You can do it ! ! !

[Guest DuchessIvanaKizznhugg]

A question for Zipperzone

 

IMO the best possible diet is the Weight Watchers regime, for the following reasons.

1: It works

2: It is very healthy as you eat from all the food groups and can eat anything so long as you watch the portion size.

3: It trains you to think differently about food

4: It makes dining out easy as you can control the number of points (their way of measuring portions) you are consuming.

 

Zipperzone, I'm impressed with the results you achieved on both diets. Your ability to accomplish great things when you put your mind to it is enviable. I've just re-started my commitment to better eating and increased activity, and sort of follow a modified Atkins....not quite as strict about the total absence of simple carbohydrates (wheat & sugar, specifically) and it's working.

 

But I am interested in your experience and comments about Weight Watchers. Especially, can you elaborate a bit about how they train you to think differently about food? Both the "think differently" part, as well as how they "train" you? Clearly it made a significant impression on you.

 

Congratulations on keeping the weight off for such a long time.

 

[Guest DuchessIvanaKizznhugg]

Not a total highjack.....

 

.....Just a slight detour.

 

The talk of various diets reminded me of one of the first popular diets....the Scarsdale by Dr. Herman Tarnower. It was quite the rage in the 70's. At any rate, he was later killed (1980) by his long-time lover, Jean Harris. At the time, it was quite sensational. She was found guilty, and served 13 years of a 15 year prison sentence when she was pardoned by New York Governor Mario Cuomo.

 

HBO happened to do a movie in starring Ben Kingsley and Annette Bening (Cloris Leachman also had a supporting role as Dr. Tarnaower's sister).

 

Plot summary from IMDb: Mrs. Harris(2005):

Fact-based story about Jean Harris (Annette Bening), a woman who was accused of murdering famed Scarsdale Diet Dr. Herman (Hi) Tarnower (Ben Kingsley) after being in a relationship with him for 14 years. Depicted as a womanizer, Dr. Tarnower had earlier asked Mrs. Harris, a divorced school teacher, to marry him. But when faced with upcoming nuptials, he backed out. The story depicts Mrs. Harris as a distraught and obsessive woman who may have been suffering from some mental illness and based on a note sent to the doctor, may have been suicidal at the time of the murder. She contended that Dr. Tarnower was shot while the two wrestled with a gun she was going to use to kill herself.

 

More details here http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0391353/

 

If you haven't seen it, keep your eyes out for it.

 

Based on the movie, (as well as how she handled her defence), she was more than just a little bit of a nut bar, but then, so was Dr. Tarnower.

 

A good evening's entertainment...better than many theatre releases.

 

[Guest zipperzone]

[quote=DuchessIvanaKizznhugg;621131

But I am interested in your experience and comments about Weight Watchers. Especially, can you elaborate a bit about how they train you to think differently about food? Both the "think differently" part, as well as how they "train" you? Clearly it made a significant impression on you.

 

They teach you that there is no such food as a "bad" food. Everything is OK if eaten in moderation. They provide you with a book, ($12.95) which lists every food imaginable (over 16,500 different ones - with many sub indexed by brands). To each of these they apply a "point rating"

 

i.e. 1/2 roasted chicken breast, without skin = 3 points

Aunt Jemima buckwheat pancake mix 1/4 cup = 1 point

Most vegetables, especially the green ones = 0 points

 

Depending on you current weight you are allowed a certain number of points per day. Let's say you are allowed 32 points. That means you can eat ANYTHING your little heart desires so long as the total points for the day do not exceed your daily allotment. As you loose weight - and you will - you will have to adjust your daily point allotment downwards.

 

I truly believe that this is a much healthier diet than the Atkins and it is great for someone who eats in restaurants a lot as you can order anything on the menu and keep track of the number of points you are putting into your tummy. I can also say that I was never hungry while I was loosing the weight.

[Guest greatness]

so what is your current result?

 

I'm just curious... Have you lost a lot?

[+ Gar1eth]

I would like--plus really need to lose weight. But I like carbs--I could probably stop candy--but doing away with tomato juice, apples, and other fruit--not too mention bread--would be a hardship. And on that diet I wouldn't need the 2 alcoholic beverages--I don't like alcohol particularly without mixers--and am not an oenophile either.

 

But I would like to wish good luck to any who do it.

 

Gman

[Guest zipperzone]

I would like--plus really need to lose weight. But I like carbs--I could probably stop candy--but doing away with tomato juice, apples, and other fruit--not too mention bread--would be a hardship. And on that diet I wouldn't need the 2 alcoholic beverages--I don't like alcohol particularly without mixers--and am not an oenophile either.

 

But I would like to wish good luck to any who do it.

 

Gman

 

If you are serious about losing the weight then go on Weight Watchers. That will allow you to eat everything you mentioned as a hardship to cut out.

[LurkerSpeaks]

I am remaining on the diet, but due to circumstances beyond my control, I have stopped with the trainer. I dont have a scale at home, so I am not keeping tabs on pounds lost. But at last check with the trainer on my final day, I had lost 30lbs. I have loosened the diet restrictions a little bit, but still watch very closely the number of carbs I eat, as well as calories..I still feel my weight dropping, and clothes getting looser..I even found some bread by "aunt hatties" that has only 7 grams of carbs per slice..so since I was told to keep carbs to 40 or less grams per day, i can now have an occasional sandwich and not blow the diet..

 

I always sore I couldn't give up sweets or potatoes, or bread, but once I got used to the diet, it wasnt nearly as hard as I thought it would be.. But it has made me really aware of the carb counts on so many things..