I am thinking of joining a weight watchers class....

I wonder if AFTER the merc retro is a better time to begin? I also think I would only have to work at it for a couple months because I am doing so well with my health in general...just need to RE-learn how to cook & eat ...and take pleasure in the freshness factor more. (summer is always good for that, salads, smoothies, juicing, etc...)

So I guess I'd love some input about it if any of you have experienced the "program" before...

and maybe any insights as to what attitudes and energies foster the best results when getting "back into shape" MY OLD SHAPE! I used to be a size 5, after my first child I was about an 8 or 10...but haven't been that size since I was 28-29...which is when my autoimmune disease was last in remission...
now I am up to a 14-16...and I "hide" it well, because I am short and curvy, but my rear is growing it's own zipcode!

So please also send prayers for continuing healing of this autoimmune thing, ( ...the arthritis won't hurt so much if I lose some poundage too!) the sooner I get on track with healthy eating , etc again, the sooner I can ditch the horrible treatments of dangerous immune suppressant drugs!

thanks you guys!
:grouphug:

that's how she lost a lot of weight. It made her look at how many slices of pizza she was eating among the tools they have for you. Best of luck and I will be thinking about you and sending you good vibes.

I quit because there came a time that I stopped losing. I have a couple of autoimmune diseases, including Celiac (allergy to gluten/wheat) so WW is the only one that worked because it involves real food, not prepared foods.

I didn't join a group, just did it online and I love, love, love their website. It will definitely keep you on track because it converts all those annoying points for you. The recipe library is fantastic. I still use their recipes and I haven't gained any of the weight back, in fact, I've lost a couple more pounds. Good luck!

All they talked about was where to get low fat fake sugar treats on sale and many ragged women otherswho lost more lbs than they did. Made me glad I didn't join it with her. So check out your local group if possible before committing your $ to fees.

Best of luck finding the right group for you and soothing vibes to your immune system :hug:

he lost weight as long as he stuck with the program. He has not done so lately and has gained weight.

Good luck! :hi:

I've only watched a bit of this; but it looks good:

http://www.mylifetime.com/on-tv/shows/cook-yourself-thin

I moved up to Seattle. I love it here, but I've gained an alarming amount of weight since 2007. I was just talking about what you mention in the contents of your post early this morning with a co-worker and she was saying the same things you were, LOL. She's a short, curvy gal, and seemed obsessed with her big butt (it ain't big at all!). I used to be medium slim until about a year and a half ago, but let me tell you, gaining weight really messes with your health and well being, both mentally and physically. I feel like a slob, though in a way, it's nice to be free of that vanity crap (my mother is very pretty, but extremely vain, and I actually thought you could not enjoy life unless you were beautiful. How sad, and what a waste!) I do think it is a good idea for those of us lamenting about our weight to join some sort of support group.

I know that the long winter and the cold & snow keep me in a "hibernation" mode for a long time each year, of course eating the comfort foods and NOT going outside to exercise (I need some snowshoes or XC skis)

thank for your encouragement and everyone else here...I may have a hard time swinging the evening with my kids - but if I can lose even 20 pounds I know I wil feel better and be able to be a better mommy (a motivated one!) It would also be nice to have more energy to o my backyard. I have such high hopes for a veggie garden and just NO stamina to make it happen!

we have a weight loss clinic at the Foundation where I work, and I am now back to my good weight that I carried in my 20s. I never could go for the weight watchers thing because, frankly, the diet didn't work. What I have found is that the kind of diet you are on is very important when it comes to losing weight--and helping with arthritis and autoimmune problems. For one thing, if you are eating foods that you are sensitive to, even so called "healthy" foods--you won't lose pounds.

Doc did her usual individualized assessment, taking into account everything from my blood type to my family health history. She determined for me that I am extremely carbohydrate and glucose sensitive, and tailored a diet around what I could eat. It isn't a "diet" in the usual sense, which to me meant going on it only until you reach your target weight--it is an eating plan I can stay on for the rest of my life. So my advice is to check with a good holistic physician or naturopath who can customize your diet for you.

As for tips--first of all, measure yourself when you start out. As you know, you don't lose pounds every week. but your body does "shape shift". On weeks when I remained steady or even gained a pound, I would check my measurements, and found I was losing inches. This can help you keep on going.

Attitude is a lot of it as well. Instead of dwelling on the fact that I could no longer eat grains, corn, beets, carrots, milk, etc--I looked at what I could eat--a new adventure in eating! I've discovered the wonder of nut flours, the cuisines of Malasia, India, and the Middle East, and how to create new and different breakfast dishes. I even have a discussion board--Adventures in Good Eating--for folks to share ideas.

As for your arthritis, have you tried larch arabinogalactin? It is the sap from the western larch tree and it reduces pain without doing a number on your digestive system. We have patients who have been in pain for years being able to cut way back on pain meds using this.

Hope you find this information useful.

I totally get it. I kept my condition in remission for a couplen years in my late 20's by eating mostly vegetarian and macrobiotic. I have gotten so frreaking lAZy about food preparation..
so I was thinking that weight watchers even for a couple months would get me back into the habit of watching what I was doing...
and I need the support to get back into my good habits, and really need help quitting coffee ! lol


My insurnce and financial situation is basically "on my own"
I was able to get Enbrel after a year and a half of getting progressively worse and taking several other things to prove they didn't work. I go to the free clinic and have to wait to see my specialist once a month, or more!
I tried to get them to refer me to the hospital dietician for some nutrition hep, and she called me and said there was NO correltion betwen diet and my condition...!!!
my healing has been on my own shoulders for a long time - good thing I have done as much research and have as many reference books as I do...but it is hard to translate it into PRACTICAL use for me...especially since I am alone and my kids would prefer the mac & cheese to the salad & cuscous! lol

I would love to get more from your site/blog, PM me if you have a link or something to share :) :hug: thanks Ayesha for your support!