Weight watchers offers two different diets to choose from that are proven to help you lose weight. But if you are finding that your weight loss is minimal over a few weeks, than it is time to maximize your weight loss on Weight Watchers by putting a new leg forward.
Maximize your fiber
It is no secret that fiber is more filling than sugar. If you are feeling like you are starving all the time, than perhaps you should look at your food diary for a week (if you aren’t keeping one, than start one today). Are you choosing good foods or just snacking? Increase your fiber by eating heartier meals. This might be easier on the Core plan, but even on the Flex plan it is important. Make sure your bread is high fiber (with 3 grams of fiber or more), and maximize your snacking by staying away from sugary foods. Find foods that you like to eat within the fruit and vegetable groups and keep these on hand. An apple will give you only 80 calories (2 points) and fill you up until dinner more than a snack pack of cookies for the same points value would. This way you will be more prone to stay satisfied for longer on your points or daily allotments and not feel like you need to eat to your maximum every day.
Maximize Weight Loss by Adjusting your Weekly Allowance
The weekly points allowance for both diets is a great idea to help motivate you to stay on your diet even when you consume more than your daily points. But if you consume all of your daily and weekly points for the whole week, you will find that your weight loss is usually very low on a weekly basis (probably a fraction of a pound). Weight Watchers encourages you to use them if you would like, but if you don’t you can maximize your weight loss each week. The diet they had only a few years ago didn’t include these weekly points and most folks were able to lose at least a pound per week with exercise. You can maximize your weight loss on Weight Watchers if you will vary your points used every week (including only using a few of your weekly points and eating to your maximum daily points only a few times a week), or on the Core plan, you will need to pay close attention to your bodies signals of hunger and satisfaction. On the Core plan you can still eat sugary foods by using your weekly points; but if you use your weekly points on wheat based tortillas, high fiber bread, and other healthier choices, you will find that your weight loss will also be maximized.
Try to mix up what you eat on a daily and weekly basis, so you are varying your food intake and your body isn’t adjusting to say on a maintenance level.
Maximize Weight Loss by Exercising
It doesn’t take a genius to figure this out, but it does take some discipline to actually do it. Try to use all 28 activity points each week; if you aren’t doing much now, than work your way up to 28 by setting increasing goals each week. You can vary your exercise by doing longer sessions of cardio at least three days a week and do strength training at least two days a week. Sometimes all you need to maximize your weight loss is to change your intensity and manner of exercise. Don’t worry about gaining weight because of increasing muscle; if you follow the diet, you will still be able to lose fat and gain muscle without gaining weight.
There are exceptions for people who can’t exercise due to pre-existing health conditions. If you are under this category, try to find some type of exercise that will be approved by your doctor and do it faithfully. Every little bit helps.
Even if you have been only losing a fraction of a pound each week, you can start to maximize your weight loss on Weight Watchers by trying out the ideas previously discussed. Be sure to stay within the good health guidelines, and you will be well on your way to a healthier you.
