Weight Watchers?

[Somer05]

Hello,

I have just completed the 2 week induction and have lost 10 lbs I like Atkins, but I am so tired of eating meats and cheeses...and low carb breads just taste nasty to me. The options seem so limited to me, and the whole concept of hidden carbs is really confusing, especially since I don't have time to cook most of my meals. So my question is, if I switched to Weight Watchers to continue losing weight, would that affect my current weight?

[not2late]

Re: Weight Watchers?

Hello,

I have just completed the 2 week induction and have lost 10 lbs

Congrats on your loss.

I like Atkins, but I am so tired of eating meats and cheeses.

You should be eating more than "meats and cheeses"--you should be eating some veggies too. And you aren't limited to "meat": if you like fish or shellfish, they are perfectly legal during Atkins. So are all kinds of birds (chicken,duck, turkey, etc.) and game, like venison.

and low carb breads just taste nasty to me.

There's no rule that states you must eat low carb bread. There are other grain products that are perfectly acceptable during Atkins OWL, PRe-Maintenance and Maintenance.

The options seem so limited to me

Pick up the book and re-read the sections on OWL and Pre-Maintenance. Or look through the stickies at the top of this forum. OWL and Pre-Maintenance foods include fruit, nuts, legumes, starchy veggies and grains---that's not very limited, imo.

and the whole concept of hidden carbs is really confusing, especially since I don't have time to cook most of my meals.

Hidden carbs are only in processed, pre-packaged foods, like cold cuts. All you have to do is read the label and the ingredients. If those things don't match your level of Atkins, then put it down and pick up another product. Is it time consuming to read a label? Depends on the product, but no matter what diet you choose to follow, eating the most minimally processed and artificial foods are best for your general health.

So my question is, if I switched to Weight Watchers to continue losing weight, would that affect my current weight?

It might, and it might not. It really depends on how your body will react to the ingredients in the pre-packaged Weight Watchers foods or to the foods in their plan.

[Somer05]

Re: Weight Watchers?

Thanks for the response But when I say "meats", I was including ALL meats--seafood, chicken, etc. There's only so many ways you can have meat and a side of veggies before they all taste the same, at least to me. Also, when I say I don't have time to cook, that means I eat out a lot, and a lot of places do not have nutritional info unless you call their corporate hq and ask to be emailed that, and that is not realistic to do everytime I need to grab a bite to eat on the run. Plus, I really really miss pizza and pasta and Mexican food. Anyway, this is all just from my perspective, and Atkins is not for everyone. My main concern was that if I switched diets, my weight would be affected. Weight Watchers just seems to offer so many more options.

[gonnabskinny]

Re: Weight Watchers?

Megs, pretty much hit the nail on the head. Some people are able to do Weight Watchers and succeed. For me, it didn't work. It was only until I really understood how Atkins works that I lost all the weight and am keeping it off. I won't ever go back.

So much depends on you. If you don't have much to lose, then Weight Watchers may work for you. If you have lots to lose, probably not. For me, all Weight Watchers did was make me hungry. The whole counting points thing for me, was more confusing than Atkins ever was.

As for food choices, I really think it depends on what foods effect you. That is what you learn during OWL. For me, Atkins offers more possiblities than other diets, and I never run out of ideas on what I can have to eat and we eat out very often. Will I ever have pasta and pizza again? Probably not, but then after a couple of years of having so many other choices, I don't really miss it that much. I also know what it does to me and that really makes it not worth the trouble. So, when I go out for Italian, I stick with a meat dish, like chicken cacciatore, or fish primavera, etc. and just skip the pasta. We also make a portabello mushroom pizza, that is to die for. We bake the ingredients on top of an inverted portabello mushroom. We add italian sausage, mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce (no sugar added), onion, bell pepper, etc. You don't need a crust in order to have great taste. All the crust will do is drive your sugar level up and make you hungrier.

I too love Mexican food. Especially since we grew up in Southern California. I just skip the tortillas. Fajitas work great on their own, with salsa, sour cream, cheese, onions, and peppers.

There are lots of "diets" out there. This is really not one. A diet is something to do just to lose weight. Atkins is a way of eating for life, not just until you reach whatever weight you are trying to get down to.

My wife wanted to do Weight Watchers as well. However, once she saw how well I was doing and all the choices that I had, she knew that Atkins was the real deal.
Anyway, you have to decide what is right for you. I am rather biased, since I know that Atkins literally saved my life.

[not2late]

Re: Weight Watchers?

Thanks for the response But when I say "meats", I was including ALL meats--seafood, chicken, etc. There's only so many ways you can have meat and a side of veggies before they all taste the same, at least to me.

You have to find ways to cook them---herbs, spices, etc. Even with things like pasta---it will taste the same too if you don't switch things up with the flavorings.

Also, when I say I don't have time to cook, that means I eat out a lot, and a lot of places do not have nutritional info unless you call their corporate hq and ask to be emailed that, and that is not realistic to do everytime I need to grab a bite to eat on the run.

No matter what diet you are on, eating out will be a challenge because you need to make sure what you choose to eat is in line with your diet. Sure, WW has a points system, but there's only so many points you can have.

As for the nutrition info, in the "Restaurant" sub forum of this board there is a thread with links to many chain restaurants' nutritional info.

Plus, I really really miss pizza and pasta and Mexican food.

Dr. Atkins wrote that sometimes the foods you crave/love are the ones that are the worst for you. Many people are pasta addicts (I'm one of them) but 1 in 300 Americans have a gluten allergy. Gluten is the protein found in wheat. So I figure many pasta cravers have a wheat gluten allergy, which affects them in various ways like indigestion, rashes, to feeling fatigue, weight gain, etc.

Anyway, this is all just from my perspective, and Atkins is not for everyone. My main concern was that if I switched diets, my weight would be affected. Weight Watchers just seems to offer so many more options.

No one can guarantee that you will not regain weight or not. AGain it depends on how your body reacts to the foods/ingredients you introduce.

[Somer05]

Re: Weight Watchers?

Thanks everyone for your help. I'm not saying Atkins is unbearable, I just really miss my fave foods.

[brandywine1241]

Re: Weight Watchers?

If you are insulin resistant, odds are you will regain the weight because your body's cells cannot use the carb fuel delivered by insulin. If you're not insulin resistant, you might be OK with WW provided you restrict the calories and fat as they prescribe.