Sounds like you are an Online ETools member. Weight range 150-174# has a target point of 22 points per day with 35 extra points (Flex Points)a week to use through the week if you need them. I find I use some of my Flex Points each week--especially handy when eating out. Good luck on your weight loss journey!! Susy

As many have said - you've got to be serious about it ... and you're the only one that can do it. One of life's important guidelines is to get more bang for your buck ... so why help fatten WW's coffers? What about putting together a group yourself recruited among folks in various agencies or groups in which you participate, e.g. social, political, religious or sport, etc. and agreeing to meet regularly, and to do your weighing yourselves? Dare I say, "religiously"? The benefit? No fees ... or you could collect some and send the money through some agencies which feed hungry kids in various areas of the world, for thousands die there daily due to lack of food - or poor health, with minimal medical service available. 5%? 10%? of the world is worried/obsesses about being overweight ... while over 50% is hungry. If there's a God ... how do you think that S/He may feel about such a situation? Or about so many of the people who claim to follow Him/Her not doing a great deal more than collecting for food hampers for local needy at Christmas (e.g. massive re-arrangments of the world's economy with a view to greater fairness, more people getting a decent diet)? This issue of overweight, and bad diet (with many more of our kids being overweight than in earlier generations, and more suffering from diabetes) can be potentially life-restricting (even -threatening) for many in our society ... ... but it's immediately life-threatening for millions in many parts of the world ... especially in areas where they've been suffering for several successive years of drought recently. Surplus food hurts us - the lack of it kills them. This is a major part of the reason that our world is as sick as it is. I am sorry that I feel the need to rain on your parade, ladies. ole joyful

I started the year a complete physical mess. I could barely function I was so tired and overweight. Then I decided to get a divorce and felt so good that I lost 30 pounds between January and April. Then my divorce stalled and so has my weight loss BUT I haven't gained back the weight. It's so hard because I know all the tricks and rules of losing weight but that means nothing when I can't get in the right place emotionally. At age 41 I can really look back and say with certainly that this is my own personal secret to weight loss - WW worked briefly, I've lost weight here and there with other methods, but the only time I lost weight and kept it off for a significant length of time was when I was working from the inside out. Of course, I still need to eat less and exercise more to lose weight. I've never had any problem exercising but that isn't going to be the key for most people - eating less is definitely the most important thing. I keep a journal on an other private board but I will definitely start checking in here too if we keep this thread up.

I agree Kathy. It is a proven fact that those who get regular weigh in's that they're held accountable for, and who spend a little more $$ to go to the meetings do much better. The fact that those who stop ANY diet plan and try to do it on their own and gain back all their weight PLUS some speaks volumes for this fact. My own sister is one of those people. She lost over 50#'s on WW's then decided she didn't need them anymore. Even though she was a free lifer! All you need to do to keep that entitlement is show up once a month for a meeting which is 45 minutes of your time and to stay under your goal weight (or no more than 2# over). She not only gained back the 50 pounds, she gained a few extra. Having the support of a few dozen people EACH and EVERY week, hearing their success stories, sharing recipes, sharing where to buy what 'good' foods at a great price, etc., makes a whole lot of difference. This is actually the longest I've ever kept off my weight. Why? Because #1, it did cost me $17.00 a week for 8 months to lose the weight, and #2, the continued support of everyone at the meetings. I don't go every single week, but I do know that when I do go I want to stay under my goal weight so that help enforce my healthy eating. While nobody scolds you for gaining a pound or two, you do see it recorded each time you go and it is a great feeling to know you're still under your goal, or reaching your goal whether it be a tenth of a pound or two pounds a week. And even those people who gain a pound or two get a pat on the back because we encourage them to make a few changes the next week by sometimes just adding more water to your diet and 'flushing' out the weight. Simple things like that. I am also lucky in that I have found the best WW's meetings in Calgary. I hear of so many people complaining about the team leaders and how boring their meetings are. Our team leader could be a stand up comedian. She is so funny that you want to go every week to watch her facial expressions as she tells yet another husband story, or kid story. And to just hear her stories, she's so funny yet so full of information. Everyone who works for WW has been through the program too, so they know what we're going through. Anyways............ unless you've been there and done that, you can't say for sure that 'save your money and do it on your own' works. It doesn't for most people. If it did, weight loss programs wouldn't exist.