Weight Watcher's points

[makbike]

Okay I admit I've fallen off the band wagon and am now about 10 pounds over my goal weight. I was very successful with WW several years ago and dropped about 25 pounds. I have been able to maintain my weight at around 127 pounds since then (minus the two years I went undiagnosed with hypothyroidism). Since this weight gain (my thyroid levels are normal - just had them checked at my last check up with my endo doc) I've pulled out my books and pocket points calculator. According to my books someone under 150 pounds gets 18-23 points. I also have the activities point calculator but if memory serves me correctly you don't get to add those extra points in until you have hit your goal weight, is that correct? The bottom line is even if I eat 23 points worth of food on the days I ride for 1 - 3 hours (avg speed 15-16 mph) I'm still very hungry. I really don't have the money right now to go back to the weekly meetings so can any of y'all who are knowledgable about WW help me out on this one. Do I get extra point with my cycling? Is there something I can do to reduce or make my hunger subside (I'm drinking 2 -3 liters of water each day as well).

Thanks,
Marcie

[Jones]

I never and still have not reached my goal weight but, last year when I was on WW and did lose 27 lbs and I did add the activity points in from the first meeting. There is no way I could ride on 24 points a day. Some days my activity points were higher than my regular points. Hope this helps. Jones

[Brecca]

I did WW a couple of years ago. I only had 15 pounds to loose and was way under 150 pounds. I joined as support for a friend who was considerably overweight and I can tell you from experience that I had problems from the word go with balancing points with activity. They only allowed me something like 10 points per day and I wasn't only hungry when I cycled or did any other exercise but I was also bottoming out my blood sugar. They advised me to eat cheese sticks. I did, it didn't help. I finally went off the program per my doctors instructions and just started eating a healthy low fat diet. The problem was that the carbohydrates were so restricted that with exercise I was just bottoming out. I don't know if there is a solution. My friend balanced out the same problem by sucking on tootsie roll pops which are only 1 point apiece, but she too had to quit when her activity level over rode her points and she began having the same problems.

[Tri Girl]

I was a lifetime member for 2 years recently when I lost 40 lbs (then quit going and gained 10 back ).

Everyone, regardless of weight, under 150 lbs gets 20 points a day (they used to have varying points like the 18-23 you mentioned). You then get activity points for any exercise. Basically, the activity points you earn = 1 point for every 100 calories you burn. If you worked out and burned 400 cal, you would get 4 points. They really have a sliding scale that has you look at your current weight, intensity of the exercise, and time involved. Then you earn a certain number of points. I just go by cal. burned b/c it's easier to figure out (and a little more accurate). The activity points you earn must be eaten the day they're earned or you lose them. The new program also has 35 "flex" points a week (basically 35 extra points) that you can use at your discretion. You can use them all in one day (if you want to pig out), use a little each day, or save them until you need them that week. At the end of the week the extra 35 points (or what's left of them) disappear and you start over.

I stopped doing WW when I started my current ironman training program. I burn somewhere between 900-2000 calories per day in exercise, and I can't seem to eat enough. I suppose I shouldn't be dieting while training, but you'd think the weight would come off itself (I wish).

Anyway, go to www.weightwatchers.com and you'll find many valuable resources. If you register (free) then you can join the chatrooms where people post questions/recipes/stories etc... and others answer their posts. I found it very helpful when on the program.
Best of luck!

[makbike]

Thanks, ladies I really appreciate your help. So if I understand it I get a 20 base points/day. I can utilize my 35 flex points anytime through the week which for me will probably work out to 5 points/day to keep it simple. Finally, for every hour I spend on the bike each day I earn an additional 2 points/hour which brings my daily points up to at least 27 points/day. I am hoping these additional points will chase the hunger pangs away for good.

Thanks again!

[Tri Girl]

makbike,
You've got it right! However, don't forget that your intensity on the bike may change the number of points you earn to eat. If your hour is an all-out hammer fest, then you may earn 4-6 pts. On average I burn about 400-500 calories per hour on the bike, so that would be 4-5 points extra (I weigh 140 lbs- obviously if you weigh more you'll burn more and if you weigh less you'll burn less). Don't cheat yourself by not allowing yourself enough points for exercise. You burn those calories, and your body needs to replace them with good quality food. If your intensity is light, I would give yourself 2 pts per hour, but if it's harder I would allow more. The way the WW system works is 1 food pt = 50-75 calories, but activity points are 100 cal. burned= 1 pt earned. Therefore, even if you overestimate a little, you should still be ok. (sorry if that was very confusing )
Have fun!

[Tri Girl]

Also, I don't mean to sound like a know-it-all. I tend to come across that way sometimes, I think. I just became VERY familiar with the program (my best friend was a leader) and I knew waaaayyy to much about it (although I gained weight back, so I may not have retained too much ).

[makbike]

Tri Girl:

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help with this. It has been several years, probably 7+, since I attended a WW meeting. I hit my goal and maintained it earning my lifetime membership back then, even in the midst of a terrible bout of pneumonia. I have until recently been able to stay within 3-5 pounds of my goal weight (127 lbs). It was a very stressful year at work and I think that set the stage for me gaining the extra pounds I now desire to shed. I literally felt like I was starving these past couple of days trying to keep myself at 23 points. In fact my stomach woke me up at 1 a.m. this morning screaming it was hungry. I got up had some watermelon but that did not appease the stomach pangs. I then treated myself to a glass of skim milk and three cookies, that did the trick and I was quickly fast asleep until my three kittens decided to use me as their human jungle-gym, but that is a whole another story.

It appears there is a large gap between high and moderate intensity levels on the activities point calculator I have. I'm guessing that moderate would be closer to 10 mph and high to 20 mph given the description they printed for determining one's intensity level, is that correct? Therefore if I average 16 mph on a 2 hour bike ride I in reality have earned 8 activity points for that ride, is that correct? I know these probably seem like simple questions but I want to make sure I'm doing this right so I can get back down to my goal weight in the next 6 - 8 weeks.

Thanks again!
Marcie

[Tri Girl]

Sorry I haven't responded sooner Marcie. I was riding and hiking in Taos.

Sounds like you've got it figured right! Glad I could help out. Now, if only I had the motivation/inner desire to shed the 10 lbs over goal weight that I've gained, I'd be doing fine. Perhaps your example will help motivate me to get back on the WW wagon (although falling off has been so much fun ).

Best of luck to you- you'll do great and drop that weight in no time flat!!!

[makbike]

Thanks, I appreciate it. It sounds like you had a great trip. I've dropped 3 pounds thus far, nothing huge but it is slowly coming off. I still feel hungry a lot of the time, even with the extra points. I eat a meal, feel full and two hours later by stomach is talking to me but I'm adjusting and enjoying seeing the numbers drop on the scale. I'll keep you posted.

Have a great week and thanks again for all your help!

[Granny M]

I just registered on the Forum and read with great interest about your Weight Watcher's points. I had to reply. I started cycling last year thinking the weight would fall off. Wrong! I actually gained. I joined WW this year with 3 other coworkers who do not cycle and don't even exercise. I've managed to loose only 16 pounds since March. I have 3 more to go to reach my goal. In the meantime, I've watched my coworkers drop pounds like crazy. It's been very frustrating to say the least. I get 20 points a day and the activity points aren't sufficient enough to support the calorie needs required for a 16-17 mph 50 mile ride. Not to mention satisfying the hunger you have the next day. What I have found and what I have done is this: I stay within the 20 points a day. On the days I ride, I allow myself 4 extra points for every hour of cycling. On the weekends when I do a long ride, I ignore the points and eat and drink what I need without going crazy. Instead of eating a cheeseburger and fries afterward, I stick with something wholesome but healthy and make smarter choices. I weigh myself before and after I ride to insure I stay hydrated. I will always weigh 2-3 pounds more after a long ride (60+ mi) but that comes off with a couple more within a few days. Unfortunately, I have to weigh in early in the week. I think the long rides are what is getting the weight off and you also have to consider how much muscle weight you have gained. It weighs more than fat but will rev your calorie burning engine. Stick with it and hang in there!

[makbike]

Thanks, Granny M, I've lost 4.6 pounds this month and I'm very happy with the results. I tried on a pair of shorts yesterday that were tight when I wore them the first of the month and they fit nicely yesterday, so it is working. I'm trying to stay within the 20 points allowance each day but am using whatever activity points I might earn on my rides. I've stocked my frig with lots of fresh fruits and I nibble on that when I'm hungry. As in the past, I always allow myself one day to "play" when it comes to eating. You are right it is all about making choices and I'm really trying to stay away from junk food (though I did not consume a lot of before or at least I did not think I did). I still find myself craving sweets but that will probably never change for I love candy, cookies, etc. Thanks again for your words of encouragement. Good luck to you.

Marcie

[Granny M]

Hey! You're making progress. Ain't it great to put on a pair of shorts that used to be tight and they fit? I'm wearing a dress today I haven't had on for 3 years. Keep up the good work and save the sweets for the days you do a long ride. It's a nice reward and even if you don't get it all off, think of how much better you feel and how healthy you are since you're riding. I don't know how old you are, but the older we are the harder it gets to keep those pounds off. Just being on that bike makes me feel good, puts color in my cheeks and chases away the blues!

[makbike]

You are doing a great job, Granny M, keep plugging away and those pounds will slowly melt away. As a friend my tells me all the time, slow and steady wins the race.

My goal is to get back to my goal weight of 127 so I have 7 more pounds to go. I would in reality like to have these off by the time school resumes the first week in August.

My friends at the clinic (my second job) tease me all the time about being an endophrine junky. Riding does make me feel so good and it does help to chase away the blues when they pop up from time to time. I love being on my bike and love seeing the progress I'm making towards the goals I set back in January. Life is grand!

[snapdragen]

Don't forget ladies, when you are cycling, you are earning activity points. You don't have to eat all your activity points, but you shouldn't starve yourselves on active days either.