A No-Brainer... Tracking!

I hope you see the value, as I do, in this article that I found recently on the Weight Watchers UK site - the comments in [parenthesis] are mine; clarification, interpretation and conversion of UKisms into USisms.

Tracking for weight loss triumph 
Article By: Sylvie Donna

Tracking is key to long term weight loss success.

If you've got out of the tracking habit, or have trouble keeping a record of your weight loss journey it may be a good time to re evaluate your approach.

Tracking can help you in many ways.  Take the time to assess your tracking and your goals and what's worked for you in previous weight loss weeks, and get back on track all the way to goal.

• If you have Monthly Pass and access to eSource [eTools], or are a subscriber to Weight Watchers Online, make sure you're using the ProPoints [PointsPlus] Tracker .
  This allows you to easily find the ProPoints [PointsPlus] values of everything you eat (in food or recipes). You also get a week’s overview of your budget so you can check how you're using your daily and weekly ProPoints [PointsPlus] allowance each day simply by checking your Plan Manager dashboard at the top of your Tracker.

A tool for understanding yourself
Looking back at previous weeks of your weight loss journey will help you work out what has worked best for you. Consider a few key questions:

• How many ProPoints [PointsPlus] values do you usually need for breakfast, lunch and dinner?
• On your most successful days, do you use any ProPoints [PointsPlus] values for snacks?
• Which times of the day/week are your troublespots?
• When and how do you use your weekly ProPoints [PointsPlus] allowance most successfully?
• 
  

In weeks where you haven’t lost any weight, tracking records will also help you to work out possible reasons. All this will help you plan more effectively for future weeks.

If you've no time to plan or lack inspiration, try repeating a previously successful week of meals and snacks, to stay motivated. Tracking will also help you feel a sense of achievement, each week of tracking is a mini goal in itself, along your weight loss journey all the way to goal.

Other tracking options

• If you prefer a paper based record try My Journal [Ultimate 3 Month Journal] - a personal 12 week weight loss diary [journal].
• A ProPoints [PointsPlus] Calculator or ProPoints [PointsPlus] Clicker is ideal if you just want a handy way of counting down ProPoints [PointsPlus] values as you use them, without recording every detail of what you consume.
• You can use other, more creative methods too... You could put £1 [$1] aside every day you stay on track and use the money at the end of each week or month to treat yourself. (If there’s almost nothing there, you’ll need to consider changing the other tracking methods you’re using.)
• Or how about taking photos of yourself or all your meals every Saturday?  Keep all your photos in a file and you’ll have a sobering way of reminding yourself of your progress, as you continue along your weight loss journey.

This week's meeting topic:  Sipping Surprises.

Has this ever happened to you?  A friend invites you out to dinner.  You suggest going out for coffee or cocktails instead because you think it will help you save PointsPlus values.  But you find yourself slurping down the equivalent of an entire meal... Crazy huh, but it happens...

Product of the week:

While much of this meeting focuses on drinks that can derail you, remember that we sell one right in the meeting room that can keep you on track.  Our Smoothies are a cool choice on a hot summer day; plus, they help you fulfill the dairy portion of the Good Health Guidelines. 

Take 25% off a Smoothie purchase this week!   7 Envelopes in each Box, 2 PPV per envelope, usually $7.50 - this week for $5.65

3 of the Best!

This week I'd like this blog to help struggling members.  
Please can you click on the "Post a Comment" section below and write to me giving your "3 of the Best!"  That's the THREE must have pantry or fridge items you cannot live without, foods that help you with your weight management.   To qualify, they should be easy find, inexpensive and an appropriate PPV item.  If they're a little more unusual, please include a source or market where folks may find them and, if appropriate, give a description of the item


Here are 3 from me to get the ball rolling:
Avocado
Shrimp
Reduced Fat Feta Cheese

Let me know yours and I'll post them for all.


And finally:
Success is achieved by developing our strengths, not by eliminating the weaknesses.   ~ Marilyn vos Savant