BigMo59

I've dropped from 350 to 250 in the last 16 months but I'm paranoid about gaining back in the winter months. I've got a nice exercise bike that I use in the winter but I have to really talk myself into getting on it, although I will. After reading Velovixen's story, I joined weightwatchers the other day but it looks like it's all a women's thing around here. I feel kinda out of place. I was just curious if any guys ever done this. I'm looking at it as an accountability tool.

pdlamb

I droopped something like 20 pounds on WW. Then the weather got good, I started riding more, I was hungry and ate more but I didn't gain weight because I was riding more, tracking became a burden, and I quit tracking.

Then the weather turned cold, I stopped riding so much, and while I wasn't tracking, I gained weight.

It wasn't too unpleasant while I was going with my wife. When she changed jobs, attending the meetings started feeling a bit more awkward.

Also, FWIW, myfitnesspal.com tracks about as well and costs $19/month less than the on-line version of WW.

Jarrett2

Lately I've been following The Primal Blueprint and logging via MyFitnessPal.

It's amazing how many calories disappear from your diet when you drop grains and processed sugar.

Flatbroke

I did weight watchers before. I got kicked out for losing too much weight. 90 pounds in 6 months. They made me go to the doctors office for a check up 2 times in order to continue. I refused the 3rd time and they kicked me out. I showed them the diary I kept logging all meals and advised that I was simply following their dang plan and walking 4 miles a day, 2 miles each way to work at the time.

PhotoJoe 

I've never used WW, but my wife and I are using the free version of MyFitnessPal and really like it. We are our own accountability group and it's working very well for us. MFP doesn't have the built-in accountability that WW does.

Jarrett2

BigMo, we can be your accountability support group.

Quit eating that crap!

BigMo59

Hah! Yep, that's the ticket ain't it. I'm just looking for a way to get through the Holidays with so much good stuff floating around ya know. If I can stick with it until the first of the year, I may have a chance. I rode a lot last winter down to 15 degrees and windy and snow and ice on the path I ride but I don't know if I feel that dedicated this year.

bgraham111

I used the WW online tool. I wasn't about to go to meetings. It worked pretty well for me... dropped 40 lbs in about 4-5 months.

bassjones

My mom is going to Weight Watchers. They've changed things up and are now on board with high protein, low grain/starch plan.

chefisaac

I've lost 140 pounds with weight watchers. I love the meetings and community.

BigMo59

Thanks for all the replies. I took advantage of the 5 day grace period and withdrew. I just wasn't comfortable being the only male gender in the meeting. I signed up and have been using Myfitness pal. I'll see if this works for me. Thanks PhotoJoe for bringing that up. I'd seen post about that before but I had never checked it out. So far, I like it.

NYSteve

I believe all calories are not created equally. I am following a very primal diet. WW is not for me.

Good Luck to you bro, I am fearing the winter as well.

I have been riding my balls of this unseasonably warm week.

mapeiboy

It is true from WW that you can eat anything you want . At the end of the day it all comes down to amount of calories you consumed . I am sure most of you can do the calories calculation without WW .

VCSL2015

So, you changed your eating habits and just walked each day and you lost that much? Thats awesome! Were you also doing other types of exercise?

Primitive Don

I did Weight Watchers with my wife about 10 years ago. I would be one of the few men in the meetings. The other guy there and I lost weight like crazy, to the point where it was not healthy or sustainable, while our wives and the other women in the group progressed more slowly, as you might imagine. The vibe was a bit strange, because I felt like the women there, including my wife, resented those of us men who were losing quickly, and considering what we were all going through, I understand.

The charts that they gave me at the time showed a man of my height should weigh somewhere around 180-185 pounds, but when I got there, I was too skinny. I also found it to be much more difficult to sustain a lower weight that it was to lose weight in the first place. It's kind of an emotional journey, for better or worse.

With that said, WW did teach me a lot about sensible eating, portion control and accountability. When I let myself go and start gaining, I will mimic the WW points-counting to lose weight, even though I'm no longer a member. I have heard that Weight Watchers has changed their programs so that men will lose at a more sustainable rate, which is a good thing.

sirwoofles

Sorry to dig up a slightly older post, but I went searching for feedback on this very issue. My wife asked if i'd want to join her when she goes back to WW. I went to one meeting as a guest about 6 months ago, there were 2 other guys there (out of 20-30 people), so i'm betting i'm still going to be a minority. I've been warned that women often resent the men they bring for losing weight faster. I gave it some thought and will be joining at the start of february, partially to help me, and partially to encourage my wife to continue to go. I've agreed to go for 3 months to see if it helps. I'm hoping that with support from my wife, and maybe a few months to point me on the right track, i'll be able to drop the weight i need. I'll keep all y'all posted.

IAMAMRA

lost about 190 on WW, started not really doing it and gained back about 110#. Loosing again though! I found the group I admin on facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/WWPo...us40andBeyond/ to be a big help.

ypsetihw

you CANNOT out train a bad diet. anything that gives you "fix it all" frozen f****ucking meals, or processed food to begin with, is suspect. take some time to learn about food, macronutrients, and how to eat whole/raw, or generally healthy foods, and you will see improvement. it really isn't that hard.

I ride into work most days, and my boss is pounding down sausage egg and croissant breakfast sandwiches, wearing her fitbit while she sits at her desk, telling me how "healthy" it is because it's only so many WW points or whatever. meanwhile I just rode 10 miles on nothing but a quart of water in my stomach, and then I proceed to fast until noon, at which point I hit the gym during my lunch. I've read the ingredients and nutritional information on her WW meals and they are bull****. not wonder she is hungry all the time. my food consists of raw fruit, nuts, brown rice, chicken or tuna, tons of veggies, oatmeal, and other grain fibers, and dairy. that's it. count calories, work out, stop buying **** from a freezer or a mail order magazine. if you can't cook it or pronounce it or find it in a local store, don't f****cking eat it.

it makes me sad how many people are taken in by these crazy meal diets. DON'T BUY THAT CRAP. because that's what it is. crap!

Miele Man

A number of years ago I went to ride up a long hill with a wind coming down it. i went onto the drops and couldn't breathe right because my paunch was getting pushed up into my diaphragm. i decided then and there to change my eating lifestyle and stopped the junk foods and processed foods. i lost a lot of inches doing that.

Sugars hide in a lot of things. If it has preservatives it'll have sugar or some other sweetner in it. Preservatives have a bitter taste so something sweet is need to mask/hide it.

Another thing that can have a lot of sugar in it is a simple peanut butter and jam sandwhich made with regulasr stuff. Check out the sugar in 2 slices of bread, a tablespoon of jam and a tablespoon of peanut butter. I think you might be surprised.

I think WW foods have WAY TOO MUCH SODIUM in them. This is also true with many low-fat foods; they're low in fat but very high in sodium.

In my opinion losing weight and keeping it off ONLY works with a lifestyle change of foods we eat. Exercise helps too.

Cheers

ColaJacket

If you mean white bread, then yes.

You can find whole wheat breads that have very little sugar. My favorite right now is the Whole Foods Seeduction Bread.

[TABLE="class: generic, width: 660"]
[TR]
[TD="class: factPanel"][TABLE]
[TR]
[TD="class: title, colspan: 3"]Nutrition Facts[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: label, colspan: 3"]Serving Size 1 slice[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: sep, bgcolor: #888888, colspan: 3"] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: borderTop"]
[TD="class: label strong small, colspan: 3"]Amount Per Serving[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: borderTop label, colspan: 3"]Calories from Fat 25
Calories 90[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: sep, bgcolor: #888888, colspan: 3"] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: label strong small, colspan: 3, align: right"]% Daily Values*[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: label borderTop, colspan: 2"]Total Fat 2.5g[/TD]
[TD="class: borderTop, align: right"]4%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] [/TD]
[TD="class: borderTop label"]Saturated Fat 0g[/TD]
[TD="class: borderTop, align: right"]0%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] [/TD]
[TD="class: label borderTop"]Polyunsaturated Fat 0g[/TD]
[TD="class: borderTop"] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] [/TD]
[TD="class: label borderTop"]Monounsaturated Fat 0g[/TD]
[TD="class: borderTop"] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] [/TD]
[TD="class: label borderTop"]Trans Fat 0g[/TD]
[TD="class: borderTop"] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: label borderTop, colspan: 2"]Cholesterol 0mg[/TD]
[TD="class: borderTop, align: right"]0%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: label borderTop, colspan: 2"]Sodium 240mg[/TD]
[TD="class: borderTop, align: right"]10%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: label borderTop, colspan: 2"]Total Carbohydrate 15g[/TD]
[TD="class: borderTop, align: right"]5%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] [/TD]
[TD="class: borderTop label"]Dietary Fiber 1g[/TD]
[TD="class: borderTop, align: right"]4%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] [/TD]
[TD="class: borderTop label"]Sugars 2g[/TD]
[TD="class: borderTop"] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: label borderTop, colspan: 2"]Protein 2g[/TD]
[TD="class: borderTop"] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: sep, bgcolor: #888888, colspan: 3"] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 3"][TABLE="class: generic, width: 245"]
[TR]
[TD]Vitamin A -[/TD]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD="width: 45%"]Vitamin C -[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: label borderTop, colspan: 3"][TABLE="class: generic, width: 245"]
[TR]
[TD]Calcium 2%[/TD]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD="width: 45%"]Iron 3%[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: label borderTop, colspan: 3"][TABLE]
[TR]
[TD]*[/TD]
[TD]Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Granted, it's still what the ADA considers 1 serving of carbs.

GH

VCSL2015

I would agree with this post however I would drop the grains incl. oatmeal (they turn into glucose and cause spikes in blood sugar)

customsound79

It seems you already know how to lose weight quite well. You can find accountability here! I know I have. Also check out Sparkpeople.com if you haven't yet. I don't like their food tracker because the library is limited but the social interactions are off the charts! It's a good way to connect with a lot of folks and share experiences, frustrations, and wins. They have a lot of folks there just for maintenance reasons and it's FREE. You can also find local folks depending on location. As for what the other are saying in here about the food, it is all hype as I'm sure you know. Myfitnesspal tracking really helps me understand everyday food much better so I don't have to rely on a "plan" or "diet". Congrats on your loss! I hope I am paranoid too when I hit my goal so I keep myself in check.

ypsetihw

I always read that oatmeal is a low GI food, which means it does NOT spike your blood sugar like other refined carbs. With that said, I only eat plain organic quick oats with no sweeteners or other flavorings, and I usually use it to dissolve some soluble fiber supplement while I'm at it, further slowing digestion and slowing blood sugar spikes.

My personal goal this year is to get lean, not just lose weight, and I've been finding a lot of inspiration and good motivation from durianrider on youtube. The guy pushes a high carb low fat vegan diet, and he looks like his skin is saran wrapped on his frame. He also crushes it on a road bike. Anyway, when I started my journey I was eating tons of protein and low carbs, and while it did help me bulk up and add strength while I was lifting, it made my digestion go to hell (constipated), stalled my weight loss, and made me feel like crap (no energy). I found when I reintroduced carbs, cut down to a reasonable level of protein (under 100 grams a day [I was at like 160+g/day], sometimes much less) and began getting more of it from plant sources (legumes/beans/rice/grains), and began getting my carbs and protein from fruits and long acting sources like brown rice and oatmeal (nothing refined/no artificial anything), not only did I feel better, but my athletic performance increased, digestion improved (because of a higher fiber diet), and the weight kept coming off.

karentheround

You're not required to buy WW food -- in fact, the leader at my meeting discourages it. They have snacks and other items on sale at the meetings, but they don't push it at all.

My husband joined with me back in September. There are one or two other men there, but he doesn't care how many/few there are. He's lost almost 50 pounds and reached his goal this week. I have more to lose, but so far I've lost about 44 pounds, and I've found it fairly easy to stick with. He and I are both happy with the plan, and we eat healthier than we did before -- lower carbs, higher protein, but we can still treat ourselves now and then without feeling like failures.