Monday, October 15, 2007

An unprovocted Rant

Now I don't mean to offend anyone with this alright. don't be mad. Just some observations and my opinion.

I think that WW people are a certain kind of people. I know alot of people think I'm in WW since I've sort of been adopted by many WW bloggers. But i'm not. I'm just making this up on my own. I would say that I try to follow something similar to "Core" but I've got no rules. I don't count anything.

But my SIL used to do WW (the one who's preggers now and just finished doing LA Weight Loss). She lost probably 30 lbs and looked great for a month and then gained it all back so that's why LA) Now she's gonna gain a million pounds with her baby because she immediately stopped eating healthy and is giving in to every donut craving she's got. whatever. anyway. She has a very unique personality and used to say things that I thought were just her. But then I keep hearing the same sort of things on other WW blogs! Supremely weird. Then I put it together. Either WW brainwashes you to believe and say these things. Or WW is attractive to people who already say these things. I don't know which yet. Or maybe WW attracts people who are easily brainwashed and then start saying these things. Or maybe coincidence. People who say "I know WW is the only plan that works for me" or "I'll never quit WW and try something else because WW is a way of life" or "Blank diet is unhealthy or too restrictive or whatever and WW just teaches you to eat properly" or "Other plans don't work for me". Is this you? (again if you think I'm talking about you specifically, I'm not, just this morning after reading only 1/5 of my blogs on google reader I heard this 3 times!)

I call bullshit. I'm not saying you shouldn't do WW, I think it is a good plan. But don't scoff at everything else! "You" (again, this isn't you, just a general "you") think that low carb is bad because as soon as you go off it you gain a million pounds back. Well I think the same would be with WW, my SIL is proof right? That's why you have Lifetime status, you never really can go off it can you? You frown at no-plan people like me, go off on rants about "crash" diets, yet switch between Core and Flex daily! Not to mention switching things up to the "Wendie" plan. Though I am not on WW (I do say it's a good plan though) I think I eat pretty much the same things as most of you. I'm pretty darn sure I eat more than you in fact. And depending what you're eating I think some of you are starving yourselves or just eating crap but you are still "On Plan". (WW cupcakes? puh-lease.)

I think this should be directed at my SIL but I'm taking it out on you. sorry. (though I don't take back anything I've said). Other SIL was talking about maybe joining Curves and WW SIL told her not to because it was a scam and they do measurements there and pull the tape tighter or looser so you can look like you're having results even if you aren't, but not too fast so you quit. And when she left I told Curves SIL that you're still going to be joining a gym and they still have a "plan" that should help you lose weight. They might try and and encourage you to keep it up or not quit but that doesn't mean it doesn't work. WW SIL (who is now LAWL SIL) encouraged Curves SIL to join LAWL instead. And she was like "how do I do that, there's none in my hometown, I'd have to drive to the city" but she just told her to call in her weights and come once in awhile. I had 2 things that I bit my tongue on here,
a) LAWL is a huge scam thank you very much. It works yes, but it also rips you off by being so expensive and you only get some money back when you maintain for 6 weeks or something. And they also forget to tell you it's optional to buy all the protein bars that they make you eat 3 times a day at like a buck or two each. Also there is no mention of exercise so not only is it not required (like WW, not required exercise right?) but they don't even encourage it. SIL stopped even going for walks, her brand new treadmill just holds laundry, they got rid of their weight machines.
b) Couldn't you just do WW or LAWL or whatever plan "unofficially". If they just teach you how to eat properly. Couldn't you just pass on the materials to Curves SIL who could then use the recipes or count points or fulfill veggie servings or whatever but not pay for the official service? Even WW bloggers don't really encourage that. I know that you get something out of accountability to others and leaders and meetings and stuff but you can't say that you won't lose weight if you don't pay money! And honestly. Don't all diet plans (oops I said the D word) basically tell you to eat salads and veggies and limit fat and chocolate and processed carbs? Couldn't you just do that on no plan (oh, why yes you can! That's what you're doing Randi!)

By the way, Curves SIL is also the Martha Stewart SIL who has at least 3 different types of baking on her cupboard every day. Yes you're a great cook and good host and entertainer, but maybe you should make veggies and dip instead of suprise spread and cookies. Again, I say common sense. (not to say it's easy, but we do all know what we have to do. Sometimes people find it easier to follow "rules" set up by WW or Curves or South Beach or whatever, but you can make up your own rules too). Anyway, Curves SIL I guess is having issues with her weight. (I've never seen her skinny but I guess lately she's sort of ballooned up a little more. She tried to wear WW SIL's clothes on the weekend and nothing fit and she wasn't suprised and thus brought up the joining Curves or something.) I was in big favour of Curves of course because at least there's exercise! I hate hate hate that LA Weight loss gets all kinds of results (mainly it makes you fill up on veggies requiring a minimum number of servings of leafy veggies, of starchy veggies, of fruit etc.) but even advertises that you don't need a gym membership or to exercise or anything. Yeah, that's healthy. Skinny fat. Poor preggers SIL is going to have a much harder labour now that she's completely sworn of exercise of any sort for the last year plus her 9 month pregnancy (this may change, but so far all she does is lay on the couch, I get the tired thing though)

Well anyway, I do want to appologize to WW people if you think that was unfair. I didn't mean to hurt feelings or be rude or whatever. But I am tired of hearing WW people putting down other plans. They all have pros and cons. They'll all work if you follow them. If your plan is so easy to follow and you can eat whatever you want are you really doing what's best though? (WW cakes!!!)

8 comments:

Cory said...

Nice rant!!!! I'm a WW paying member, and I promise I'm not offended. I guess they didn't manage to brainwash me. :)
You actually have valid points there, and I agree with you.

Anonymous said...

Wow! I agree, nice rant. I too am a paying WW member but I realize the logic behind the plan and that I could do it myself. I hope when I get to goal I can maintain without counting. The idea behind it is to watch portions, get lots of veggies and try to avoid processed food. I hope to be able to do that on my own someday. Good for you for being able to do that now. Sounds like your SIL's don't have as much willpower as you do. Keep that in mind too!

Angela Power said...

No offence taken here. I'm a WW online member, follow the program and would recommend it to anyone wanting to lose weight, but from time to time I take reality checks because weightloss IS an industry and I try really hard not to get sucked in. There are certain realities about fitness, health and weight loss that are fact and others that are plain fiction to keep the industry going. It's up to people to educate themselves about what's a healthy way to go. Some people are dumb sponges.

One thing that every program has and every person who challenges weight loss has to fight is the mind game. It's the hardest part of it. That's why people cling so hard to "their" program if it's working for them - they don't want anything to shatter their reality because for them, it's curing weight loss.

That's why it appears that people become "brainwashed" because it's a new way of thinking they have adopted to help them lose weight. Some people are naive and adopt ideas that might not necessarily be the best ones. But to each his own.

And I did automatically assume you were on WW because everyone else on these blog circles seems to be, sorry about that Randi!

Sonya said...

Well said Angie...

Adora said...

I say whatever works for you!

Candace MacPherson said...

No offense taken, Chickie. I think the philoshophy that irritates are the people that still 'want it all' and try to make the program fit so they can have just that.

And, that's why I love blogland and Sparks, because so many options are presented. So much information is available and the bottom of it is: eat healthy and exercise.

Honestly, I didn't know anything about nutritional facts and only used the ingredients to scout for items we couldn't have. I like that I'm more informed about types of foods; and I owe WW a lot for that, although I know the information was out there anyway.

What I really miss is the metabolism I had before I hit 29.

tash said...

I'm not on WW either - just trying to rely on the no junk, lots of healthy balanced foods and exercise thing. You made some great points.

katieo said...

This was pretty fun to read! lol, I think WW is awesome, but I'm not a member. I'm doing my own thing too. I just think it depends on the person.

(ok and I totally laughed about your SIL being pregnant. I have had three kids and ate LIKE CRAP during all three pregnancies. I had morning sickness like nobody's business all three times. I think I ate pb+honey sandwiches for the first 4 months breakfast lunch and dinner with kid #2. It was the only thing that would stay down. Then with number 3, I CRAVED Orange juice, string cheese and bagels. weird. And guess what I didn't exercise either. Can you believe it? lol,although I hated hated hated the morning sickness, it did keep me from putting on 80 pounds during those pregnancies.) Holy long comment! sorry!