Weight Watchers Momentum?

[Angelina]

Hello all!

I was told on Saturday there is a new program which launches tomorrow, that is going to replace both Flex and Core. Since tomorrow is near, I was wondering if any of our resident WW ladies can enlighten us....I can NOT wait till next Saturday!! What is it all about? Please??

Don't make me wait! :D

[suebear37]

We got the same word at the meeting last Wednesday... I'll find out this Wednesday night. The leader said she thinks we'll like it. Looks like there's a little bit of info on the WW website... have you checked that out?

[AZLorena]

Its really not much different. It does combine both Flex and Core....but in a way that is workable for everyone.

Lorena

[Barrie]

It was unveiled to the online members the middle of last week. The other main difference is that activity points are "banked" for the week and they're not deducted (at least w/ the online program) till you have used up your 35 bonus points for the week.

[Chefzhat]

It was unveiled to the online members the middle of last week. The other main difference is that activity points are "banked" for the week and they're not deducted (at least w/ the online program) till you have used up your 35 bonus points for the week.

Another thing is that there is a focus on "filling" foods - eating to maintain satisfaction longer. Basically, more proteins and complex carbs. So imagine if you are a CORE follower, but count the points anyway??? Sorta like that.

[JackieO]

Another thing is that there is a focus on "filling" foods - eating to maintain satisfaction longer. Basically, more proteins and complex carbs. So imagine if you are a CORE follower, but count the points anyway??? Sorta like that.

Yes, our leader "leaked" the details to us about three weeks ago when I brought a new member in for her orientation. It's a combination of the best of Flex and Core. In theory. :rolleyes:

I went to my meeting today and was rather jazzed up about it upon intitial review, but after eating carefully today and in taking a look at all the requirements (I have only 18 pts a day to try to lose the 5-7 lbs I need to get back into Lifetime comfort zone) -- I'm not too happy. I'm pretty sure the cold and snow have something to do with my attitude (I WANT HOT COMFORT FOOD AND A LOT OF IT!) But by the time I consume my calcium (and please, fat-free cheese? No way.), work in the high-fiber/whole grains, a couple of fruits and a little lean protein along with two points of good oil...guess what? I'm eating celery sticks for the rest of the day.

I ate responsibly during the day today (pear, banana muffin for breakfast; glass of V-8 juice mid-morning; one cup of WW-recipe gumbo and a turkey sandwich on light bread with mustard, lettuce, cucumbers and a slice of reduced-fat Provolone cheese for lunch). With a 16-oz water, I was quite happy and lunch stayed with me up until dinner time.

That left me with about 7 points for dinner -- I steamed two small ( 5 oz.) lobster tails for DH and me (2 pts), had 1/2 cup red quinoa (2 pts) and roasted cauliflower, carrots and red onion tossed with olive oil -- I figure that was at least 2 pts because of cooking the carrots and the oil. So, with a glass of wine -- I'm at 19 points for the day. And you know what -- lobster without butter is almost like eating rubber bands. Quinoa even fixed with roasted garlic chicken broth but no sauteed onions/garlic/peppers (which I'm sure would add another point) tastes like dirt. (I washed it before cooking, too.) And the smidgeon of oil on the veggies wasn't enough -- I seasoned them well with salt & pepper, but it was as satisfying as eating cardboard.

So....am I full? Yes. Am I satisfied -- NO WAY.

Must.take.my.mind.off.food.that.tastes.good.

I'm a good cook and I'm careful about balancing fat/fiber/grains and all....maybe I'm just having a bad day. :o

Sorry to be such a downer -- I need to re-group, know that I can use my 35 weekly points a small portion at a time, and recognize that the weight comes off as slowly as it came on!

Time for another view on Momentum....Next?

[Angelina]

I can't wait to hear what she tells us on Saturday!

Jackie, were you doing Flex before? I am in the same situation as you are...just a couple of pounds to get rid of to get back into my Lifetime mode. But I always did Core because I do NOT like counting points.

We'll see. My mother is rather excited about it because she is hoping this will give her a bit of a jump start to lose some more. :)

[JackieO]

Jackie, were you doing Flex before? I am in the same situation as you are...just a couple of pounds to get rid of to get back into my Lifetime mode. But I always did Core because I do NOT like counting points.

We'll see. My mother is rather excited about it because she is hoping this will give her a bit of a jump start to lose some more. :)

I know I shouldn't complain -- I've never really had to lose more than 10 or 15 pounds, but it is difficult to lose weight within your range! Maybe difficult is the wrong word -- it's a s-l-o-w process....

Yes, I did the Flex plan. Core just didn't make any sense to me; while I like most Core foods, I couldn't imagine limiting myself that way. I would burn through my "allowable" points (and you're still counting points! :confused:) within a couple of days.

I grasp the concept of "sustainable" or filling foods, but darn it, I'd like a little snack of cheese and crackers, but that two points will have to be traded off for some other requirement.

Let's see how today goes. I bought the Momentum cookbook yesterday, and DH and I decided to have a fritatta for dinner tonight.

[scout1222]

Ooh, which fritatta are you making? The one with the green chiles in it looked great in the photo.

[JackieO]

Ooh, which fritatta are you making? The one with the green chiles in it looked great in the photo.

Well, being a CL foodie, I combined two recipes! :eek: I used the corn/green chili recipe as the base (used a fresh Anaheim chili instead of the canned things), and I sauteed the pepper with some onion, then added a handful of fresh spinach and 2 T. of crumbled (reduced fat) feta cheese to the mix. I cooked it over medium heat, covered, for 15 minutes and the bottom burned. Not horribly, but next time, I'd probably cook it for 12 minutes and let it sit for five before cutting it.

DH thought it was fine (he grew up with a grandmother who did most of the cooking in their house and she burned things frequently as she got older!) I thought it was pretty good, too. I had a half-cup of black beans with some chopped red pepper as my side; DH is suffering through a cold and the frittata wedge was enough for him. I figure it was 6 or 7 points.

I'm thinking I need to re-orient myself. I grew up in a family where the evening meal was the big one. I also have spent much of the last 10 years or so planning my family time around the evening meal. With DS off at school (and DH and me getting older!), we just don't need that much food at night. In fact, if I snack on a few (and I mean FEW) items while cooking dinner (two slices of Swiss cheese on Triscuits, or a handful of almonds), I often find myself not that hungry by the time we get to the table. So, looking at the breakfast for dinner options might be the way to go.

Easier said than done, esp. with DS coming home from school for several weeks. I'll just have to stock up on healthy snacks for him.

That being said, anyone have ideas for what I can do with 1.5 cups of leftover cooked red quinoa? :eek:

[luckylori]

We had the new program unveiled at our meeting this past Wednesday. Just like the others, I don't see much difference either, other than what has been mentioned...the filling foods. Also, lean proteins have been added to the list of daily requirements. So has activity. The new program also seems to incorporate some of those "eat this not that'' kind of thing.

[suebear37]

One thing our leader mentioned which I really didn't like is that you're supposed to do all your eating within 12 hours of getting up in the morning. Apparently anything outside of that 12 hour window just goes to fat storage. So now I'm supposed to eat dinner at 5PM? :confused:

I mean, I understand the principle behind it but I don't think it's terribly realistic, especially if you have a family. She said if the 12 hour thing is a problem then we should be eating our big meal at lunch. Again, not realistic with a family.

[AZLorena]

Suebear...

I am a WW leader, and no where in our training material on the Momentum plan did it say anything about eating it all within the 12 hours after you wake up. If there are any other leaders out there that can correct me....please point me to where to find that. I think that might be a personal value that your leader has....not what the actual program states. We are trained regularly on making sure the information that we give out at the meeting is "WW program", not "personal values"...but sometimes those do creep in.

Lorena

[Chefzhat]

I went to my meeting today and was rather jazzed up about it upon intitial review, but after eating carefully today and in taking a look at all the requirements (I have only 18 pts a day to try to lose the 5-7 lbs I need to get back into Lifetime comfort zone) -- I'm not too happy. I'm pretty sure the cold and snow have something to do with my attitude (I WANT HOT COMFORT FOOD AND A LOT OF IT!) But by the time I consume my calcium (and please, fat-free cheese? No way.), work in the high-fiber/whole grains, a couple of fruits and a little lean protein along with two points of good oil...guess what? I'm eating celery sticks for the rest of the day.

No kidding. :mad: This is exactly what kills me on WW every time. And my leader says - "are you eating your extra points?" - yeah, like that extra 2 points is going to make a difference in my satisfaction level. Sheesh.

18 points is basically 900 calories. Starvation mode.

[suebear37]

Lorena, I got the impression that it had something to do with the new hunger time chart at the bottom of each page in the new daily tracker?

Maybe she was injecting a personal value, but she really didn't give that impression at the meeting.

[AZLorena]

I will check at our corporate office this week (now I am totally curious)....what the official standpoint is on that and get back to you Sue.

[Angelina]

I went to the first Momentum WW meeting today and there was no mention of the 12 hour thing. The hunger chart does go from 8am to 8pm, but I think that is more out of convenience than anything else...

On a sad note, my WW leader announced today that next Saturday would be her last meeting at our location. :(:(:(
What will I do without her? She has been a constant presence for 3 years now! She is so energetic and funny that I am afraid the leader taking her place will not hold our interest as well. This is tragic!

[JackieO]

On a sad note, my WW leader announced today that next Saturday would be her last meeting at our location. :(:(:(
What will I do without her? She has been a constant presence for 3 years now! She is so energetic and funny that I am afraid the leader taking her place will not hold our interest as well. This is tragic!

We have had this dynamo woman leader at our location for about six years (I've only been there for 2+), and she has been promoted to director of statewide training! :eek::D But, apparently as a condition of her job, she has to keep leading one group a week, and she chose our local Thursday morning group. I swear that there are twice as many people from her across-town location who have switched their meetings times to stay with her and have joined our group.

I attended her Wednesday evening group when she announced that she was leaving, and it was quite emotional.

Didn't mean to hijack the thread....but just wanted to confirm that there are strong bonds within members, not just virtually, but IRL.

PS -- had an awesome dinner tonight of Chili-Crusted Scallops, roasted asparagus (you can just brush the asparagus with oil -- no need to drench it in olive oil) and a roasted eggplant crostini.

[JackieO]

18 points is basically 900 calories. Starvation mode.

For real? No wonder I cheat a little on my wine habit. :D

At the dentist's office yesterday, I was flipping thru a People magazine and saw a spread about the calorie intake of a few stars. Can't remember who specifically, but most of them were in the 1,200-1,400 range. I thought THAT was starvation mode! :eek:

[AZLorena]

You really can't translate points directly to calories. I agree that 18 points is low, but if you are making an effort to use higher fiber foods...and fruits and veggies in there....your calorie intake will be higher.

[aggie94]

You really can't translate points directly to calories. I agree that 18 points is low, but if you are making an effort to use higher fiber foods...and fruits and veggies in there....your calorie intake will be higher.

That's true, but on average, a point translates to about 50 calories, and I've found that that does tend to be true with your "average" foods (taking out the extremes on both ends). I've pointed a day and also calorie counted for the same day just to see how close they are, and unless I'm eating Cheetos and McDonald's or something like that, for the most part, my 20-point days = 1000 calories. I agree that's not enough for most people, even when you're trying to lose, which is why I generally eat all of my activity points (which you earn at a rate of 1 for every 100 (not 50) calories burned).

You have to be flexible with WW. Some people can eat their daily points, their activity points, and some/most/all of their weekly Flex points and still lose. Others have to stick strictly to the daily points, exercise but not eat their activity points, and not use the Flex points in order to lose. Everyone is different and you have to find the balance that works for you. I think if you're making wise food choices, you can eat more than 18 points/day and still lose, particularly if you are also exercising.

[KristaMB]

At the dentist's office yesterday, I was flipping thru a People magazine and saw a spread about the calorie intake of a few stars. Can't remember who specifically, but most of them were in the 1,200-1,400 range. I thought THAT was starvation mode! :eek:

I did WW once years ago, and was starving at 18 points a day. I had never counted the calories, but if that is around 900 no wonder I didn't make it! I've been going to a boot camp program where the trainer recommends no more than 1400 calories a day. At first I was always starving, but I've really been learning to make better choices with my 1400 calories. And since that is what the stars eat, I'm sure I'll be looking like them in no time. ;):rolleyes:

[SusanPC]

I should probably officially rejoin b/c I am slack when I don't have to go stand on a scale in front of a stranger....

Do they still have core and flex or is it all just this momentum thing? If I want to stay in my points one day....but do so by eating a small amount of crap and stay within points is that still "ok" on the plan....or, is it more like core w/in pts now? Hope this makes sense.

[JackieO]

I should probably officially rejoin b/c I am slack when I don't have to go stand on a scale in front of a stranger....

Do they still have core and flex or is it all just this momentum thing? If I want to stay in my points one day....but do so by eating a small amount of crap and stay within points is that still "ok" on the plan....or, is it more like core w/in pts now? Hope this makes sense.

Yes, that discipline that comes with being weighed by someone else is what makes the program work for me! :eek:

Momentum, as I understand it, sort of combines the best of Core and Flex -- you will be counting points, however. But it takes the concept of "sustainability" from the Core program by focusing on "filling foods" and the flexibility of Flex by allowing you to eat what you want. My gripe is that with all the new stuff you are supposed to consume in a given day, with 18 points, you have pressure little flexibility.

I realize in retrospect I was being too rigid/literal with the program on my first day when I ate my lobster tail without butter. :eek: But even with careful planning that day, if I wanted to stay within my rigid 18 points, I couldn't have it.

I've just come to accept that notion that losing 5-7 lbs is going to take a while. It's not life or death, I just want to fit more comfortably in my clothes and get back into a better eating habit (I almost always make good choices -- it's the portions and the wine that do me in!)

[scout1222]

I'm with Lorena - that eating within 12 hours thing IS NOT IN THE PROGRAM. That would have been a huge change and sure wouldn't help in creating a "liveable" plan in my book.

[JackieO]

I guess this situation is my own fault in that I did <limited> research to plan my day today, but didn't check in with the Momentum geniuses. :eek:

I'm travelling -- was supposed to have a business lunch and then drive to Milwaukee to spend the night in preparation for meetings and a holiday get-together tomorrow afternoon. Lunch today was cancelled, so I was thrilled to go home and eat some leftover WW gumbo (4 points) and a WW yogurt (1 pt). Reviewed the on-line menu for the restaurant I planned to eat in tonight -- grilled salmon on greens with balsamic vinaigrette and goat cheese crumbles. It is freakin' cold here, so I ordered a cup of chicken noodle soup as a starter. Came back to my room and found out that 1) chicken noodle soup isn't considered a "filling food" and is 3 points for a cup; 2) a salmon fillet/steak is NINE points! :eek: To add insult to injury, I figured since salmon is loaded with Omega3 and good fat, it would count as a "oil" in my healthy living check boxes. Guess again! It doesn't. At least it's a "filling food." :rolleyes:

A word to the WW-wise: Just because you've been with the Core or Flex program for a while, don't presume to "know" the Momentum program. :o

A couple caveats are in order here -- the A-Z food guide lists a 6-oz salmon fillet/steak as 9 points; I'm pretty sure the portion I had was more like 4-oz. And my day isn't all that bad. Upon check-in, I learned that I was the "Choice Privileges Guest of the Day" and had my name listed on the marquee -- free room upgrade (suite w/whirlpool) and a complimentary drink or movie. (I took the drink!) ;)