Weight Watchers Online for Men

[samifan24]

Has anyone tried Weight Watchers online for men? Apparently it's new. I saw a commercial for it during one of the NHL playoff games last week. Just wondering if anyone's tried their system and if it really works.

[OldGiants]

My wife and I joined WW in January and both have lost at least 10% By the end of the 14 week program. I'm down around 25 pounds now and looking for more. Very positive results on my blood work two weeks ago.

We did not use the on-line services all that much. It does come with the regular membership. I used that service mostly to find recipes.

WW works for us because we are both on it, and the classes were at my wife's school where 12+ others were not only in the class but around her every day. That kind of reinforcement is critical to good results, IMO.

I don't want to denigrate the on-line course because they teach you the 'Point System' just like in the classes, but the weekly meetings and being around others made this for us. I can't stress enough how much both of us doing the program helped. It was key.

It is hard to stay the course in WW if the other people in your household are not on the program. The folks who returned to the class had the most problems because children and husbands/wives were not on the program and eating 'bad'.

My strong recommendation would be to join a local WW class and try to get those around you (in the sitting down to eat sense) to go, too.

The February Scientific American (The Obesity issue. Really) has a great article about why WW is the most (perhaps only) scientific way of losing weight. It has been around and is not a fad. It works if you stick to it.

[RainMaker]

WW is really just a proprietary way of counting calories. Which is essentially what weight loss is all about. Taking in less calories than your body burns. With that said, I don't feel it's necessary in anyway considering how much information is available to us on every food we consume.

Here is a free way to do what they are doing.

BMR Calculator

Fill out the calculator. Then multiply that number by 1.2. Eat less than that amount of calories. Preferably in the 500-1000 range under. For every 3500 calories under what you need you'll lose one pound. So if you eat 500 calories under that number, you'll lose 1 pound a week.

As for calculating calories, there are a lot of sites that allow you to do it for free. Fitday.com is probably my favorite and has a ton of foods already built into their system. It not only gives breakdown of calories, but what percent is comprised of fat, carbs, protein, etc. It is a bit tedious at first measuring out portions and so on, but it's necessary. Within a couple months you'll likely know what everything you eat is calorie wise and won't even need to calculate it if you don't want to.

I don't think WW is bad or anything, I actually turned my Mom onto it because I think it's much easier for her to just eat their meals and go by their system then to count her daily calories. And people do like the meetings and support (I'm not one of those). But if you like numbers and feel like saving some money, you can attain the same results without WW. In fact, I sort of dislike how WW pushes people toward healthier versions of unhealthy foods (YOU CAN EAT CHOCOLATE CAKE AND LOSE WEIGHT!). Being a stats nerd, I tracked all my calories/food intake, my weight, and even my measurements. It's sort of like your own text-based sim in the end which is kind of fun as you track stats.

Anyways, here is a great article I was sent a year ago that is a general overview of getting in better shape.

Beginner's Health and Fitness Guide

[Logan]

Check out myfitnesspal.com and download the app if you have a smartphone. I use it to keep track of calories and it definitely helps. Very easy to search for foods and the barcode scanner is pretty cool.

The key with weight loss usually comes down to portion control, so whatever method you use to achieve that is what you want.

[OldGiants]

>>>WW is really just a proprietary way of counting calories.<<<

That's not true, certainly not anymore with Points Plus. Not that I'm an expert on the old ways of WW, but that is way too simplistic a summary of WW. Types of food count heavily, which is why exploring the system is worth anyone's time.

I do know the types of foods I'm eating have made a huge difference, not merely eating less.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by OldGiants

>>>WW is really just a proprietary way of counting calories.<<<

That's not true, certainly not anymore with Points Plus. Not that I'm an expert on the old ways of WW, but that is way too simplistic a summary of WW. Types of food count heavily, which is why exploring the system is worth anyone's time.

I do know the types of foods I'm eating have made a huge difference, not merely eating less.

Weight loss is entirely based on calories in vs calories out. Types of food will determine how healthy you are, how full you feel, how much you can eat, etc. But calories are the cornerstone of weight loss.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Weight loss is entirely based on calories in vs calories out. Types of food will determine how healthy you are, how full you feel, how much you can eat, etc. But calories are the cornerstone of weight loss.

But I think the point is there are many ways to eat a certain number of calories, and if you just "eat fewer calories" without paying attention to what you eat you will have varying levels of success.

Eating unsatisfying food means you have a harder time sticking with the program and continuing to eat fewer calories. Eating lots of simple carbs has you feeling weak quickly and desperate for more food, and thus hard to stay under the calorie budget. Etc.

So figuring out what foods keep you under the calorie budget while still feeling good is a big trick. Programs that focus stricly on calories are doomed to failure, most people need help deciding which foods will both satisfy them and meet the calorie requirements.

FWIW, my wife is using LoseIt.com which is a straight calorie counter, although it provides help figuring out how many calories you should eat and adjusts it as your weight changes. The biggest thing it's done is made her aware of the calorie costs of the food she eats, and thus helps her make better decisions on what to eat within that calorie budget. I've tagged along with her and have been losing weight by paying closer attention to what I eat, and figuring out what foods I can eat at, say, lunch, that won't leave me starving for a snack full of calories I don't need at mid-day, and what foods are good for that snack if the need does hit.

[Bigsmooth]

For what it's worth, WW doesn't even use calories to determine points values for their foods. The formula uses Carbs, Protein, Fat, and Fiber to determine points values. Been doing WW for years now with my lady and we've both had success.

[wade moore]

My wife and I used WW Online last year for several months and we were VERY successful.

We got lazy, went off of it, and it showed.

Now we rejoined as of two weeks ago and have results already.

I think their online site is one of the best designed sites I've ever used. I feel strongly that WW is a very good system. I won't argue about counting calories and blah blah blah. I know way too many people that have had success on WW and been able to sustain it pretty easily. No diet is easy, but this one is quite manageable because it's about moderation, not something like say Atkins where you deprive yourself of things.

[DaddyTorgo]

i haven't done it this time around, but i did it about 12 years ago and lost like 30+ pounds on it.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

But I think the point is there are many ways to eat a certain number of calories, and if you just "eat fewer calories" without paying attention to what you eat you will have varying levels of success.

Eating unsatisfying food means you have a harder time sticking with the program and continuing to eat fewer calories. Eating lots of simple carbs has you feeling weak quickly and desperate for more food, and thus hard to stay under the calorie budget. Etc.

So figuring out what foods keep you under the calorie budget while still feeling good is a big trick. Programs that focus stricly on calories are doomed to failure, most people need help deciding which foods will both satisfy them and meet the calorie requirements.

FWIW, my wife is using LoseIt.com which is a straight calorie counter, although it provides help figuring out how many calories you should eat and adjusts it as your weight changes. The biggest thing it's done is made her aware of the calorie costs of the food she eats, and thus helps her make better decisions on what to eat within that calorie budget. I've tagged along with her and have been losing weight by paying closer attention to what I eat, and figuring out what foods I can eat at, say, lunch, that won't leave me starving for a snack full of calories I don't need at mid-day, and what foods are good for that snack if the need does hit.

pretty much this. Yes, you can do calories in < calories out and lose weight, but it's tough to maintain that. WW is great at helping you make good, stustainable with those calories (for example, most fruits and vegetables are now free to encourage you to eat them over less healthy snacks).

I'm hovering around the 30-35 lb loss mark and my wife is somewhere around 70 I think. I definitely recommend it. I'm not signed up for the program now because I tend to eat the same foods and it got tiring to count the same stuff every day. But my diet is much, much healthier than it was before I started the program two January's ago. I eat a ton of salads (and healthy salads - basically greens, sundried tomatoes and a bit of balsamic dressing) and fruits. While I've kind of plateaued weight wise, I'm still absolutely ecstatic about the changes I've made.

speaking of online databases, anyone know what happened to foodsdatabase.com? or was it foodsdb.com? either way, really liked that one and it seems to be gone.

[Lathum]

My wife did it to lose baby weight and I did it with her since it is easier with 2 people. The thing I liked was the recipes and the recipe builder. It allowed us to take stuff we used to make and alter it to be healthier.

[Schmidty]

It sucks at my house right now because I'm about 15-20 lbs underweight at 148 lbs, so my doctor wants me to try to take in 3500 calories a day along with my thyroid meds (which I've been doing for awhile). At the same time, my wife is very overweight and just got diagnosed with type 2 diabetes last week, so her nutritional needs are waaaaaaaay different than mine.

I do all of the cooking, and have always loved doing it, but it's kind of a nightmare right now. I'm totally lost. I've been given 3 hippie whole foods types of cookbooks this week by friends and family, but I don't know how people live on some of that crap.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Schmidty

It sucks at my house right now because I'm about 15-20 lbs underweight at 148 lbs, so my doctor wants me to try to take in 3500 calories a day along with my thyroid meds (which I've been doing for awhile). At the same time, my wife is very overweight and just got diagnosed with type 2 diabetes last week, so her nutritional needs are waaaaaaaay different than mine.

I do all of the cooking, and have always loved doing it, but it's kind of a nightmare right now. I'm totally lost. I've been given 3 hippie whole foods types of cookbooks this week by friends and family, but I don't know how people live on some of that crap.

Aaargh - that's got to be super frustrating to be so totally divergent in dietary needs.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

But I think the point is there are many ways to eat a certain number of calories, and if you just "eat fewer calories" without paying attention to what you eat you will have varying levels of success.

Eating unsatisfying food means you have a harder time sticking with the program and continuing to eat fewer calories. Eating lots of simple carbs has you feeling weak quickly and desperate for more food, and thus hard to stay under the calorie budget. Etc.

So figuring out what foods keep you under the calorie budget while still feeling good is a big trick. Programs that focus stricly on calories are doomed to failure, most people need help deciding which foods will both satisfy them and meet the calorie requirements.

FWIW, my wife is using LoseIt.com which is a straight calorie counter, although it provides help figuring out how many calories you should eat and adjusts it as your weight changes. The biggest thing it's done is made her aware of the calorie costs of the food she eats, and thus helps her make better decisions on what to eat within that calorie budget. I've tagged along with her and have been losing weight by paying closer attention to what I eat, and figuring out what foods I can eat at, say, lunch, that won't leave me starving for a snack full of calories I don't need at mid-day, and what foods are good for that snack if the need does hit.

I didn't meant to cut down WW, it's a fine program and it definitely works. I was just pointing out that they don't have some secret formula, it's basically a way of making it easier to figure out how to create a calorie deficit for yourself.

The Point Plus program is actually more in line with actual calories. Each Point Plus is around 40 calories. While on the old system it fluctuated a ton because they weighed fiber way too heavily. So in fact, the new point system is really good, but that's because the old system was really bad and this one matches up with calories better.

I agree that it can be tough to just go at a calorie deficit and find the right foods to make you feel full. It takes a lot of trial and error and can cause people to quit. But it works just as well and I've been happy with the results. Some of the recipes I've gathered have come from WW and other weight loss sites.

Basically what I'm saying is that whatever makes you stick to a calorie deficit is the best plan. Weight loss is almost all psychological.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Schmidty

It sucks at my house right now because I'm about 15-20 lbs underweight at 148 lbs, so my doctor wants me to try to take in 3500 calories a day along with my thyroid meds (which I've been doing for awhile). At the same time, my wife is very overweight and just got diagnosed with type 2 diabetes last week, so her nutritional needs are waaaaaaaay different than mine.

I do all of the cooking, and have always loved doing it, but it's kind of a nightmare right now. I'm totally lost. I've been given 3 hippie whole foods types of cookbooks this week by friends and family, but I don't know how people live on some of that crap.

When I was bulking years ago, I found the easiest way to add calories to my diet was milk mixed with protein powder. This way you don't have to get in the bad habit of overeating but can get those calories you need. You can buy a shaker for $5 online and a huge tub of powder for about $40. You can get about 300 calories out of a big glass now and a few of those a day can help you pack on some pounds. It's worth noting that if you lift some weights while doing this, you'll get really strong really fast. It also allows for those calories to go toward muscle instead of body fat (which will make you look much better).

The other food that can help is peanut butter (or any nuts for that matter). It's calorie dense since it's primarily fat and extremely healthy for you.

[DaddyTorgo]

i miss peanut butter so much

[Lathum]

I was actually about to suggest peanuts and trail mix to Schmidty. Also, sunflower seeds have a deceptively high calorie count. Grab a empty bottle for the shells and eat them in the car.

[Schmidty]

That's funny, because I've been munching on sunflower seeds all afternoon. I also love pistachios.

I'm not a huge fan of peanut butter, but I think I'll definitely try out the protein powder. My nutritionist mentioned it to me. The only thing is that she doesn't want me doing strenuous exercise until I hit 160. I do some pushups, but that's about it right now, so lifting isn't an option yet. I haven't been able to play basketball in months (which was my main source of exercise), but I think I'll be golfing soon. I doubt golf is a no-no.

Thanks for the advice guys.

[TargetPractice6]

Originally Posted by Bigsmooth

For what it's worth, WW doesn't even use calories to determine points values for their foods. The formula uses Carbs, Protein, Fat, and Fiber to determine points values. Been doing WW for years now with my lady and we've both had success.

Carbs, Protein, Fat, and Fiber are the four main sources of calories in anything you eat. So it's essentially a weighted calorie counter where "good calories" cost you less than "bad calories." That's probably a good thing, but I think it's easier just to monitor total calories and try to get a good mix of the constituents on my own (I've found the myfitnesspal android app very useful for this).

[Draft Dodger]

how can you not be a fan of peanut butter? that's inhuman

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Basically what I'm saying is that whatever makes you stick to a calorie deficit is the best plan. Weight loss is almost all psychological.

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

how can you not be a fan of peanut butter? that's inhuman

Childhood overload, I guess. If it has chocolate with it, I can deal with it.

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by Schmidty

Childhood overload, I guess. If it has chocolate with it, I can deal with it.

When I was a kid, if I got home when no one else was there (meaning, I could eat what I wanted and get away with it), I would peanut butter and chocolate cupcake sandwiches. They were awesome. Almost like having a peanut butter cup, but with bread added and about 10 times as big.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Schmidty

That's funny, because I've been munching on sunflower seeds all afternoon. I also love pistachios.

I'm not a huge fan of peanut butter, but I think I'll definitely try out the protein powder. My nutritionist mentioned it to me. The only thing is that she doesn't want me doing strenuous exercise until I hit 160. I do some pushups, but that's about it right now, so lifting isn't an option yet. I haven't been able to play basketball in months (which was my main source of exercise), but I think I'll be golfing soon. I doubt golf is a no-no.

Thanks for the advice guys.

Nuts are really good for you too. It has good fats in it.

If you don't mind me asking, why can't you do strenuous exercise?

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Nuts are really good for you too. It has good fats in it.

If you don't mind me asking, why can't you do strenuous exercise?

Short answer: He was seriously ill (i don't recall with what, or if a cause was ever determined TBH) and ended up in pretty bad shape as a result. Hence why he's down at 148lbs.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by Draft Dodger

how can you not be a fan of peanut butter? that's inhuman

When I was about 4 years old, I left my electric toys on even after the batteries died. The batteries started to leak, and I licked the corrosion off a couple of times. For the next five years after the second incident, everything I ate tasted like peanut butter. After tasting nothing but peanut butter for five years of my life, I'm not really a fan of peanut butter anymore.

Licking corroded batteries might be considered inhuman, however, so your point may stand.