As I explained in the first part of this article, the Weight Watchers' Points system teaches you to budget the amount of kilo joules and fat you consume every day.
How many points do you need to consume will depend on your weight, height and gender.
There are 2 stages in the process: the "Fast Track" stage, the "Normal" stage, and the "Maintenance" stage.
If you are a woman, you can eat a maximum of 18 points per day if you weight 64 kg or under, or up to 22 points per day if you weight 140 kg or over.
If you are a man, you can have up to 18 points per day if you weight 64 kg or less, and up to 24 points if you are 140 kg or over.
The Fast Track stage typically lasts for 1 week, and you can expect significant weight loss (2 kgs plus) at the end of that week if you stick to your daily points.
This gives you a boost in confidence, and allows you to stick during the hardest transitional period (the beginning of your journey).
The Second Weight Watchers stage increases your intake by 2 points, but not over 24 in any event.
Once you understand the Points system, the Weight Watchers meeting leaders weigh you and record this data in your file, so that you can start monitoring your progress.
The education starts immediately during the first meeting, and they provide you with reading materials (that you should read) to understand what you can expect for that week, and includes a weekly menu (with the calculated points per meal).
You also learn how to follow your weekly menu, how to - gently - start exercising, and how to choose healthy and tasty alternatives to whatever it is that you eat prior to joining the system.
You'll be shocked to learn the amount of points you normally consume on any given day when you do not watch what you eat.
I've read the criticism that one has to keep tracking points for the rest of your life to keep trim. Well, it is true. But you should not look at this as a negative thing to do. The fact is that tracking the amount of points you consume during the day is easy and fun to do.
And you can also "sin" every now and then and, provided that you return to your tracking, your indulgence should not have any major effects in your weight (unless, of course, you keep indulging on an ongoing basis!).
When you reach your goal weight, you become Life Member, and you only have to attend once a month. If you are within your weight range, you don't have to pay a fee to attend.
But you don't have to reach that goal if you don't want to. If you are comfortable losing a certain amount of weight and want to leave it at that, you can, but you don't become a Life Member.
Some people are able to stick to the Weight Watcher's principles without ever going back to the meetings once they reach their desired weight. Some others, though, find it difficult to stick to it without the peer support you find in the meetings.
I do not attend any more, and I have kept my weight down within reason. But should ever I find myself departing from my current weight range, I would have no hesitation in going back to the meetings.
You could experiment with my recipes, but doing 18 points per day for a week to see if you lose weight. You could be surpriced of how much weight you could lose without starving, and by eating delicious and healthy food. However, as always, you should always seek medical advice before engaging into any weight loss regime, as your particular health circumstances may make it unsafe for you to reduce or discontinue certain types of food.
Jeff, The Skinny Chef, has a growing collection of free and delicious low fat recipes, healthy eating and weight loss articles and information in his site www.jeff-the-skinny-chef.com.
Lincoln Stretch rentals Alsip ..Low self-esteem produces a game of control. It causes a... Read More
The heated debate, within diet circles, that began a few... Read More
From driving up your blood pressure and cholesterol, to increasing... Read More
A client wrote, "Help me! I thought I was finally... Read More
Are you just exploding with the presence of light all... Read More
You are not a kid any more and becoming a... Read More
1. What is Atkins Diet? Dr. Atkins diet, first introduced... Read More
Finding Mad Cow in Oregon puts a new wrinkle in... Read More
From personal experience I have myself like all of you... Read More
Most people who want to burn off some excess pounds... Read More
For the past several years one subject has been coming... Read More
Most people are unsure about how to begin a fat... Read More
Are you a hopeless carbohydrate addict? Let's conquer these cravings... Read More
*Do you truly believe that not eating or cutting back... Read More
Drink plenty of water. Our body needs a lot of... Read More
A healthy pregnancy almost always involves weight gain. But now... Read More
What is a calorie? The definition of a calorie is... Read More
Chances are if you've stepped foot in a gym or... Read More
With obesity and disease increasing dramatically, many fitness experts are... Read More
WEIGHT LOSS:Nutrition and weight-loss researchers say that some supplements can... Read More
So you ask, "How do I determine if I am... Read More
I personal lost 60 pounds in 2003. Here are some... Read More
All Diets Are Based on the Same Premise: Eat Less... Read More
According to the BMI chart, if you are overweight, you... Read More
One pound of fat equals 3500 calories. Want to lose... Read More
Western Springs shuttle limo ..Low Carb, Low Fat, More protein, Eat all the fat... Read More
How many calories you consume has a big impact on... Read More
Everyone has their own individual reason for joining a health... Read More
There is only one way to lose weightThere really is... Read More
I am not a diet and fitness guru or an... Read More
According to a recent survey by the National Health Institute,... Read More
Low carb beer and lite beer are two different animals.... Read More
The huge companies stealing your money by promising impossible results... Read More
Yes Virginia, the fail-safe weight loss formula exists.It's so simple,... Read More
The vast majority of postpartum women will not return to... Read More
With obesity and disease increasing dramatically, many fitness experts are... Read More
Low carb diets can be classified as food plans that... Read More
Weight loss, diets and "carbs" are common household topics. There... Read More
For some of us, food is warmth and love. We... Read More
Losing weight quickly is not advisable as most of the... Read More
Notice, if you would, that every diet out there only... Read More
The pursuit of a healthier me (or you) shouldn't involve... Read More
The right diet pill should be carefully considered when deciding... Read More
There are many diets, all of which boil down to... Read More
Everywhere we look in the western world we are inundated... Read More
While it would be ideal to make all of our... Read More
This past Christmas Season, as most of us stuffed our... Read More
Dieting doesn't have to be a chore. Actually, you can... Read More
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor; nor do I play... Read More
Dieting is not easy. If it were, we would probably... Read More
Weight Loss |