Core => More Relaxed Program?

[jmmoon]

I've noticed some things recently:

I post daily on the WW Lifetimers board. Many lifers post there about struggles with their programs, anxieties over re-gain, etc. Most of the lifers who say that they are on Core seem much more at ease with their food management.

I work at a WW meeting for people who have 50 pounds+ to lose. There seems to be a larger proportion of Core proponents there. Consistently, when Core people take big awards---e.g. last night we had an 80+ and a 100+ loss award.--they mention how wonderfully free and content they feel on Core. That it's not faster or anything, but that they don't stress over food anymore. I don't hear the same from the Flexers.

Both of those sets of experiences echo how I feel on Core. Am I cured? Heck NO! Give me a bowl of mixed nuts in a group situation and I will compulsively reach for it over and over. Do I worry and stress about such things? Heck NO! I feel confident about the balance that the Core program has brought to my life.

I don't know where I'm going with this...I just was reflecting on it this morning and feel good about it. Since a week after I made Lifetime I've wanted to lose another 5 pounds or so. I wanted it to be slow so I've added WPAs to slow it down. But I have lost nothing in 5 weeks according to the scale. Gee, I didn't mean that slow! But I've thought it out---I have gotten smaller in that time according to my clothes. If the numbers drop, they drop. They aren't going up! I can walk into the store like I did yesterday and choose size 4 and small clothes off the rack and almost all will fit perfectly. And I feel great!
I'll just trust Core and keep doing what I'm doing and enjoy my life.

Peace...jmm

[luv2core]

I agree! I am much more relaxed feeling with Core than I ever was with Flex points. I think a big reason is that Core is really the foods that I prefer and with Flex I was always having to make sure that I got enough points in and was not going into starvation. I also lost a lot faster and consistently on Core than I ever did on Flex.

[Lesley1]

You have said it all so well. I didn't see how I'd get through the rest of my life counting, weighing, measuring, never really knowing if I was hungry. On Core, I no longer am in a continued state of anxiety over whether I can keep this up for the rest of my life. I can.

[JenInCA]

I agree! So many things are positive about Core. I love grocery shopping now! I used to just hate it; now I love going to Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, or the natural foods store, and finding really tasty nutritious foods for the whole family. I'm not obsessing anymore. I was always starving on Flex. Now when I get hungry, I eat. What a concept!
I have a few pounds to go before I'm back to my Lifetime weight, but I'm thinking this time, for the first time, I'll be able to keep doing the program, for life. It is totally doable, and enjoyable. I love it!

[dennes]

jmm--Your insightful comments make me feel hopeful.

[pat5031]

agree 100% with you and everyone! I am so relaxed on Core, (really very mellow) no stressing over food, counting pts and jr. this is definitely a plan for a healthy lifestyle for life. ;D

[ema2two]

Your post has really given me encouragement.

I've been on points for essentially 3 years (since 5/7/2002) and lost 93 lbs in 14 months to get back to goal. I was a relapsed lifer when I came back, with about 4x my original weight loss to lose. I didn't mind the weighing and measuring or journaling. I just came to see it as 'what it took' to succeed, like brushing my teeth. I became pregant just as I got back to goal, and continued to weigh, measure and journal through my pregnancy. I just modified my points target as recommended by my doctor based on my weight gain and activity level, and turned even more to the WW boards for support since I couldn't attend meetings. I had a great, healthy pregnancy, with a gain exactly where my doctor wanted it to be.

My baby is now 13 months old, and I'm 2 lbs less than I was when I returned to meetings a month after he was born. I felt like I was doing what it took to get these last 10 lbs off, but I haven't moved much at the scale. I had some major stress with one of my other kids, and actually gained some, and did get that off, but haven't been below 150 (except for one week) in the last year.

I've been TERRIFIED to try core. I didn't trust myself to be able to stop when I was satisfied. Pretty sad comment, but true. I just kept telling myself, "If I knew how to stop when I was satisfied, I would never have needed WW."

With my leaders encouragement, I'm trying core this week. The first few days have gone quite well. I'm only worried about making sure I get my Fruits/veggies in, and not eating to satiety on proteins and core grains/starchy veggies alone, but I've mostly succeeded in thinking about food choices, and not letting core be my excuse for an eating free-for-all.

So glad to have found this site while I'm trying to use/explore core for this part of my journey.

[geha]

I finally decided to "give Core a fair chance" and by that I mean that I decided to eat Core for one month no matter what the scale decided to do. With nearly 2 weeks completed I feel that my decision was wise because I am not stressing over what the scale says and am enjoying being able to truly assess how I am feeling from day to day.

And, I am feeling great. I have not been called to the kitchen by the jar of peanut butter or other goodies and I find that when I do go for a snack it is something healthy. On top of this I find that my temper is more even and I have a sense of increased energy.

In the back of my mind I have a feeling this could be the answer. Sure, I have a few things I miss but when I think about missing certain foods realize I have missed foods (living overseas) most of my life and managed to get along quite well without them by substituting other foods in their place. I have a feeling that I will be doing the same thing in the future looking for Core substitutes for items usually used in my cooking.

Cathy in Fih, Lebanon

[prissy1111]

I LOVE CORE : ) I did the points plan to lose my weight, switched to Core for maintenance. I'm in my fourth year of maintenance and very happy because Core gave me the freedom to relax from rigid point counting. I no longer feel I'm dieting, this is my food plan for life and it works for me because of the relaxation aspect.
I love that I have virtually all the food I want on the Core list and my daily maintenance points are enough for my daily non core foods.