own.

On cheating or eating out. I always have something to eat before I leave the house, and if I am going to someones house I always keep something in the car if there is nothing to eat.

Good Luck

READ THIS!!! I originally started on WW and followed it to the letter, BUT, as I got closer to my goal, the amount of points I could eat got smaller and smaller. I was literally starving. I started counting the calories I could have and they ranged from 900 to 1100 calories a day. Horrible! I was eating low fat, pasta, light breads, etc. and was hungry constantly!!! WW does look pretty good in the beginning, but it is a LOW CALORIE diet. Counting the points was confusing and my cravings were terrible. That is not a woe I can stick with in the long run. Good luck to you, and your friend, but for me, I like to be able to eat when hungry.

My advice like many others is do something that fits into your lifestyle. The biggest failure of any diet is not being able to stay on the diet.
Most trainers will tell you eat anything you want in moderation-most people can live with that. I dont know many on weight watchers, but my pop was on it, and stayed slim by doing it. I think its hard to keep weight off unless you learn to reduce the amount of food you eat and exercise-every Dr and nutritionist will agree to that statement. So think of the rest of your life and say, will I be able to eat low carb for life? Do I really want to? Big questions that you should sleep on and decide.

I agree that gatherings are hard. For family gatherings, you might consider whether some of your family would benefit from lowering their carbs. I'm taking the time to educate my family on some great lc recipes (but not preaching). My hope is that the more they know, the more lc foods they will bring to the gatherings. I think as the WOE gets more wide spread it will be easier. Good luck.