Does anyone here attend Weight Watchers? I am just wondering how you can eat as much food as you have to eat on WW. I read somewhere that someone belonged to the group, but I am new here and just learning my way around.

Thanks,

jazie

I do not understand why someone would do ww if they were banded. WW does have a lot of food, and some of it we bandsters cannot eat. Good luck on your journey. Be well.

Fran

I attend WW and I mainly use it as an accountability tool. Having to weigh in weekly helps me to make good choices because I know that I face the scale weekly. As far as the food is concerned, I tend to eat on the lower end of what is expected. If you follow the core plan of the program, you have the flexibilty of eating lean Proteins, vegs. and fruit. I avoid the other high sugar and high fat choices that I could have and stay in my points value. Exercise is a big part of my life at this time as well. It's a matter of making the right choices. So far it has worked for me...I have losted a total of 98 pounds this way. 28 pounds pre-band and 70 pounds since July 07 when I was banded. My bandnaversary is next week...July 16th and I will Celebrate one year of having my lap-band. I hope that this info helps.

Lindsay

I was wondering myself. But if you've tried WW in the last 2 years you will realize they focus on portion control now. You get so many "points" a day depending on where you are weight wise and you work with those points to portion your meals. At the start of every week is a weigh in. And you meet others that are trying to loose weight, get to know your name, and you feel part of a group and amongst others who are focused on the same goals. I have a feeling it's more about going each week and weighing in and staying accountable, and I get that.

I lost 93 lbs on WW in 2004-2005 but gained 60 lbs back before getting banded. For me WW definitely is another tool that you can use in addition to your banding. It does provide accountability and the group support is great if you're into that kind of thing. I use the WW Online (Flex plan) because I'm used to that for journalling my food and exercise. It also minimizes the learning curve for me. I think it is important to find what weight loss tools work best for you, realizing it may take more than one. I'm choosing not to rely solely on the band to control my weight. So far I'm on track with my goals (even though I've just started this banding journey).

Note, don't feel like you have to eat all the points. At my weight I should be eating 30 pts a day plus 35 flex points per week. No way can I consume that much, even if I wanted to. I'll adjust my points each week depending on my weight loss goals for the week and as I continue to heal. I lost 2 lbs this week so am very happy.

Good luck with your journey.

I actually joined weight watchers last week, and I am being banded on July 30th. I did it for the same reason I saw someone else post, to help keep myself accountable. The same way the band is a tool, WW will also be a tool. My fiancee is starting the core plan when I start my liquid diet on the 23rd, and once I start mushies, I will be starting on core as well.

I have always liked WW. If I could naturally shrink my stomache & have less hunger I wouldn't need the band-- ww points would be enough...

Right now, I am on my pre-op medifast diet.

Doing medifast has made me think that once I am banded I may need to be a WW person too.

In the past what I did was use my points calc. on the lowest wt possible which gave me 20-25 points per day.

& I basically never used my flex points.

That worked for me when I was 170-200.

Before starting to do Medifast I played around w/ my points calc seeing how many points Protein, vege and carbs would be based on what my banding nutrionist told me to eat once I am banded on on solids. It didn't even touch 20 points.

I dunno know about you, but I am willing to do:

Banding, Jenny Craig, Medifast & Weight Watchers all at the same time if helps me get outta this fat suit!!

I am going for my 2 week post op appointment tomorrow, I think I will bring the subject up with my Dr. along with how many calories I should be eating. I find it hard to keep under 1000.

jazie

I'm doing WW online and tracking my weight on there. I've done WW several times in the past and really like it. It seems really sensible. I've been making a lot of the recipes from their cook books and the recipes are really good. I usually make simple things like stews and they usually have portion sizes of 1 cup to 2 cups depending on the recipe. I've been losing about 2 pounds per week on average.

Do you mind if I ask how many points you do a day? Isn't 2 cups too much food to eat at once? I know I will learn all this, but for now it sure helps to have this board with everyone who has already gone through it.

I'm at 30 points a day, 35 bonus points a week and I probably eat about 25 on average a day. I asked my doctor about the number of calories or amounts I should eat and he didn't really give me an answer except to eat till you're satiated. After my fill, he seemed to think I wouldn't be able to eat more than a few bites at a time, but that is not the case. I have 5ccs in a 14 band. Before I had the band, WW portions didn't really even get me from meal to snack, now I'm able to not get too hungry between meals. I've been losing 1 to 2 pounds a week, sometimes more on what I'm eating. I'm not really exercising either. I want to eat healthy and not just protein. I see people on here posting about eating 1/4 to 1/2 cup of food at a meal and I don't know how they get enough protein, fiber, vitamins, etc. in their diets. I don't know, maybe I'm doing it wrong, but I'm losing weight.

I just returned from the Dr.. He said it would be fine to go to WW. I probably would not be able to eat all the points. He said I should try to eat between 1200 and 1400 calories a day. I will have my first fill on the 28th., I think I will wait until after the fill to join.

I am rejoining tomorrow and I'm going to see if I can follow the core plan. I like the point plan too but I can only lose on 20 points a day which isn't much.

Hi all! I go for my surgeon consult tomorrow and am very excited :confused_smile:

I have been on WW for several years, in fact I was a Success Story in the Magazine (June 2006). My highest weight was 315 and I had lost down to 185...I have since put 60+ back on. WW is a wonderful program and thousands of people have found permanent success. Myself, however, need help to keep the pounds off and am going to have lapband surgery. My health is in jeopardy and I can't keep doing this to myself.

I intend to continue with WW after banding, I like being a cheerleader for others. :smile2: