I just surpassed the 100 day mark on Weight Watchers (WW), and I am thrilled. I didn’t think I’d make it this far, so I am celebrating that I am about 25% of the way to my goal.
I post my weekly weigh-in results on social media, and I get a lot of emails and comments asking what exactly I am doing to essentially lose 1 pound every 4 days. I figured I may as well compile my tips and tricks into a post, so here we go.
The Top 10 Things I’ve Done/Learned Losing 25 Pounds in 100 Days on Weight Watchers
1.) Drastically cut back on diet soda: I used to use diet soda as a crutch, but I quickly learned that that habit led to me having an INSANE sweet tooth (there’s numerous studies about this). I now drink water like it’s my job, and I may have a diet soda or two during the week, but overall I stick to tea and water.
2.) No more sweets: I used to crave a dessert after every meal (partially due to my diet soda habit), and my faves were ice cream and cake. Together OR separate. Sweet, sugary treats on WW are LOTS of points, so I stick to zero point fruits and low point treats like mini Larabars or WW ice cream/frozen treats. I also love these soft serve PB cups I concocted– I love PB and chocolate together. I haven’t had cake since my birthday in March. (I miss you, cake!)
3.) No more burgers and fries: I’m not going to lie…D and I eat out A LOT. Working 10+ hour days makes us lazy in the kitchen, and our go to was usually burgers and fries from Whataburger or McDonald’s. A burger combo at either of those places will now cost me 30+ points, so we’ve stuck to better options such as Subway or local restaurants with great salads/high protein meals (I eat lots of lean beef and veggies or chicken salads).
4.) I log and measure EVERYTHING I eat: I do this 95% of the time BEFORE I eat something so I stay within my daily WW SmartPoints (SP) target. I’ve gotten so good with weighing things (this is the digital scale I use and love) that I like to put stuff on the scale, guess the weight, and then see if I’m right. I’m usually spot on.
Essentially this boils down to portion control, but measuring/weighing/logging food is paramount to success on any plan. But, I don’t ever measure veggies or fruits because those are ZERO points! Potatoes, avocados, etc. do have points though, FYI.
5.) Develop your go to meals: During the work week, I eat the same 11 point breakfast everyday. I don’t vary it up at all, and this helps me know how much I can spend on lunch and dinner. I also have my fave meals at certain restaurants memorized in regard to SP totals so that a healthy, on plan option is always in my mind ready to go. I’m not saying to eat the same meal(s) daily, but having 3-5 meal options you know are good for you will help immensely and reduce stress.
6.) Move more: Truth be told, I’m not going to incorporate formal exercise until I drop 50 pounds. I’ve always tried to do both at the same time, and I do well for awhile then lose steam, give up and gain the weight back (and more!) This time, I’m focusing on just being more active (I’m doing lots of DIY projects and less Netflix watching) and earning my Fitbit steps. I have this one, and I aim to get about 35,000 steps a week. This may seem low, but I used to get about 15,000-20,000 steps a week, if I was lucky.
7.) Take progress pics: I know taking a before picture of yourself in a sports bra/undies from all angles is the LAST thing you want to do, but PLEASE DO IT. When you feel like you’re not making progress, you’ll have before/current/after photos to look at to prove you ARE making progress. I also recommend taking pics of your face since that’s one of the first areas to slim down. You’ll thank me later. Personally, I didn’t want someone to be looking on my phone and see these pics, so I keep them in they’re own password protected app on my iPhone (Photo Vault). The photo below shows about a 16 pound difference. Crazy, right?
8.) Only weigh yourself on weigh-in day: I do WW online, so I do not go to meetings to get weighed. I do that on my own, completely naked on Saturday mornings after I pee. However, this is the one and only time I get on the scale each week. I highly recommend only weighing-in on your weigh-in day and the rest of the week stay off the damn scale. It messes with your emotions…don’t do it. Also, I really watch my sodium intake on Thursday and Friday so I don’t screw up my weigh-in.
9.) Set weight loss goals, but not by date: We’ve all fallen prey to the, “I want to lose 20 pounds by my birthday” or “I want to lose 10 pounds by July 4.” I think setting 5 pound goals is GREAT and will keep you motivated. For instance, I have a list on my phone with my “reward” for losing 5, 10, 15, 20, etc. pounds. I went all the way to 50 for now so as not to overwhelm myself, but I didn’t attach dates to them. Some weeks will be great, and some weeks won’t be…and that’s life. My one rule for my rewards is that they cannot and will not ever be food based.
10.) Eat all your points (calories): it seems counterintuitive, but you have to eat to lose weight. On WW, I get 40 points a day (I started out with 45, but every 5 pounds or so you lose a point as you lose weight), AND you also get 42 points extra to use as you’d like that week. I use all of my 40 daily points 98% of the time, and I use most of my 42 extra points often. I listen to my body, and if I am hungry, I eat. Do not starve yourself and go under your points or calories to lose weight faster. It will just backfire. Eat well and enjoy the process.
And a bonus tip…
You’ll know when you’re ready to lose weight. I joined Weight Watchers on a Sunday afternoon as we pulled into a restaurant, and I decided I didn’t want to make the same bad choices I always make. I joined right there in the parking lot, went into the restaurant and ordered grilled chicken and veggies. Before that moment I had thought a lot about losing weight, but wasn’t ready. Nearly 15 weeks later, I can safely say it was a great decision and that I truly love this WW program. It’s actually very easy to follow, although I do have my moments where I miss cocktails, sweets and fried foods.
To save some money on joining Weight Watchers Online, click through Ebates to get about $10 cash back or use my referral link to get $20 to spend at the Weight Watchers Market (online) when you join.
If you have any questions, need support or just want to learn more about the Weight Watchers SmartPoints program, drop them in the comments or shoot me an email. xo.
Melissa (@TheDailyMel)
Sunday 5th of June 2016
Awesome post, Monica. Congrats on your success!!
CurlyKye
Sunday 5th of June 2016
Awesome. I remember THAT post where you couldn't get it figured so I know this is HUGE for you. I'm so proud and so inspired!!
Sandra Fernandez
Sunday 5th of June 2016
Thanks for sharing, Monica. Congratulations and good job!
[email protected] Stroll Thru Life
Saturday 4th of June 2016
Good for you. You have done so good. I just joined WW a week ago, so the tips are wonderful. I want to lose 25 lbs, so hopefully I am on the way.
Kassi Mortensen
Friday 3rd of June 2016
That is awesome Monica!! Go you! And thanks for the tips. I am nursing my son and crave sweets and sodas like they're going out of style! I know it's not healthy for either of us, but so hard to let go!