Silly Question

Maybe someone could help me make sense of this.  Lately, I've been hearing slogans that make it seem that losing weight is easy with no sacrifices involved.  Things like...diets don't work, the non diet diet, it's as simple as calories in, calories out. So, for the sake of argument, let's say that I have never lost a pound in my life,  know nothing about losing weight, and have come to you for your opinion on some questions I have.  In this situation, I have decided that I will feel deprived if I don't have chocolate pie for all of my meals. Mmmm, love me some chocolate pie!  If I go to WW, will they let me have all of my points in pie?  If I'm on a non diet diet, then pie is what I can live with so that's my choice?  And if I'm on a restrictive calorie diet, will I lose weight eating 1200 calories worth of pie a day? I realize that this is a way SILLY question.  But for the people out there who know nothing about losing weight, I think it oversimplifies weight loss.  Does WW expect someone to believe that when they go there that they are not going to be put on a diet??? What do you think? Mary   

In theory, what you're saying is correct - you should be able to eat 1200 calories of chocolate pie and still lose weight.  BUT...  That's not really how it works.  Your body works chemically aswell as calorically.  Some people's bodies won't allow any sweets, others will.  The theory of WW; points system - it's a nice theory but it's not true.  You have to eat a certain amount of fruits and veggies a day, and those aren't point-free.  So at the end of the day, when you've eaten all your protein, dairy, fruits and veggies, there isn't much left over for sweets.  That's how WW works.  It doesn't give you much room to indulge.  That's how they getcha.   I know that when I was on WW, when I ate my points in a bad way (McD's, sweets, chinese food, etc) I didn't do so well.   When I stuck to the "purest" diet I could get myself to follow, I did great. 

THANK YOU Janina!  I knew they had a 'diet' sneaking around in there!  What gripes me about that is that skinny people think that since you are doing WW and you aren't on a diet, then you aren't really putting yourself out to lose weight.  But we know your suffering, so does this mean that diets do work?  Diabolical I tell you! Mary

I think the great part of WW, is that it teaches you portion control!   A piece of chocolate cream pie would be around 9-10 points.  If you were allowed 30/day, you would get mighty hungry if all you were eating was 3 pieces of pie/day.  It doesn't take long on WW to determine that the healthier your food choices, the more you get to eat and the more satisfied you are. WW doesn't tell you what to eat....naturally they suggest a balanced diet of protein, whole grains, fruits, veggies, etc.  You are allowed 35 Flex points/week and are free to use those for splurges if you wish....or not.  You do learn to plan ahead.  The beauty of the program, is that you don't have to deprive yourself of anything and with planning it can all be incorporated into the program.  You are actually encouraged to have that occasional "treat", plan for it, and thoroughly enjoy it. The program works, if you work it.....just like any other weight loss program out there!!

Now Sherrie, everybody knows that you are rocking WW, and trust me, I'm not knocking it.  What I have a problem with is that they are saying diets don't work...like WW is not a diet.  It IS a diet! I guess I'm just having a problem with all of these marketing buzz words that make people feel like they won't have to sacrifice something to lose weight.   All I know is that NOT dieting doesn't work! Mary

And if I'm on a restrictive calorie diet, will I lose weight eating 1200 calories worth of pie a day? I say yes, you would lose if that input caloric value is less than what your body needs.  And let's face it, even a bed ridden person needs more than that a day. Now, the next question is...how would eating nothing but 1200 cals of pie a day make you feel? Not very well, I'd guess. But yes, 1200 cals is 1200 cals.  If I go to WW, will they let me have all of my points in pie? Nowhere in WW literature is THAT approach recommended or promoted, but technically yes, it is YOUR CHOICE to use your daily points however you see fit. Thusly, those would be legal points.   WW allows you to be your own Food Policeman.   There were days when I ate fast food meals that basically took up all my daily points. Which in turn left me with a choice: eat nothing but veggies (which are free, zero points the rest of the day) or use some of the week's extra points (usually about 30-35 extra points to blow however you choose).  One could lose weight by eating a 25 point meal once a day and eating veggies the rest of the day. I would not recommend it, and if your WW group leader cought on, s/he would counsel you to eat regular meals & snacks all day.  Does WW expect someone to believe that when they go there that they are not going to be put on a diet??? yes, WW and everybody else selling books, products,dvds and memberships uses that sell line. It is a sales pitch by calling it a non-diet, a WOE. Sure, we do have to make the changes that ______diet plan requires on a forever basis.  So, choose your weapon...what'll it be????? skip on your pasta/chips/sodas with Atkins? track your points? get to the RD every week with your food journal? clean out your bank account writing checks to the gym? Hope you like it...it's forever..ever...ever..ever!!!!!!!  

Great reply girl!  Now here's where you and I differ on the calories in calories out.  I'm insulin resistant, so it's more of an insulin sensitive food vs. non insulin sensitive food.  If I eat that 1200 calories in pie, I'm gaining weight because my body released the insulin for it, but did not absorb the energy, and that insulin turned to fat.  So for some of us not so lucky folks, calories in, calories out just doesn't work for us.  Damnit. And like I said before, WW is saying diets don't work, and yet they have a 'recommended' way of eating.  Maybe it's just me, but that's a diet! Why can't we just call a diet a diet and let the rest of the world feel our pain?  Like NutraSystem.  On tv, those portions look huge and yet they are teeny tiny and barely enough food to qualify as a small portion.  And yet, if you tell someone you are on NutraSystem, they think you are eating a lot because of the misleading commercial.  No wonder the rest of the world thinks fat people are lazy.  Cuz they make these programs look so easy, what's wrong with fat people that they can't stay on them? Sorry, but it just gets my knickers in a twist.  And I hope you realize that I hate it that this is forever?   Mary

I'm insulin resistant, so it's more of an insulin sensitive food vs. non insulin sensitive food.  Hmmm, I vote that people like you would drop dead before you would lose weight on 1200 cals of pie for more than a month, so we will never know if you would or wouldn't lose that weight!  The calories in/out theory has lots of holes in it...no one has whined more than I about that! I absolutely cannot count any exercise calories burnt, I don't care if I run a marathon or twiddle my thumbs, my body acts like it ain't happening.  I read that people say they do not lose on VLCD, but I am convinced that they would if they could wait it out more than 30-60 days at that level. Insulin resitant types will, eventually lose that way. Not many humans can, or should, try that anyway for a gamut of reasons, so I am NOT promoting it.  

Girl, if I ate 1200 calories a day from pie for a month, I'd die from malnutrition...but I'd die FAT!!!   Have you noticed that lately, both sides of the diet spectrum are coming closer together?  Low fat is ditching high processed carbs and low carb is including more whole grain products.  Maybe by the time you and I are in the home, there will be a happy medium.  Of course they will have invented that damn magic diet pill by then, too! Mary

Like Neecee says....whatever works for you has to be a WAY OF LIFE! Unfortunately, I have never stuck with any program long enough to get to goal weight. I think DIET has such negative connotation that  "weight loss program" or "lifestyle change" or whatever you want to call it has become popular.  But realistically, you can take weight off with any DIET....but to keep it off you need a lifestyle change.   I know WW works for me (when I'm being faithful to tracking points and making healthy choices).  I am in hopes that someday I will get to goal and become a Lifetime member and will then continue to "work the program" if I want to keep that weight off. Hope springs eternal!!