no activity points in the first 2 weeks?

[jbcolucci]

I am on my 2nd week of WW, my third meeting is on Tues.
I am a regular exerciser (3 - 4) times a week and I am not supposed to be counting exercise pointsyet :bcb_march . But I know about them and see them on my booklet, etc.
Is there a reason we don't use them the first few weeks?
Today I exercised for 40 min and I have been starving all day!

just curious,
Jennifer

[reelriot]

The ww program is set for the average newbie-who will typically be non-active and it gives them 3 weeks to get used to the program- but if you are already active you will probably have to eat more from the beginning. The material will be given to you in your next meeting anyway as it is week 3. But the slider already has the calculations on one side of it- so you can use it right away. YOu just add you activity pts to your daily pts and have more to eat.

Good Luck

[nancyny]

I think the main reason for not messing with APs at first is many people have enough to think about just getting used to the WW program, checking out the food lists, figuring and counting Points, learning to plan meals, keeping a food journal, etc. Adding APs can just make them feel overwhelmed.

Also if you are just starting out, it's best to change one thing at a time. WW has you change your eating habits and then add activity. If you're already active, you just did those things in the other order.

If you think you can figure out the Program and use APs, I don't think there's any reason you can't do that.

[jbcolucci]

ok that's kind of what I thought. Yesterday I had to use my activity points. I was so hungry! I'm trying not to use them, but it's good to know that i can!
thanks,
Jennifer :bcb_bravo

[Luanne]

The way my leader explains it is that although WWers wants you to start exercising, they don't want you using the APs right away in order to maximize your weight loss the first few weeks. Personally I think it's as others have said, that it's to give you time to get used to the program.

[CW]

I'm an advocate for using All (or most) of our points, including Activity Points and the Weekly Points Allowence (WPA).
If you are comfortable with how to calculate them and feel you know the program I see no harm in using them.
Many new members need to take time to not only learn the program but to assess carefully if the CAN exercise yet. I feel you are past that point already.

Good luck and congrats for getting busy with your health.

You are worth the effort.:salut
CW

[Miss Emily]

I really need some help with the whole concept of eating or not eating my flex points and my activity points. Week One I only at my allotted 20 points a day, and lost 2.4 pounds. Week Two (thanksgiving week!) I ate my 20 points plus nearly all my flex points, and lost .2 pounds. I haven't been eating my activity points but in using the online tools, my activity points are deducted for me before they dip into the flex points. Do you actually lose weight when you're eating the activity and/or flex points?
Thanks for everyone's help with this. I really appreciate your thoughts and experience!!

[nancyny]

One of the hardest parts of WW is assuming that your WI results reflect your work in the past week. It just isn't necessarily true. There are other factors, from water retention to hormones to stress, that come into play, and they are not well understood. We do know that if you work the program, over the long term the weight comes off. It can take several weeks for the results of your hard work to show up on the scale.

I know I lose weight every other week pretty much no matter what I do. And I lose best if I eat every Point I have coming to me.

In particular, if I don't eat my Activity Points I can be very hungry the next day, and if that happens it is very difficult to control my eating.

In many of our experience, the more you can eat to lose, the more satisfied you will be and the easier time you will have on maintenance.

Don't be afraid of the optional Points. They are part of the WW program. They are designed to be used so you don't have to eat the same amount or the same things every day.

[Miss Emily]

Thank you Nancy, that is very helpful! I need to be patient and realize that I am in this for the long-term, developing better eating habits and getting healthier. I read an article last night in a fitness magazine that said for good long-term weight loss, you shouldn't be losing more than one pound a week. While that makes my goal look that much further away, it also helps keep things in perspective. Thanks!