The Weight Watchers Cycle

[Ang1982 4]

I agree with pretty much everyone else in regards to WW. While I do think that you CAN have success I do not think that it works well for many people in the long run. People will just eventually stop going and then that's when the cycle of gaining again returns.

I went to WW about 5 years ago and lost approx 55 lbs and kept it off for years continuing to lose about another 20-25 lbs on my own. However, I only lost 55lbs because eventually I just got tired of going and while I did learn useful information about portion sizes, reading nutrition labels etc, I was fortunate enough to keep that 55lbs off BUT I was still around 290lbs (this with my own 20-25 lb loss) so I obviously have food issues/laziness issues I think I lucked out and my body agreed to stay at the weight for a while. I attempted WW online a couple years ago and did nothing but waist money as I never really followed along with it.

So then I tried Medifast which I lost like 20lbs in a month and well I couldn't do it for more than a month and in the time frame from doing that and meeting my now DF and doing the whole "eating out new relationship thing" too much I managed to gain back all 20lbs and an additional 15-20 in revenge (my last supper syndrome didn't help my cause either).

So while I think that these programs can be successful, I firmly believe it's only short term successes and it's just a matter of time before people fall off the wagon, gain back the weight and revenge weight and have to start ALL over again.

[DynamoMini 1]

I am in the process of a lifestyle overhaul. In the past I could lose weight by whatever method, but I always regained it and more.

I needed

1) to look within and sort out fifty decades of stuff (help of a psychologist)

2) get moving (help of a wonderful trainer, who understands support rather than put downs)

3) get honest what I am putting in my mouth and write it down (me and Calorie King)

4) move my energy from negative "can't" to positive "can and will" (help of my acupunturist)

5) and not undo the weight lost by regaining it when I hit a snag (me and my lapband)

I am half way to my goal weight.Weight loss for me isn't linear or consistent. My emotional health, my physical health and my thought process are being overhauled and reshaped. It takes enormous concentrated effort on my part and a willingness to look at what I used to hide.

I always wondered why WW, Slim4Life, Optifast, Nutrisystem and all the other diets (like egg/grapefruit, all liquid, etc) never "worked." Well, they all worked, but never stuck. I realized I needed to radically attack and change internally to make the external changes stick. Exercise has been a saving grace, but I started with a Water aerobic class with women 20 years older than me, graduated to being able to do 1 minute on an elliptical trainer without my pulse rate going over 140. That was two years ago. I stayed with it and now I do 45 min cardio five days a week and weight training two 30 minute sessions per week. It isn't making the weight drop off, but I feel great, have wonderful energy and my body shape has changed. I encourage all of you who hate exercise to find a good trainer who is the style you know you need and bite the bullet and pay the money, it will change your life. Staying the course is the only way it works for me. When I get depressed I remember that if I continue to do what I am doing then I will succeed. I am building my future life, brick by brick. It isn't perfect, or even close, but gradually my lifetime habits are changing and I feel I have a better chance of a permanent healing.

Best wishes to you and I know we all talk about a journey, but you and I are really on one. We chose the band as a vehicle of change and a commitment to our health - I work every day to live that promise to myself.