I've been a member of WW online for almost 3 mths now.. Truth be known I've done much better with the program online then I ever did going to meetings. I always found the meetings slightly depressing and I never found anyone I could relate to in the room. I think the main reason I enjoy the online experience though is because of the forums and the interactive tools such as the planner and recipe finder - which for a chronic list maker and interweb nerd it fulfills so many OCD needs! :) Though there are plenty of glitches in the online system and they are still having issues with the points values of certain foods.. Much like the books they sell too - point values have been changing a lot lately which is a little difficult to understand. Hence another reason why I like Core so much..
So for this fine Wednesday I thought I'd list the main things that are working for me - my tips that are becoming or have become a way of life.
1. Not beating myself up! If I don't make it to the gym that day or slip up with not so perfect food or alcohol then I just move on and allow myself to recognise that every day will be different and just to do better. I DON'T tell myself 'Tomorrow is another day'. I tell myself just to be better from the second I realise I've slipped up. Otherwise I will just put things off and never get to tomorrow.
2. Do a menu and shopping plan. It's essential for me to plan ahead so I can give myself time when I finish work to go to the gym or a walk rather then down at the local supermarket every night sorting out that evenings meal. Plus the menu plan reminds me that there are sooooo many healthy options on WW Core which makes it feel less like a 'diet'.
3. Fruit and veges. On my desk I always have an apple, mandarin or banana or all 3! Sometimes grapes. I do not buy into 'diet' lollies and popcorn. I think they have very little nutritional value and promote a dependence on needing to snack which in turn could easily set up a feeling of failure or lead to overeating. Personal opinion of course!!!
4. Follow some core CORE rules. ie: not eating cheese and white bread and limiting pasta and rice. This is the fundamental reason Core works for me. On the points plan I would just eat the things I loved and 'counted' them and used exercise points to compensate for the extras.. I know a number of people that tell me they think Points is more disciplined. I disagree with this. It's too easy to use points on foods that are not necessarily the best options. With Core - if you stick to it 100% then all your food choices are healthy. As I've mentioned before when I've worked out the points values on my days Core intake I've been amazed at the points tally. It's often less then what I would of normally had if I was on Points. On Points I would often think -- 'It's ok to have that piece of gorgeous smoked dutch cheese - It'll just cost me 3 points' or 'I'll have some chips with lunch and just count them' or 'Garlic Bread is only how many points' 'I'll have some WW biscuits with my morning tea..' etc etc.. and this would happen every day - so before you knew it I was heading above 18pts with massive feelings of guilt and failure. That's why Core works for me. Occasional days using allocated points for extras is fine - every day making choices based on how many extras I can 'get away' with just won't give me results.
5. Use exercise to get fit and feel fantastic and don't rely on it just for weight loss. I've had an eating disorder in the past that was linked to compulsive exercising and limited calorie intake. It did me no good but taught me valuable lessons..
sheeesh now that was a long post!
3 comments:
Great tips Nat I started the core yesterday and feel much better already - not a diet but guidelines to eating - and heaps easier to follow than points
I agree wholeheartedly with every single tip - they are the same reasons I am doing core - I want to make eating healthy food my habit. I have had to have people over and made dessert and went to a dinner where they gave me dessert etc, I didn't say no I felt it was not being hospitable, however every other thing I ate that day was on core - and I was able to still lose weight. I don't take a slip up as the reason to go off the rails entirely for that day.
I am a planner so I have a view over a week of what I am eating and your menus help I have fruit on my desk and have eaten one already, a friend of mine gets the WW lollies but I don't want them as I compulsively eat them till they are gone.
My biggest treat at the moment is a cup of Nestle hot choc 99% fat free and a few marshmallows (4 = 1pt) so I figure I can indulge my sweet tooth that way.
P.S I love your version of KK's eggs I want them tonight with some steamed tofu and brown rice!
Fee - that's why I love it so much - less diety.. more lifestyle.. have you set aside some of the 21pts for organic doughnuts??? hmmm???
Amanda - thanks for visiting! and leaving a comment :) Hope the eggs were great - I just love that recipe soo much.
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