I said when ProPoints started that I would give it six to eight weeks and see how I was getting along. 


Now, since the plan came in, I've struggled through a six week plateau. Lost six and a quarter pounds, gained a pound or so, lost half a pound, lost a quarter pound, stayed the same. That sort of thing. Drove me bonkers!


But I've been reminded today by Muirsta (who is a WW leader in the Glasgow area, well, near to Glasgow), that ProPoints came in nine weeks ago, and in that time I have lost eleven pounds. That's slower than it was coming off under the Discover plan, but there's the small matter of that blasted plateau! 


I actually lost over Christmas and New Year. Not huge amounts, a half pound over Christmas then three and a quarter pounds the following week. With the plateau, I'm averaging about a pound and a quarter a week. That's five and a quarter pounds a month, which is a drop from seven to eight pounds a month, but still respectable. 


What neither you nor I can argue with is that I have lost eleven pounds on ProPoints. 


Part of the problem with the plateau was that one of my gains was due to getting married and having a late weigh in the day after three days of eating two weeks worth of weekly points back to back on top of my dailies. (The following week I lost six and a quarter pounds.) I saved up all my weekly points the first week and didn't touch them the following week and the wedding fell more or less in the middle. Unfortunately, that put me so much in to saving weekly points mode that I barely ate any of them for a couple of weeks and had to really force myself to eat them. That might have affected my weight loss; would it have happened on Discover? It may have, I can't say. Fact is, I've never lost this much weight and stayed on plan for this long in my life so this is all uncharted territory for me.


I've eaten all of the 49 this week, and ate practically all of them last week. I've lost four pounds over those two weeks. That's the best consistent loss I've had for about eight, nine weeks. I think I shall keep on doing the same thing, as it certainly seems to be working for me.


I don't avoid carbohydrates. I eat wholegrain carbs, like Oat So Simple for breakfast (this also gets some low fat dairy into me.) I eat a fair amount of eggs, or Egg Beaters which has all the fat and cholesterol removed. I eat lean meat, reduced fat cheese, low fat spread. I get my five fruit and veg a day, sometimes more fruit than veg but never mind. I make soups. I eat pasta and rice, usually white pasta and brown rice as the DH doesn't much care for wholemeal pasta. I'm not a huge fan of baked potatoes, and I am presently addicted to Idahoan loaded baked instant mash. That's 6PPs for half a pack and is flavoured with cheese, bacon, sour cream and chives. Four minutes in the microwave and really blooming nice.


I eat what I like, and I like what I eat. If I felt as though I were on a diet, I would probably have gone doolally by now. This is something I can sustain, I don't want to cheat, I have no need to cheat. I do this online! The only person I would be cheating is myself. And that would just be stupid, and a real waste of my time and money.


Does ProPoints work? For me, yes. The key to it is to forget all about Discover. Forget everything. Don't panic at the higher numbers, you get used to them quite quickly. Have slightly less carbohydrate and a bit more protein, get plenty of low fat dairy, eat things that are good for you and nutritious to use up daily points if you are struggling like cheese, nuts, a big glass of milk. Peanut butter on toast, cheese on toast, mug of cocoa. Eat your vegetables! 


Enjoy your food. Eat the things you love. Don't ever deprive yourself or force yourself to eat things you hate because you think they're good for you. Just eat mindf ully, stop when you're full, use the 49 for treats. 


Don't be afraid to eat! This is not a starvation diet! Just enjoy it. I do.