Getting familiar with Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers Online has really opened my eyes. I haven't been using it a full week yet, and already I'm learning that all foods are not equal. I'm learning that portion sizes matter. I'm learning that I don't have to pig out to feel full. And, most importantly, I'm learning that I don't have to ever feel hungry to lose weight.

I really like that the POINTS Tracker has a function that allows users to think about their hunger level before and after eating. I find that it really makes me think about how hungry I actually was prior to eating, and how satisfied I can be after eating even a modest portion. Plus, Weight Watchers marks filling foods with a green icon. It's always nice to have the green light to eat, and that's precisely what these filling foods are.

I'd say the single best thing about Weight Watchers I've found is that it teaches you how to eat in a more healthy way without losing track of the realities of everyday life. Nothing is off limits. I like that about the program. But, as I've learned, certain foods just aren't worth having. Sure, I could have a piece of cake, but it's just not worth it when I consider the alternatives. There are so many other foods that I could have more of for that amount of points.

I'm finding that the system can actually be enjoyable. I'm a sports guy, so I really get into games and competition. Weight Watchers is a strategy to eat and live better. The online program is pretty much a daily scoreboard. It calculates a daily points target for one's height, weight and other factors. Points can be traded for activity.

The other day I was thinking about how this is like fantasy games. Many people like to play fantasy sports online. Well, this is sort of the same deal. If anything, the stakes are much higher because you're dealing with your health. What do you get if you win your fantasy baseball league? Maybe a few dollars, maybe just bragging rights. Losing weight and being healthy easily trumps that for me.

It didn't take long for me to become familiar with the interface for the tracker. Help messages frequently popped up to help me get the basics down. Before long, I was just as nimble with the tracker as I am with Facebook. The layout is clean, and everything I need is easy to find.

I've already banked a number of favorite foods. I'm also working on adding favorite meals and recipes. Some of my favorites are zero points, as long as I stay within the portion limits. For example, I like black coffee without any sweeteners added. That's zero points. Uncooked carrots are also zero. I have already found many foods that I've always liked are only one, two or three points when consumed in moderation.

I've known for some time which foods were good and which were bad, but now I have the knowledge to track my intake of these foods. I'm not guessing anymore. I'm not going hungry, and I'm not doing anything unhealthy. In fact, the tracker has a section called healthy checks. It allows me to check off liquids, milk products, fruits and vegetables, multivitamins and whole grains, to name just a few.

Weight Watchers could have easily been named "Weight Watchers for Dummies." It couldn't be any easier. I'm already feeling better. My clothes are fitting better. And the scale tells me five pounds have already disappeared. Five pounds, gone in thin air. All I have to do now is follow this insanely simple program, and that five pounds will turn into fifty.