![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Once More Into the WW Breach
Dec. 9th, 2010 09:45 amLet's get the bad news out of the way first. I weigh 259 pounds - the heaviest I've been since I joined Weight Watchers the first time. I could get all depressed about that, but I've decided that isn't going to help. I'm not particularly happy about it, but I'll cope.
Right now I'm focusing on the new Weight Watchers program which got rolled out this week. I had no idea that they were doing this, so it wasn't part of my decision to return this week. I'll take it as good timing though.
Daily and weekly points allowances have changed. They're both on the order of 7/5 larger. My gut feeling is that the point values for foods are on the same order. That is, if you can't calculate the new points total, but you know the old points total, multiplying it by 7/5 is probably a decent approximation.
So what is the new formula? They don't tell you. Instead they have a listing of about 700 foods in the new booklet with the new points values listed. They also encourage you to buy the new calculator (which is discounted this month). They are coming out with iPhone/Android/Blackberry apps soon, so that's probably the route I'll go. It also encourages me to get off my ass and buy my Android one of these days. I'm waiting until the new year though.
In the mean time, WW might not tell you what the formula is, but I can show you this formula I found online. I have no idea how accurate it is:
The biggest change is that (non-starchy) fruits and vegetables are now zero points across the board. No more two point bananas, of the weirdness of carrots being zero points raw and one point cooked. This change is probably for psychological rather then mathematical reasons. Realistically, a banana does have protein, carbohydrates, fat and fibre, so you could plug the numbers into the above formula and get a points value. However, a healthy diet includes more fruits and vegetables, and this is the easiest way to encourage people to eat them. Only a pathological over-eater is going to pound back a hundred apples in a day, and if you're that person, you've got problems that Weight Watchers is not equipped to solve. I recommend therapy. Normal people will increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables and this will displace some candy bars, which can only improve matters.
I'm not sure I buy the new formula's rational (they say it's more accurate, I cynically suspect it improves Weight Watcher's bottom line), but I'm willing to be convinced. On a personal level, that means giving it a good solid try for long enough to have decent data. Realistically, it'll take a year to lose this weight if I don't backslide. Which means I might not look like a giant slug on my next birthday. I look forward to being light enough for women to be willing to touch me. Step one, follow the program this week.
The real downside to weighing 259 (aside from the obvious) is that I know from experience that running above 250 is begging for an injury. So no running for now. There will, however, be a lot of walking. I walked to work this morning, and I plan on walking home. That's 5 (new) points, which is equivalent to a bottle of beer. If walking to and from work is equivalent to a beer, I know I made the right decision when I bought my house - the distance is perfect.
Encouragement is appreciated.
Right now I'm focusing on the new Weight Watchers program which got rolled out this week. I had no idea that they were doing this, so it wasn't part of my decision to return this week. I'll take it as good timing though.
Daily and weekly points allowances have changed. They're both on the order of 7/5 larger. My gut feeling is that the point values for foods are on the same order. That is, if you can't calculate the new points total, but you know the old points total, multiplying it by 7/5 is probably a decent approximation.
So what is the new formula? They don't tell you. Instead they have a listing of about 700 foods in the new booklet with the new points values listed. They also encourage you to buy the new calculator (which is discounted this month). They are coming out with iPhone/Android/Blackberry apps soon, so that's probably the route I'll go. It also encourages me to get off my ass and buy my Android one of these days. I'm waiting until the new year though.
In the mean time, WW might not tell you what the formula is, but I can show you this formula I found online. I have no idea how accurate it is:
The biggest change is that (non-starchy) fruits and vegetables are now zero points across the board. No more two point bananas, of the weirdness of carrots being zero points raw and one point cooked. This change is probably for psychological rather then mathematical reasons. Realistically, a banana does have protein, carbohydrates, fat and fibre, so you could plug the numbers into the above formula and get a points value. However, a healthy diet includes more fruits and vegetables, and this is the easiest way to encourage people to eat them. Only a pathological over-eater is going to pound back a hundred apples in a day, and if you're that person, you've got problems that Weight Watchers is not equipped to solve. I recommend therapy. Normal people will increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables and this will displace some candy bars, which can only improve matters.
I'm not sure I buy the new formula's rational (they say it's more accurate, I cynically suspect it improves Weight Watcher's bottom line), but I'm willing to be convinced. On a personal level, that means giving it a good solid try for long enough to have decent data. Realistically, it'll take a year to lose this weight if I don't backslide. Which means I might not look like a giant slug on my next birthday. I look forward to being light enough for women to be willing to touch me. Step one, follow the program this week.
The real downside to weighing 259 (aside from the obvious) is that I know from experience that running above 250 is begging for an injury. So no running for now. There will, however, be a lot of walking. I walked to work this morning, and I plan on walking home. That's 5 (new) points, which is equivalent to a bottle of beer. If walking to and from work is equivalent to a beer, I know I made the right decision when I bought my house - the distance is perfect.
Encouragement is appreciated.
