I weighed in a day late this week. I was so sure that I was going to be up tonight when I weighed in, I've just had a bad week. But, I was actually down another .6, amazingly enough. Not much, but any week that isn't a gain is a good week. Total weight loss is now: 17.4 pounds.

Congrats bluefish! I lost 3 lbs. on my second week of the Core Plan & I'm anxious for Monday to come so I can see what I've lost on my third week! :)

And you're right, any week with no gain is a good week! Thats a good attitude! :D

I'm not going to meetings anymore, but I need something to kick me into gear. I've always done points with success, but I'm not really motivated right now (amazing how the idea of the wedding dress got me focused last year!) I got the list of core foods from a friend, but she's not doing it. What's the deal with the points you get as well?

And fill me in on what you typically eat in a day. I see myself eating fat free cheese, veggies and fruit all day...I think I'd get bored.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

I'll sell anyone on the Core Plan-its been 2 full weeks & I've lost 9.2 lbs. It was just what I needed to shock my body out of the rut I was in while following the Flex Plan.


OK, so you've got your list of Core Foods & most likely just the list-which is probably why you don't see yourself being able to eat a variety of things. What is really helpful is the "Complete Food Companion" book because it also details what brands of core foods are on the Core List (you might find it on eBay.) No worries though, you can still do this. (And you can always ask for advice on the Weight Watchers message board, just don't call attention to the fact that you aren't still doing WW, they get kinda nasty about that.)

So besides the list of food that you can eat until satisfied, you still have your weekly 35 points that you can spend on anything throughout the week. Personally? Mine all goes to wine & other alcoholic products. So sue me. :D

A lot of people use the WPA (weekly points allowance) for bread because they like to have sandwiches & whatnot. I've also noticed that some people hate fat-free cheese, fat-free mayo, & low-fat milk so they use their WPA for those little indulgences.

I eat 5-6 times every day, keeping in mind that I'm always looking to feel satisfied & not full or "stuffed." Also, I eat almost every meal at work so I tend to keep stuff around that I can heat up! This is what I typically eat:

Breakfast Ideas:

+Plain instant oatmeal w/ a cut-up banana
+Plain instant oatmeal with cinnamon & splenda
+Weight Watchers English Muffin (1 point a piece) with Parkay Fat-Free Spray butter

Snack Ideas:

+Fruits or veggies (for me its usually another banana)

Lunch Ideas:

+Salads (with every veggie you could ever want & grilled chicken, but not cheese, croutons, etc.) Use Oil/Vinegar instead of dressing
+Soups like Tomato, Beef w/ Vegetables & Barley, Chicken Vegetable, Manhattan Style Clam Chowder, Southwestern Style Chicken Vegetable, Minestrone, Roasted Garlic Chicken w/ Vegetables, Beef Consomme, Sirloin Steak w/ vegetables, etc.
+Sandwiches (Weight Watchers bread-1 point for two slices, lean meat, fat-free mayo & fat-free cheese)

Snack Ideas:

+94% Fat-Free Popcorn (Its there on the list, enjoy!)
+Apple
+Tuna from a pouch

Dinner Ideas:

+Grilled Chicken w/ Vegetables
+Couscous, boiled in chicken or beef broth for flavor (instead of rice)
+Tuna with fat-free mayo
+Soups
+Sushi w/ Brown Rice


I hope this helps, its usually what I eat but there are so many other choices out there (especially for dinner!) I'm just such a creature of habit & am always afraid to try new things so my meals don't vary much.

I'm always willing to help and/or answer questions about it though! Good luck!

Crzychx, that's awesome that the Core Plan has been working so well for you!
I had a slight slip for a week where I gained a few tenths while I traveled to Michigan for apartment hunting. Then I plateaued for a week and finally this week I started losing again. Now I'm down 18.4 pounds overall. I'm hoping to be down at least 20 pounds total by the time that I move to Michigan at the end of December.

Thanks bluefish81! I just weighed in today & lost 3.4 lbs. this week! :) My total is now 41.4 lbs. :)

Is anyone planning to join now during the free registration period? I'm thinking about it.

I'm a lifetime member of JC but the food is too costly.

How long is the free registration period? I need to get back with the program...mr. trojangal is taking me on a cruise in March!

hehe...you sound like me:P One week I'll be 3 pounds up, the next I'll have lost the 3, plus two extra, lol.

I wish that was me! One week I'd be up 3, the next loose 2, then be up 1, then loose 2....I couldn't handle it, got discouraged, and stopped. After about 5 months I lost a total of like 8 lbs cus I kept bouncing around.

I think its until the end of March.
I'm going to work harder this year.

But thats the point of the weigh-ins! You only disappoint yourself if you bounce back & forth like a yo-yo, no one else. The weigh-ins are supposed to encourage you to stick to the plan & find encouragement from others all at the time same time. I don't know how people do it all on their own, most of the people I know that don't go to the weigh-ins never stick to the plan & never lose weight.

HAH! I can beat you! I lost a total of 8 pounds in a month right? this is with me going "up two, down one, up 4, down 3" , and then....the kicker. I gained back ALL 11 pounds, lol. And here's the thing- I didn't change my eating patterns at all from what I ate when i was losing! And people were like, "oh, it's from the exercising" ummmm...no. lol.

O wow...I couldn't handle that at all. Yeh, those times that I didn't change my eating patterns from when I lost I would gain.