Wondrous Weigh-In Wows!

Clearly I like the alliteration thing!

Just a quick one today because I have a longer, deeper, potentially more thought provoking one coming up in the next day or two. Today I just wanted to check in with you all and see how you were doing and update you on my most recent weigh in.

Some of you, like me, started on the new Weight Watchers Pro Points system this past week. How did you find it? As I mentioned in my last post, I was a bit nervous about it but looking forward to the possible changes in my habits and my eating.

The week was interesting. I found myself eating MORE than I have in ages because all of a sudden fruit is free! Can we say awesome?! Now when I want a snack, I don't have to worry about it using up points when I have a banana...I just have one. It's fantastic!

One thing I did struggle with for the first couple of days is using all my daily points. I have a daily points allowance of 47 (I know!!) and at the beginning of the week I had a hard time getting all those points into me. Now, I just know how to flesh out my meals and my snacks.

Did you use your weekly extras of 49 PP? I used some of mine. I had some chips, I had a few bits of chocolate. It was nice to have the flexibility, and not have to worry so much. I had no intention of eating them all though. I didn't eat any of my Activity Points either.

Speaking of activity, I've been doing a lot more than I was. Walking, swimming, gym...it's all paying off. I'm really enjoying having The Punisher to work with on Mondays and I'm going to get her to put together a program for me for a couple of other days during the week.

If it seems like this new ProPoints system has awakened a new sense of motivation in me, you'd be right. After last week's loss I was already feeling great, but this week I lost again!

This week's loss: 1.7 kg (3.74 lbs)

Grand total so far: 24.4 kg (53.68 lbs)

How are you all doing??

ProPoints, Progress and Punishers

How's that for some titular alliteration, eh?!?

Before I get started on the 3 P's, I just wanted to share a bit of fun news. I got an email today from a guy named Ken. He directed me over to a blog that he runs (helps run? not sure) and an article that had been posted on it, "60 Amazing Blogs for Weight Watchers Support". Turns out, I'm on it! You can find me in the Journals section at #59. I am VERY honored to be listed along with the other people on there. I hope you'll check a bunch of them out!

So. The 3 P's.

ProPoints

We were introduced to the new ProPoints system at our meeting last night. I was a bit worried about the reception that Tex was going to get.....people are sometimes very resistant to change, me included. For the last 12 years, Weight Watchers has been trudging along quite happily with the Points system and people have been losing weight. But they've changed it because, as Tex put it, "science has changed". Instead of being based on Kilojoules and Saturated Fat, it's now based on Protein, Fat, Carbs and Fibre.

From what I can gather, aside from this working better because they've accounted for how our bodies process different nutrients, it also seems to be a good way to encourage people to eat more protein and fibre rich foods instead of the fat heavy and carb laden things.

Today was the first day on the new system for me and I'll admit I struggled. I've gotten very comfortable using the old system, perhaps too comfortable. I actually don't mind telling you that I actually became a bit complacent. Instead of tracking everything I was eating, I was just sort of doing a half assed job of keeping track in my head. I'm sure it didn't help with my months long plateau.

With this new system, I HAVE to track. I have to learn the new value of everything.

I'm looking forward to this. I think it's going to work. I'm actually finding that I'm eating more. I think it's because I can eat fruit for no points now.

If you're just trying this ProPoints system for the first time, I hope you will give it a good chance! And keep updating on how it's going.

Progress

Remember last week I said we weren't going to talk about my weigh in? We're going to talk about it now. I gained. Not just a little bit. Oh no. I gained 3.1 kg (6.82 lbs) over two weeks. So that was a totally unpleasant weigh in for me. It was my own fault really...too much food, not enough exercise.

So I changed that.

For the past week I walked, I swam, I went to the gym. I ate better - smaller portions again, better food choices.

And when I stepped on the scales this week, I was down 2 kg (4.4 lbs). I was so happy! Let's hope I get another good result this week!

Punishers

I have a trainer. A personal trainer. Well, semi personal. She's only half mine. My friend KitKat and I are sharing her. Neither of us could afford to pay the full fee on our own, so we're sharing the Punisher. We had our second session this past Monday and I think it's safe to say that I was hurting. She's concentrating more on the weights and toning side of things, because we can do the cardio things on our own. I've done a lot of swearing in our sessions but I went in today and told her I'd try to hold off on that because clearly something is working. I don't know if she believed me.

So, how's your week going? Who needs encouragement?

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

I seem to be back on track. Sort of. At least today I am.

We're not going to talk about last night's weigh in. Suffice to say, I put on weight. More than I expected, less than I could have. Pizza, mud cake, wine, not enough exercise....it all came back around and bit me in the ass. I was expecting it, and I own the reasons why the weight was there and now I'm working to get rid of it again. I also feel ever so slightly better for the fact that it was a gain over two weeks. Still, it should have been a two week LOSS. And it wasn't.

So what am I going to do about it? Well, for now I'm concentrating on the exercise side of it. I've already got a pretty good handle on my food issues, I just don't always behave that way. The exercise thing though? Meh.

A friend and I are sharing the cost of a personal trainer on Monday evenings. We had our first session this week and it felt good at the time but I'll tell ya...I was cursing the woman's name for the next two days. Every single muscle in my body hurt. But I'm going back for more!

I went swimming today for an hour. I walked there and back.

I'm starting to feel more human again. I've been struggling with some terrible lethargy. I've been absolutely exhausted lately and I just realised (duh!) that it is likely because I haven't been getting enough exercise.

It'll come.

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There are changes coming to Weight Watchers here in NZ and Australia. We just found out last night that they are changing the whole points system. I googled it and apparently they've been using the system in Holland and Germany for a while now and people like it. Now it's going to be called ProPoints.

There are some types of change that I'm oddly resistant to and this is one of them. I hope it works as well as they say it does because at first glance, it looks more complicated than the current system. But, I'm told that it gives better results. So we'll see.

I am a bit peeved that I just got cookbooks, kitchen scales and points calculators that are now all obsolete but I'm hoping they'll find a way to get me over that.

Are you on the ProPoints system? Do you like it? Does it work...better?