Weight watchers- Do I really need a degree to work it out??

[NAKM]

Am about to explode!! Have just signed up for weight watchers online, thinking I could monitor my daily food intake EASILY, but have discovered I needed to have a degree in how to calculate points in homemade food. I am so pi*d off, I want my money back!! Am I being the dunce of the class or is it as clear as mud to you too??? Haven't felt this stressed in months!! (and that's with a 5 month old DD too!!)

Right, don't panic it will all sort itself out. What sort of homemade food? As if say spag bol you just need to count the mince as all the veg and a tin of tomatoes are free and the spaghetti.

Post here with some examples and we'll try and hel you.

You are a star. For example, I had a ham sandwich for lunch. So I tried looking up ham sandwich and got all the ready made shop bought ones. I then had to enter the bread (search for the type of bread), ham (search for the type of ham)and butter to get a point value. I just don't have the time to do this with every meal I make. I'm sure it will get easier, but it just seems so time cosuming. Is there an easier way of doing it?

Just realised you must have read my weight watchers posting to know about the spag bol!

nope I didn't, it was just a guess!

Anyway once you know the points for a ham sandwich, then you know. So bread, look for a low point one in the book and try and get that as that can save a few points just in one meal! Don't bother with butter thats another point saved. Ham, just get lean ham not breaded etc. Chuck some salad in and you're sorted.

Remember all veg are free points so try and use those where possible. It's fairly easy to avoid things like potatoes with a roast dinner and jus stock up on loads of different veg instead.

Tell us what else you like............

OK. I have been back on the website and realised that I need to be more specific about the food. (ie Kingsmill seeded bread) instead of just typing bread. I worked out the points much faster this morning, so must have been having a bad "mummy brain" day yesterday!

Are you doing weight watchers as well? It's the first time I've done an "official" diet and am finding the constant thinking of what I am putting in my mouth quite difficult. I guess it just takes some getting used to.

Thanks for helping with the points. Like you say, once you've worked it out, you've got it for future reference.

I have done weight watchers in the past. I could do with losing a sone or two at the moment! I got given a little chart thingy where you could work out the points from the amount of calories and fat in each product, dead easy. Will they be sending you a pack in the post? Don't worry about asking questions thats the beauty of mumsnet, someone always seems to know the answer!

I have found with every diet I have tried, the first week has left me wondering what on earth have I done! It semed so complicated! But I think after that it clicks into place and becomes easy (well easy to understand )