This week I removed 3.6 pounds – that means I only have to remove 0.4 pounds more to be back on track again. 3.6 may seem like a lot but there are a couple factors:
- Last week I wore a denim shirt and leather skirt to weigh-in while this week I stripped down to a ribbed tank and silk skirt
- I actually tracked this past week, first time really using eTools on a daily basis in MONTHS
- I went down to 26 PointsPlus
As I mentioned last week (and active Weight Watchers members know), PointsPlus changed to PointsPlus 2012 and one change is your number of allotted points in a day. While some stayed the same, many who were previously at 29 points in a day found that their allotment dropped (no one is below 26 points). When I logged into eTools this week, it asked me my current weight and informed me that my new number was 26.
Old Pocket Guide, meet New Pocket Guide! While some are grumpy about this change, I embrace it. With pretty much all fruits and vegetables being 0 PointsPlus, I often had a hard time using my daily allowance, and I felt that it gave me too much gray area to eat things not that good for this body. The change to 26 was the kick I needed, where I really had to think about each bite going in my mouth, again having to make smart choices.
I also got back to tracking, which was a major eye opener. I had been on auto pilot with Weight Watchers for a while, guestimating values and portion sizes. It’s easy to forget a cookie or snack-sized candy bar (or spoonful of Emerson’s mac and cheese) when not actively tracking. I used to have eTools as my homepage when I opened all my computers, but over time I switched it to iGoogle. This week I went back to my work computer opening to eTools for a constant reminder to track.
So on to PointsPlus 2012 – how is it different from 2011’s PointsPlus?
PowerStart Sessions
I mentioned this last week, but with PointsPlus 2012 they are really encouraging folks to stick around after the basic meeting for three weeks of PowerStart Sessions. Not only will these meetings be an introduction to Weight Watchers newbies, but give tips and life lessons to veterans on how to succeed with PointsPlus 2012.
Adjusted Daily PointsPlus Allotments
Many who were previously at 29 daily PointsPlus now are at 28, 27, or 26. They surveyed many members and found they didn’t eat all their PointsPlus value each day, and found they were more successful shedding weight with a subtle decrease in their daily allotment. In this week’s Weekly, Weight Watchers states, “…a daily target as low as 26 will also support safe weight loss with no adverse health effects, without compromising flexibility, and while satisfying the recommended intake of vitamins and other essential nutrients.” Weight Watchers feels that if you were happy at your old target of 29, you can stick with that target. The Weekly also offers tips on when to possibly bump your target up or down depending on travel, hunger levels, or to give yourself a “boot camp” or recharge. The goal is to lose ½ to 2 pounds a week, and you should choose a target that fulfils that without making you feel deprived.
Encouraged Flexibility
Based on the meeting and the new Weight Watchers materials I received this week, I feel Weight Watchers is really pushing the fact that their plan is flexible and customizable. They want to show members (and potential members) that there is no one specific diet for anyone. Every human has a different reason for being on Weight Watchers, has different unique goals during the plan, and has different unique lifestyles. Weight Watchers can be customized to your lifestyle, personal tastes, and weight loss goals. Leaders, the website, and the PointsPlus 2012 materials regularly discuss bumping up and down your target (though never below 26) to survive holidays and vacations without deprivation or to boost weight loss (again they regularly mention you shouldn’t usually be losing more than 2 pounds a week - they even asked me about my 3.6). They’re really focusing on slow, steady but long-term weight loss.
My leader always ends our meeting with at least one inspirational quote; the two featured here are the ones she shared. While Winston Churchill’s quote fits perfectly with PointsPlus 2012, I loved this quote for me and fellow emotional eaters. It’s so easy when you’re feeling blue to counteract it with a piece of cake, a gallon of ice cream, a box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. And while these foods will fill your belly, comfort you and possibly remind you of happy times, they aren’t a replacement for happiness. So before you dig into your favorite comfort food… stop and ask yourself WHY you are eating it. If it is to be happy, consider what will provide true happiness – a bubble bath, listening to your favorite album in its entirety, 15 minutes of meditation in a quiet room, two chapters of a novel uninterrupted, a walk in the woods, a phone call with a good friend. This is something I need to be better with – when my husband works night shifts and the baby is asleep I often go to pasta or cheese to keep me company. I find the Bravo channel or reruns of Sex and the City seem to go well with cheese quesadillas and a very large glass of red wine. Lately I am catching myself, and deciding to feel happiness by actively doing something and thinking of the long-term effects of my decision. It’s hard, but this quote helps me stay focused.
How was your week? Any successes? Setbacks? Recipes or tips you’d like to share?
