Tips to Limit the Damage at WI

This time of year can be a nightmare for WW. We have had Valentines Day, Mothers Day, Paddys Day, Easter, bank holidays, Fathers Day all in the space of a few weeks. Not to mention it is Communion and Confirmation season as well. Before we know it we are into Summer and for the lucky people, this means holidays. Who knows what the weather will be like but even if the slightest ray breaks through the clouds that will mean BBQs and beer gardens.
What does all this mean for WW? It can mean gaining a stone if we are not careful. Some people will say you cannot let WW rule your life. On the other hand, I remember seeing this phrase at a meeting once, 'you must give up the life you have to get the life you want'. These are at different ends of the advice spectrum but I believe that it is about finding a balance somewhere in the middle.
So you have had a bad weekend and your WI is coming up either on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Here is what not to do. DO NOT SKIP YOUR WI! That is the worse thing you can do. Weight loss is not linear. If you had a perfect week before your bad weekend, then that good week may just show up on the scales. Alternatively, you could get lucky and stay the same. Or the worse happens and you gain.
If you skip your WI, your bad weekend may still cause a gain the following week, no matter how good you are. This will only demotivate you and could lead to you giving up or going on a weeks binge. If you WI as normal, straight after your bad weekend, then if you are up you are up. You can draw a line under it and focus on losing for your next WI. At least then you do not have to fear your bad weekend catching up on you the following week and you will most likely see a loss.
Leaders are human themselves. They know that you have lives to live and that it is unrealistic to have constant losses week in week out. If you fear weighing in with your leader, if possible find another class. If you really do not want to WI then you can still attend your meeting, free of charge. I would definitely recommend attending as it will set you in the right frame of mind for a new week.

I have been gathering tips on how to limit the damage prior to a WI. These are not infallible and are not recommended by WW. They are just tips I have picked up from various sources.

1. Increase your exercise and water intake (obvious I know!)

2. Try a 5:2 day. I will do a blog about this in more detail at a later stage as I will be giving it a go next week. It involves eating 500 calories 2 days a week and normally for 5 days. If you are following WW, then on a normal day you would stick to your daily allowance. It could be an option to do a day or two before your WI if you have had a bad weekend.

3. Reduce your dailies to 26 propoints. If you are on 26 propoints, this is not an option for you as 26 is the minimum points that you can consume. If you are on a high number of points, I would not recommend dropping to 26 propoints. Instead you should cut your intake by about 4 propoints. It is important to note that this is not a sustainable plan and should only be used every so often. If you use this regularly, your weight loss will eventually plateau.

4. Low carb, high protein and veg meals. Consider having meals such as grilled chicken and roasted veg. Zero point soups can be a life saver in this situation as well.

5. Goes without saying but avoid all junk food, fizzy drinks etc until after your WI.

6. Technically on the ProPoints plan you cannot save your daily points and carry them over. However if you are really stuck then it is an option. At the end of the week you will still have consumed the same amount of points (calories) and this is what matters. It is not a sustainable plan and it is only recommended as a last resort.

7. Detox. There are all forms of detox methods out there. Some people say that detox is a myth, unnecessary and does not work. I personally have never done one so I cannot comment either way. Google is your best friend for information on detox diets. For a more simplified 'detoxing', hot water with lemon or green tea are said to be good aids.

8. Avoid salty foods and excess salt. Salt can lead to water retention which may be a factor in your result on the scale.

If you plan in advance and you are clever with your planning, then you should not find yourself fearing your next WI. If you do then you have to ask yourself the question, was it worth it? If the answer is yes, then smile at the memories and move on. Go and weigh in. Take whatever the scale says and look forward to your next WI. If the answer was no, it was not worth it, then you need to decide if the life you are currently living is more important than the life you want. If come Monday morning you are regretting the weekend you had, then you need to take measures to plan and be more careful with your food and alcohol intake.
Everyone's life is different. Our weight loss journey is personal to us. No-one can do it for us and no-one can make our decisions for us. I'll leave you with one of my favourite quotes, 'nothing tastes as good as skinny jeans feel' Jillian Michaels, The Biggest Loser US trainer.