13 replies to this topic

[sciiaf]

I’m full of helpful solutions today.

Since my injury 11 months ago I’ve obviously put on weight, mostly due to inactivity and comfort food eating. I can’t gain anymore weight because I’ll soon balloon out of my chair and it makes transferring that much more difficult, plus it’s a complete downer on your self esteem.
I have tried WeightWatchers before the accident and it works, I figured it wouldn’t work now because I’m stuck in a wheelchair and can’t get serious aerobic exercise. I decided to go on it for a couple of months and if I saw any results than I would keep doing it. I have seen results! The rolls in my stomach have gone down considerably and people have noticed. My caretaker remarked how much easier it is for her to get my pants on over my waist.

I am NOT s pokesperson for WeightWatchers but if you are really in need for an answer to losing weight while in a wheelchair this is how it works. It is NOT a fad diet, it’s not a short term gimik, it’s a system for managing your food intake that is based on healthy food choices and moderate proportions. Each food has a ‘point’ and according to your height and weight, you’re allowed so many points a day. For me, I’m 5’4 and 160, therefore I can eat up to 24 points a day. Someone who’s 5’2 and 180 would be allowed higher points.

Each food has a point based on the amount of fiber, fat and calories. The higher fiber, lower fat choices have less points whereas higher fat, low fiber foods have more points. The aim is to eat lower fat, higher fiber foods, these choices will allow you to eat more. For example, an apple has lots of fiber and little calories, it’s 1 point. A candy bar has no fiber and lots of calories and fat, it has 6 points. You can choose to eat whatever you like (hey, I had a candy bar yesterday) however, you’ll use up a lot of your points for the day if you choose unwise foods. This is an example of how points works, on a typical day:

Breakfast:
1 egg- 2 points
I bagel -4 points
Cup of coffee with half and half – 1 point

Lunch:
1 cup chicken salad with mayonnaise -4 points
2 slices of bread- 2 points

Snack:
Apple – 1 point

Dinner:
1 cup pasta – 4 points
½ cup marinara sauce -3 points

Snack:
Pudding cup – 2 points

I’ve racked up 21 points, where I’m allowed 24 max for the day. The goal is to eat your allotted amount of points each day. I am in it for the long term, figuring 6-8 months to lose 20-30 pounds. You can do the system online (www.weightwatchers.com) or you can choose to go in person to weekly meetings. I’ve done it all online and it’s a breeze, it’s quite fun too. All I’m saying is this is a sensible, structured manner of controlling and losing your weight and it WORKS!!!!

[ButterflyInAmbr]

Thanks for updating, sciiaf. Glad that it's working out for you. Makes me think about going back on it, too

[kckaz]

Yeah, thanks. I tried Nutrisystems without much luck.

[LeahC]

I'm glad you found something that works :-D I feel a diet needs to be a way of life, not something temporary - you need to change your eating habits for life :-x

I don't really eat fried foods, I don't eat processed meat and I grill everything, eat plenty of veg, drink squash and fidget a lot lol xx and breakfast, love it and swear by it ha xx

[itsjustme]

I lost about 100 lbs. on Weight Watchers 2 years ago. I was just sure that there was no way that I could lose weight confined to a chair and not being able to exercise like all of the "experts" say that you must do to lose weight. But, I just worked the points and the pounds fell away. I kind of logged or blogged my Weight Watchers journey on this site under Health Issues/Weight Control. If anyone is interested I put a lot of info into those posts about stuff that really helped and worked for me.

[sciiaf]

That is excellent, congrats! Wow, 100 pounds!!! Takes time but it really does become easy after a while and you get hooked and dropping that much weight has had to have made life so much easier for you. Thanks, I’ll check your posts out.
Good on ya!

[Lee]

 sciiaf, on Apr 30 2010, 09:20 PM, said:

I’m full of helpful solutions today.

My caretaker remarked how much easier it is for her to get my pants on over my waist.

This bit made me laugh, sorry. I just imagined our old caretaker from my school wearing his scruffy old marked knee length jacket pulling your trousers up,

[norma]

That's great...I'm feeling motivated!!! Should check it out...

[The Black Sheep]

I went to Weight Watchers a few years ago when I saw a picture of myself and thought ' OMG, I look pregnant'. My face looked like a balloon. I was allowed 25 points a day and lost 30 lbs in about 2 months. I've kinda plateaued now, though, but I've maintained a normal weight since then.

The point counting is a lot easier than the other things I've tried before (or after). Also, it helped that my sister was doing the program with me, and if you share it with others there is a lot more motivation.


Recipes that are awesome:

Spinach and onion with 4 egg whites - 2 points

Subway 6 inch chicken sandwich with sweet onion sauce, no cheese and on wheat bread - 5 points (that's a lot of food too)

Smart Ones TV dinners Rock too!

[sciiaf]

 The Black Sheep, on May 4 2010, 09:50 AM, said:

I went to Weight Watchers a few years ago when I saw a picture of myself and thought ' OMG, I look pregnant'. My face looked like a balloon. I was allowed 25 points a day and lost 30 lbs in about 2 months. I've kinda plateaued now, though, but I've maintained a normal weight since then.

The point counting is a lot easier than the other things I've tried before (or after). Also, it helped that my sister was doing the program with me, and if you share it with others there is a lot more motivation.


Recipes that are awesome:

Spinach and onion with 4 egg whites - 2 points

Subway 6 inch chicken sandwich with sweet onion sauce, no cheese and on wheat bread - 5 points (that's a lot of food too)

Smart Ones TV dinners Rock too!

Wooo hooo fellow WW sista! Good for you! 30 pounds is major! I know the feeling. Whenever I pass myself in a shop window and see the ‘unwanted’ pregnancy I gag. But this is working!!! Yes, I love Subway too, good hints thanks!!!

Lean Cuisine frozen dinners are mostly what I eat, They range from 4-7 points. I get to eat things like macaroni and cheese (love), spaghetti, pizza, butternut squash ravioli and that helps satisfy my pasta/cheese/carb cravings. They’re around $2.50 to $3.00 each.

 Lee, on May 4 2010, 01:41 AM, said:

 sciiaf, on Apr 30 2010, 09:20 PM, said:

I’m full of helpful solutions today.

My caretaker remarked how much easier it is for her to get my pants on over my waist.

This bit made me laugh, sorry. I just imagined our old caretaker from my school wearing his scruffy old marked knee length jacket pulling your trousers up,

Thankfully it’s my mother so she’s seen it all. And she’s commented on the weight loss and my parents have been pretty tough love with me through this, not sugarcoating it so rock on WW!!!

[S&W Winger]

WOW! Thanks so much for the reminder, sciiaf!! And all else for the testimonials! Sure inspires me! I "tried" WW a while back....bought a mess of the goodies at the meetings, and ate till I was even heavier! I was even asking the OBGYN to lop off some of my belly during surgery next week (she said "no")...tried "eating right" to no avail...now I will give WW an honest go...thank you again!

[sciiaf]

No, Doctors haven’t been helpful at ALL regarding my pleas on how to help me lose weight. Nothing. I even joked that I was not going to eat anything but peanut butter and broccoli and she laughed “no, you still need to eat, just eat sensibly”.

Well, I do eat sensibly and it wasn’t helping at all (fish, chicken, veggies, rice, fruits, whole grains). It’s about portion control and WW helps with making food choices that aid in losing weight.

But no Dr ever suggested WW, or any other helpful advice (I was hoping for a magic pill). Again, most of us have to take our SCI issues in to our own hands and find ways to deal. This is a way I’ve dealt with it and that’s why I’m like a hyperactive WW cheerleader on this forum.
Please folks, if you have questions or need help feel free to email me. I really hope this helps you all.

Edited by sciiaf, 05 May 2010 - 06:18 AM.

[imjosiah]

Hello, saw your post i know its a little old but... i lost about 40, doing a mix of WW and bodybuilding diets ( just high protiens) and the gym.

Just wondering though, Im a c7 and of course have the dredded quad belly, anyone find a away to cut that down, seems in order to do it through diet means becoming really bony in the legs, and rump which brings the chance of pressure sourse up!

[vip]

how did you find out your weight? as i don't tarsnfar and i just waching my own weight go up, and it's not that i don't try.