The illustration above reflects so many Connect posts it can make your head spin into delirium. It does not matter the time or the day of the week, Connect is full of stories where lots of folks are following Weight Watchers but they just can not lose. OK, I’m going to get real now. Barring any legitimate illness or condition that might, key word might, keep you from losing weight, everyone can lose on Weight Watchers when they are working the program correctly and can lose even better when combining Weight Watchers with an active exercise regimen. If you are following the program to the letter and can not lose your body fat, you better be checking into your doctor as there is something wrong with you.
If you find yourself struggling to lose, you need to ask yourself a few questions;
- Do you truly understand the Free Style program? Are you trying to eat all your dailies, weeklies and Fit points with sugary foods and then filling up on a lot of zero point foods. If so, you are very likely over eating the amount of calories your body requires for weight loss even if you are still blue dots most every day of the week.
- Do you measure and or track everything you put into your mouth? Including random pieces of chocolate, a nibble or six of your kids cookies, a small hand full of chips or nuts randomly through the day. If not, you are only cheating yourself and this is not proof that the program does not work.
- Do you truly have a basic understanding of nutrition and know what your Base Metabolic Rate is? Your BMR is the amount of calories you need in a day to lose, maintain or gain.
- Have you ever actually tracked all your calories and macro nutrients for a few weeks to see what is holding you up? This method is very effective, unless you do not truthfully track everything you consume.
- Do you only track your points and assume that your caloric intake is just right, or even understand that weight loss, maintenance and gain is a complete matter of calories consumed verses calories burned?
- Do you over rate your exercise intensity in order to gain more fit points?
- Are you actually being truthful with yourself in your food and exercise tracking?
There are many more questions that could be asked. No matter how a person may answer these questions to another person, you know exactly the true answers deep down. Weight Watchers provides us with all the tools we require to manage our weight on their app. It’s up to each individual to learn to use all the information and tools at hand, especially if you are only an online member. Unless you are illiterate, the information is all easy to read and to understand.
This may piss a few off, but I will say it anyway. Anyone who is serious about their weight loss and living a life of health and wellness can lose weight on Weight Watchers. Even if your goal is only loss of body fat with no other considerations beyond your bathroom scale. Everyone can find success if you truthfully seek out how to do it.
Never, never ever, sell yourself short. You will never regret transfiguring your life in a healthy manner. No matter how many might want to drag you back down to their level. You can rise above it all with the proper mindset. Make a healthy diet and exercise a daily part of your life, and prioritize getting healthy above all else. Know your true nutritional requirements to meet your goals, and never make excuses for not living up to your best potential.
I just came off the road from being out all night in my semi, running just under 600 miles. On my way home from work, I was plenty tired, yet I still stopped at the gym where I got in a great workout with weights for seventy five minutes. Once finished, I came home and prepared a catfish, shrimp and scrambled egg lunch for 0 points while consuming 601 calories, 29.4g fat, 1.4g carbs and 77.8g protein. This total combined with my totals from the road give me a daily total so far of 1353 calories, 69.9g fat, 54.7g carbs and 132.6g protein. I know that my BMR to not lose or gain weight is 2500 calories a day to maintain my weight. You can always look up BMR calculators online with a simple Google check.
Over estimating Activity Points is huge. I don’t believe the ones earned by activities of daily living really count either. I have to work out hard to be able to use them. Your method if using the Program is excellent! I believe you have truly improved on an already great thing, wonderful post!
If it does not raise your heart rate, it is not counting for too much.
Love it, David!!!
Thank you Shannon!
What is your opinion.. should I stay on WW or should I go on another calorie-counting website like MyFitnessPal or SparkPeople?
Hi Gaga, thanks for the question. I am a huge fan of the simplicity of Weight Watchers and their app. It is a wonderful tool, yet if you are in need of tracking your calories and macro-nutrients, MyFitnessPal is even better. I have used both and find pro’s and cons to each. If you really understand Weight Watchers Free Style program and are in a weight loss mode, I think the simplicity of the point system is fantastic. However, if you have dietery needs to be met, or any other issue that would require you to track calories and macros closely, MFP is a better way to go. Especially if you are diabetic and need to watch your carbs, or maybe have a heart condition where watching sodium intake is more critical.
I personally count my calories because I am a weight lifter and on maintenance. I am actually using Weight Watchers to regain lean muscle that I lost during my weight loss phase and have a specific caloric goal I want to achieve each day in order to not lose any more body fat and in order to not gain body fat while increasing lean mass. My current body fat percentage is 10%. I like that MFP actually breaks down all your calories and macros for you, and lets you know how much more of each you may need in a day. That is a benefit over Weight Watchers app. But, like I said, if you truly understand the Weight Watchers program, I prefer the simplicity of their point system. It works very well if you track everything you consume. The Weight Watchers app has all the same info available to you in regards to calories and macro’s as MFP, it’s just more work to know how much of each you have consumed if you feel the need to get that detailed in your journey.
As for Spark People, I have not used that program to give a fair critique of it. Sorry. Please, ask away if you have more questions, or comment if you have something to say which may help others or to strike up conversation on any topic. I will answer any and all questions, and if I do not have an answer on the top of my head, I will research and find an answer.
Thanks again.
David