Weight Watchers and Bodybuilding

[dmccomas]

Does anyone out there do weight watchers and bodybuild? I am on weight watchers right now and I am beginning to wonder if I may be starving myself. Any takers?

[matthor]

not real familiar with what weight watchers involves, but what are you eating? And what si your training scehdule

[Vipersg123]

weight watchers is only good for people who need a support group. All you should be doing is watching your calories.

[Pilotgirl29]

I tried weight watchers and got smaller ad squishier (don't think that's a word). Was good for weight loss, but not fat loss. Too much pity party stuff too. I could never keep up with my current level of activity on the calories that program allowed me. Just my take on it. I am now losing fat and seeing my shape change SIGNIFICANTLY on about 400 calories/day more than WW allowed.

[dmccomas]

I dont do the meetings... I just do the points system.

as for what I eat:
breakfast - plain oatmeal, bananna, skim milk, 3 eggs, yogurt

Lunch - pb and j on whole wheat bread, corn chips, pickles, orange, (any veggies and fruit really) chicken breast

Snack - Peanuts, more fruit, cliff bars...

Dinner - Non-creamy soups corn or green beans, flank steaks or grilled chicken

snack - popcorn, hummus, corn chips


I dont eat all things at the same time or every sitting, but those are basically the things I usually eat.

[BlueBeau]

I did weight watchers because my mom forced me to way back in my sophomore year of high school. I am glad she did, because I needed the intervention. It helped me lose weight for a while and I plateaued but it did help me "shrink my stomach" so to speak(After a while I found myself getting full on a lot less food), and start picking foods with more fiber. Because on weight watchers it costs less "points" to eat things with fiber. The problem with weight watchers is that as long as you stay within your "points" you are still "doing the program", which means you can eat crap. I remember eating a **** load of popsicles, and being like omgz popsicles are only one point each hell yeah! So then half of my day's calories would be from popsicles. That was way back when I didn't know anything, which really wasn't that long ago, probly like four years ago.

And yeah, I would always wear a big hat and sun glasses between the car and the door for weigh in because weight watchers was less than a block from my high school. Overall I'd say it was a good thing. But it's mostly for old ladies who want to be "skinny".

[KingOfChaos]

Weight watchers isn't designed for bodybuilding..

[ScottC]

Originally Posted by dmccomas

Does anyone out there do weight watchers and bodybuild? I am on weight watchers right now and I am beginning to wonder if I may be starving myself. Any takers?

You are severely undereating. I did WW and lost a bunch of weight. When I started to lift again and found this site, I learned I was doing it wrong. Today I eat 1300 more calories than I did on WW and I am losing fat...not just weight.

[dmccomas]

Wow... I see. I wasn't sure if that was the case or not. I guess I can see what your saying.

[ScottC]

Originally Posted by dmccomas

Wow... I see. I wasn't sure if that was the case or not. I guess I can see what your saying.

When I ended my time with WW, I was supposed to eat 1300 cals a day. Even taking exercise points into account and all 35 "bonus" points boosted me to like 1550 cals. Far below my BMR of 1947cals or my maintanence cals of 3100. Like I said, I eat 2600 cals a day now and I am losing on a regular basis.

[|ceman]

Originally Posted by dmccomas

Does anyone out there do weight watchers and bodybuild? I am on weight watchers right now and I am beginning to wonder if I may be starving myself. Any takers?

When I first started out trying to lose weight last year, I was doing WW. I didn't attend meetings or that crap, but my wife got the books and points calculators from some of her co-workers who did the complete program. I learned quickly what foods had 0 or 1 points and put a lot of them in my diet. I was eating a LOT of vegetables (mostly broccoli, green peppers, carrots and salsa) as snacks. I ate sensible meals and allowed myself a "cheat" day Fridays for lunch when I would eat out wherever I wanted.

I lost a lot of weight on WW this way, however not until a few months had gone by did I find out more about nutrition and fitness. While the WW points system promotes high fiber content foods which help to fill you up, it is not very kind on protein and healthy fats, hence your diet will be out of balance. One of the other posters is correct, in that it allows you to eat serious junk food, "as long as you count the points".

I also quickly found that there was no way I was getting anywhere near enough protein for bodybuilding (or even general good health). I stopped WW and started eating like a bodybuilder. I was able to bulk up with some size over the winter without gaining a pound of bodyweight, so I lost fat and gained muscle in the process!

A better recommendation would be to check out the abundance of info here on this forums and the articles. Put together a diet plan that lets you feed the muscles, but starve the fat. Unfortunately with WW you starve the fat AND muscles.

[depo12]

Originally Posted by ScottC

You are severely undereating. I did WW and lost a bunch of weight. When I started to lift again and found this site, I learned I was doing it wrong. Today I eat 1300 more calories than I did on WW and I am losing fat...not just weight.

yeah often times weight watches doesn't have you eating enough calories, and you can basically eat whatever you want (bad food) and stay within the points, so it doesn't help...although you have to realize that people have totally different metabolisms and eating 2600 could cause a person of your same exact size gain weight, so just watch what you're doing...it's very hard to find your correct maintenance/weight loss calorie intake without going into starvation or eating too much

[DarinK]

Originally Posted by dmccomas

I dont do the meetings... I just do the points system.

as for what I eat:
breakfast - plain oatmeal, bananna, skim milk, 3 eggs, yogurt

Lunch - pb and j on whole wheat bread, corn chips, pickles, orange, (any veggies and fruit really) chicken breast

Snack - Peanuts, more fruit, cliff bars...

Dinner - Non-creamy soups corn or green beans, flank steaks or grilled chicken

snack - popcorn, hummus, corn chips


I dont eat all things at the same time or every sitting, but those are basically the things I usually eat.

Reevaluate your diet. Ditch the corn chips. How many carbs are in that lunch? A good lunch would be a chicken breast sandwich on whole wheat with lettuce and tomato with a serving of nuts. Instead of a "snack", how about a small meal of fibrous carbs, protein and healthy fats? Where is your post workout shake? Add a healthy fat to dinner. Instead of a snack after dinner, eat a prebed meal. Cottage cheese+fats is always good. Add more veggies and throw in some fish oil on this diet.

[lordofchaos]

Originally Posted by depo12

yeah often times weight watches doesn't have you eating enough calories, and you can basically eat whatever you want (bad food) and stay within the points, so it doesn't help...although you have to realize that people have totally different metabolisms and eating 2600 could cause a person of your same exact size gain weight, so just watch what you're doing...it's very hard to find your correct maintenance/weight loss calorie intake without going into starvation or eating too much

yes, but it is a general thing that most people of a similar size and weight will have a similar RMR and depending on activity level, a similar maintence. Of course if one is a competative bicycle racer and one is a couch potato and they both weigh the same, well... one of them is going to have a much higher maintenence.... otherwise, generally it is not to far off...

And generals is what ScottC is talking about, WW takes you and puts on a severe caloric restriction that no one near his size should be eating (unless you are a 120ish lbs or lighter and sit around all day, a 1300 calorie diet is not for you)

Baasically in general, WW underfeeds you and doesn't give you near the level of protein you need to be active and keep/build muscle... However, with that said, some of their recepies in the 20 min meals and other cook books are really good, with more chicken added to up the caloric and protein content of course

[dmccomas]

I take a ton of flax seed oil a day and I do a 50mg protein shake after workout and I load proteins on legs day. is this any better? Also, my main goal right now is to cut out a good amount of fat, like 15 to 20 pounds.

[ScottC]

Originally Posted by dmccomas

I take a ton of flax seed oil a day and I do a 50mg protein shake after workout and I load proteins on legs day. is this any better? Also, my main goal right now is to cut out a good amount of fat, like 15 to 20 pounds.

Read the stickies in the Losing Fat and Nutrition forums. They have lots of good info for you...including pre,during, & PWO nutrition, You need to find out what you should be eating for calories per day and design a plan to do that.

[erzsebet_1560]

I have done weight watchers for 2 years and have lost 150lbs. I started body building about 5 months ago and I am so use to "points" that it's just become the way I eat. I count points and still manage to get 1 gram of protein per lb. and eat whole grain carbs. You can make it work, but i would really think about what you eat before you eat it. Like many posters have said, there is too much freedom with it, so you have to make the right choices.. Use all of your extra points and activity points. If I don't count points, I always overeat so I will continue to count away!
Good Luck!

[erzsebet_1560]

I have done weight watchers for 2 years and have lost 150lbs. I started body building about 5 months ago and I am so use to "points" that it's just become the way I eat. I count points and still manage to get 1 gram of protein per lb. and eat whole grain carbs. You can make it work, but i would really think about what you eat before you eat it. Like many posters have said, there is too much freedom with it, so you have to make the right choices.. Use all of your extra points and activity points. If I don't count points, I always overeat so I will continue to count away!
Good Luck!

[tattooboiee]

I have been on weight watcher for about 6 months now. I have no problem with the meals and my workout plan. It has got me in the best shape of my life for the most part.

[jlongo]

I have been on Weight Watchers on and off for many years, and have also been into bodybuilding on and off for many years--all I can offer you yungins' is the benefit of my experience. I am 48, and female. I highly recommend a good basic knowledge of bodybuilding nutrition first (a book like Tosca Reno's new "Eat Clean Diet" is great) That being said, Weight Watchers is a fantastic tool to help you eat clean, and keep your calories down--I highly recommend it for women...Men who are bodybuilders, simply shouldn't limit themselves with a plan like WW, just eat as much as want, plenty of protein and veggies, whole grains and no crap...Women (especially over 40) are not so lucky and must be EXTREMELY careful about their calorie intake. Tosca Reno's advice combined with the calorie limits of Weight Watchers is absolutely ideal. There is much science and intelligence behind the points system, don't dismiss it (don't forget to add in your activity points and then EAT ALL YOUR POINTS with lean proteins, fruits and veggies etc.)

[Leem38]

I joined Weight Watchers 4 weeks ago and have lost 11.2 pounds. Furthermore, I feel fantastic. I get 35 points for my age, weight, activity level, etc, and that is plenty for a day. I also get the 35 points a week.

I have not noticed any difference in my strength at the gym. I still get a lot of protein, mainly in the form of egg whites and beans (you can have three egg whites for only 1 WW point). I usually have a 6 egg white omlette in the morning with some fresh fruit to get me going and then throughout the day have introduced a lot more vegetables into my diet. I mostly don't eat meat anymore, but I get lots of protein through beans and legumes in general, as well as egg whites. I feel just as strong as I have ever.

I quit working out about 5 years ago and just started back this summer. I was only able to bench press 115 measley pounds in June and I am already back up to 230 and this is basically without meat (I love meat but have a hard time controlling how much I eat, so I eat it about once a month now and let myself have as much as I want at that time)

To me, Weight Watchers is fantastic, but with any way of eating, you have to use your head......and they do have recommendations for how many fruits, veggies, etc you should shoot for in the day. Yeah, you can eat junk, but they don't promote that or anything. I actually like the diet because it is not exclusionary--if ya gotta have that cake or pizza or Snickers or whatever, you can, but everything has a point value. Anyway, it is working for me......if I felt weaker in the gym I would stop in a heartbeat, but it is not happening....

So now I'm 210 even, was 221.2 on August 4th, and am shooting for around 185. We'll see how it (Weight Watchers) and bodybuilding goes....but so far so good.

[Danny1911]

Originally Posted by dmccomas

Does anyone out there do weight watchers and bodybuild? I am on weight watchers right now and I am beginning to wonder if I may be starving myself. Any takers?

how many points do you get a day?

[ZidaneValor]

Originally Posted by Danny1911

how many points do you get a day?

This is a two year old thread, and he hasn't made a post in 18 months.

[cpursx]

If you're gonna go thru the trouble of counting points, you might as well count calories instead.