Weight Watchers Bakersfield Meetings

Weight Watchers Bakersfield Meetings

Verywell / Debbie Burkhoff

As one of the most popular diet plans over the last 50 years, Weight Watchers—or as it's currently named, WW—has certainly helped some people achieve weight loss success. On this plan, foods are assigned different SmartPoints values, and you're given a daily allowance of SmartPoints to eat. You'll need to track your food every day to ensure you stay within your target range to support your weight loss goals.

Weight Watchers has evolved many times since its inception, and the current plan does offer advantages compared to those of the past. Point values of foods are based on more than just calories, and the company has made a targeted effort to shift their focus from pounds shed to overall wellness. However, some people may still get caught up in focusing on numbers and restriction, rather than embracing healthy behaviors.

What Experts Say

"The WW diet assigns points to foods and exercise and requires a daily tally/balance of points. Many experts agree that this can lead to seeing exercise as a way to compensate for food and that tallying points, just like calories, could create a focus on numbers rather than health." – Willow Jarosh, MS, RD

Background

History of the Company

Weight Watchers started in the early 1960's. Founder Jean Nidetch invited a group of friends to her New York City home to discuss the best methods for losing weight. That small group meeting evolved into a core part of past and current Weight Watchers programs.

One of her early group participants, Al Lippert, encouraged Nidetch to incorporate Weight Watchers in 1963. Lippert helped Nidetch to do so, and the business expanded rapidly. They became quite wealthy when the company went public in 1968.

Weight Watchers was later sold to the H.J Heinz company – yes, the ketchup manufacturer – in 1978 for $71 million. Heinz later sold the business to a European investment firm in 1999, where it was put up again for public offering in 2001.

In 2018, the company shifted it's focus from weight to wellness, re-branding as WW International, Inc, with the tagline "Wellness that Works."

Evolution of the Diet Plan

While Weight Watchers is known for its point system today, the original 1960s program was a fairly simple list of restricted, limited, and unlimited foods. Most of the diet's principles were those Nidetch had picked up in a program at an obesity clinic at the NYC Department of Health.

The rules of the original program were far stricter than the current program. For example, if you were following Weight Watchers in the 1960s you'd need to...

• Eat fish at least five times per week
• Only eat eggs a few times a week, and only at breakfast
• Eat 3-5 servings of permitted fruit each day, but avoid "forbidden fruits" (like bananas, watermelon, and cherries)
• Keep some foods off-limits, like bacon, avocado, peanut butter, and yogurt

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, variations on this exchange style meal plan were adopted. It wasn't until 1997 that points were introduced, and that has evolved many times since. Here's a list of the different incarnations of points-based programs:

• 1997 – 1-2-3 Success Program, the first points system which assigned values to foods based primarily on their caloric value
• 2000 – Winning Points, a more individualized points system that did not have any food exclusions and included adjustments for physical activity
• 2004 – Turnaround Program, which gave participants a choice of either the Core Program (a non-points based plan with a list of compliant vs. non-compliant foods) or The Flex Plan (a points plan that allowed eating anything as long as it was within the daily points allowance)
• 2008 – Momentum Plan, a crossover between the Core and Flex plans that was point-based but emphasized a list of filling foods
• 2010 – PointsPlus Plan, an overhaul of all the previous plans. This attempted to address the fact that although an apple and a handful of potato chips may have the same calories, they are not nutritionally equal. The new points system took into account factors like fat, protein, carbohydrates, and fiber.
• 2015 – SmartPoints Plan, an update to PointsPlus that also emphasized exercise with FitPoints
• 2017 – WW Freestyle, a plan that expands SmartPoints zero point foods (which don't need to be tracked) to include things like lean proteins. This is the plan currently used today.

How It Works

The current WW Freestyle plan is based on their SmartPoints system. Every food has an assigned number of points, and you'll receive a daily budget of SmartPoints to use throughout the day.

There is also a weekly cushion of extra SmartPoints which can be used to eat a little extra each day or can be allocated towards a special event that week that's point-heavy (like a friend's BBQ or a wedding).

There are no off-limit foods on WW, but the plan does encourage participants to eat nutritious options by steering you towards zero point foods. There are more than 200 of these foods, meaning you can enjoy them without tracking or measuring. These include many fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins.

Weight Watchers offers three different tiers of membership to help you assess and track your SmartPoints:

• Digital Plan – Includes use of the WW app to track food and activity, access to the community, and 24/7 online chat support
• Workshop Plan – Includes everything in the digital plan, plus weekly group workshops with guidance from wellness coaches
• Coaching Plan – Includes everything in the other two plans, plus access to one-on-one coaching support with unlimited phone calls

Pros and Cons

Weight Watchers is very appealing for many people looking to eat better since all foods can fit in the diet. It offers flexibility to enjoy meals at a special event or while eating out (provided it fits in your points allowance) and promotes many nutritious options in the zero points category. It's also been shown in research to support weight loss and tied to a reduction in diabetes risk among those with pre-diabetes.

However, there are also some downsides to the program. The focus on counting points can be cumbersome and feel restrictive for some people. It can also create an unhealthy mindset around food, encouraging people to skip meals so they can "save up" points for an unhealthy meal later. And though it's not expensive on a weekly basis, the cost can add up depending on how long you feel you need to stay on the program to reach your goals.

Common Myths and Questions

Even though Weight Watchers has been around many years, the continued evolution of the program has led to confusion about some parts of the diet.

Myth: Weight Watchers is a great way to lose weight quickly.

Fact: The goal of the program is slower, sustainable weight loss. It recommends losing no more than two pounds per week (after the first three weeks).

Myth: Once you hit your weight loss goal, you no longer need to follow the diet.

Fact: Many people fall into the cycle of losing weight on the program, then "going off" the program, and gaining it back. Unfortunately, this is very common with any diet plan.

This doesn't mean you have to pay for Weight Watchers (or any other diet program) for life. But if you have a certain weight that you are striving to maintain, you'll need to stick with the core tenants of healthy eating and caloric balance for life. On the flip side, you can choose to let go of the focus on weight and simply enjoy a healthy relationship with nutritious foods.

Myth: You have to go to group meetings to be part of Weight Watchers.

Fact: Weight Watchers offers several tiers of membership, and one is a digital-only option. With this plan, you participate in the program on your own from the comfort of your home.

Myth: At Weight Watchers meetings, you have to weigh in publicly.

Fact: You do not. The meetings are not designed as a method of public humiliation but rather for accountability. Your weigh-ins are done in private with only the group facilitator, and then you'll be able to discuss tips for sticking with your goals in the larger group setting.

Myth: You have to eat pre-packaged frozen meals.

Fact: While there are frozen meals that are branded with SmartPoints values, you do not have to eat these. You can eat any food from the grocery store, restaurant, farmers market, etc. You only have to worry about staying within your points range.

Myth: Weight Watchers is only for women.

Fact: Though Weight Watchers has traditionally attracted female participants, both men and women are welcome to use the program.

How It Compares

Though there are some slight differences, Weight Watchers is very similar to the USDA recommendations for a healthy balanced diet. For example, the program emphasizes fruits and vegetables as zero-point foods—in line with how the USDA recommendations encourage you to make half your plate fruits and vegetables. Or, consider that foods which are less nutritious (for example, those with lots of added sugars and unhealthy fats) tend to be very high in SmartPoints. This discourages users from eating them regularly, similar to how USDA recommendations advise against frequent consumption.

One slight difference though—while the USDA gives guidance based on calories or servings, Weight Watchers uses its proprietary points system.

Weight Watchers also has some similarities to other popular diets but varies in its effectiveness and sustainability. Here's a quick overview of how it compares:

• Jenny Craig – Some research has suggested Jenny Craig may lead to more weight loss than Weight Watchers. However, Jenny Craig relies on pre-packaged meals which may be unsustainable for long term compliance.
• Nutrisystem – Like Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem is another packaged meal company. While it may be convenient, it lacks the lifestyle and meal preparation skills that are encouraged within the Weight Watchers program.
• Low-Calorie Diet – Both Weight Watchers and a low-calorie diet require tracking food and can lead to weight loss. However, strict low-calorie diets tend to be far more restrictive than Weight Watchers.
• Optavia Diet – The Optavia Diet ranks as the number two best diet for fast weight loss (tied with Atkins, keto, and Weight Watchers) due to lower caloric intake.

A Word From Verywell

If you're trying to lose weight, Weight Watchers can offer the structured support you may need. By tracking your food daily and weighing in weekly, you're encouraged to self-monitor and become aware of your choices. These skills can help you recognize problem areas and make healthier choices, leading to weight loss.

The plan is not for everyone though. For some people, constant tracking can lead to an unhealthy obsession with numbers. For others, the freedom to eat anything can almost feel paralyzing in their weight loss journey.

No matter what course of action you choose, remember that the best diet is the one you enjoy and that you can stick to for life.

Weight Watchers Bakersfield Meetings

Source: https://www.verywellfit.com/weight-watchers-overview-4691074

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Sage And Burgundy Living Room

Sage And Burgundy Living Room

Rose is a full-time freelance writer who frequently writes about education, special education, DIY projects, food, Milwaukee, and more.

How to Decorate a Small Living Room

Every small living space offers design challenges. While it's important to make all of the rooms in your home functional, the living room is especially key because many people spend a lot of their time at home in the living room. From selecting furniture that is an appropriate scale for the space to maximizing hidden storage solutions to strategically placing a mirror to add depth and light, there are an extensive range of practical and easily attainable design ideas that will help you create the living room of your dreams in your small space.

6 Small Living Room Ideas

1. Select Furniture to Fit the Existing Space

2. Consider Hidden Storage

3. Create a Focal Point

4. Add Light and Depth

5. Don't Be Afraid of Color

6. Take Advantage of Vertical Space

The trunk serves as a coffee table and storage piece while adding a funky vintage touch to the living room.

Amanda Holstein via Advice From a Twenty Something

1. Select Furniture to Fit the Existing Space

• Determine Scale and Configuration

When you're working with a compact living room, large-scale furniture often isn't an option. Be realistic about the space. For example, if an oversized recliner won't fit, choose a pair of smaller chairs. Many people also get hung up on common furniture configurations. For example, nothing says that you need a full-sized sofa in your living room. A love seat paired with a bench and an armchair may work more naturally in your space.

• Think Multifunctional

Choosing multifunctional pieces will also make the most of your living room. For example, a bench with storage will provide seating while housing pillows and blankets. A coffee table or console table makes a great addition to a living room but only when it makes sense for the space. Your small living room may be better suited for two small tables that open up the space and can be moved as needed to accommodate different functions.

• Consider Floating Furniture and Low Seating

Floating furniture and low seating can make all the difference when it comes to keeping the space open and flowing. Design a floating furniture arrangement in the center of the room instead of pushing pieces up against the walls. Install shelves and other built-in components off the floor to create the illusion of space. If you choose low seating, select pieces that don't distract from the focal statement in the room. For example, a pair of low stools in front of the mantel will keep the fireplace as the focus of the living room.

The wall length built-in keeps this narrow living room streamlined and clutter free.

Tory Kingdon via House and Garden UK

Concealed storage is a great way to house items in the living room without creating a cluttered space. Furniture pieces that boast concealed storage, such as an ottoman with built-in storage, are a great option. You may also want to consider decor pieces that do double duty as storage, such as colorful baskets or jars. Do you have a hard time finding concealed storage pieces that don't take up a ton of floor space? Think about biting the bullet and devoting a single wall to built-in storage. To further streamline the storage, keep your items in the built-in hidden behind doors or curtains.

Read More From Dengarden

The living room layout showcases the focal fireplace and mantel.

Kendyl Young, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr.com

3. Create a Focal Point

A focal point is ideal for drawing people into a space while making it more uplifting and even sophisticated. Think about focusing your living room around a fireplace, sofa, coffee table, artwork, or mirror. Once you've settled on your focal point, design the rest of the living room around your statement piece to pull the entire look together.

The mirrors reflect the whole space, making it appear larger, while bringing more natural light into the room.

Brunet Souet via Milk Decoration

4. Add Light and Depth

Small living rooms with flat features and dark corners look dreary, even when they boast unique furniture and wall hangings. Maximize the natural light in the room, and don't be afraid to add artificial light sources as well. You'll bring even more light and depth into your compact living room with wallpaper and strategically placed mirrors and plants. Purely decorative mirrors still pack a visual punch and draw extra light into the space.

The floral theme ties the colored items in the room together.

House to Home UK - link no longer active

5. Don't Be Afraid of Color

Many people steer clear of color in small living rooms, believing that it will overwhelm the space. While there is nothing wrong with designing a small living room that features neutral shades, color can make the space appear larger. Select a color scheme with a maximum of three shades to create a unified aesthetic. If you want to use additional colors, incorporate them as accents. Typically lighter shades make a space look larger, but careful use of darker shades takes the style and drama in the room up a notch.

When you paint a small living room, select a satin or semigloss finish to reflect the light. If you want to tie the color scheme in the room together without painting or buying new furniture, consider an area rug. Layer a rug over carpeting to make the room feel cozier or conceal dark flooring with a brightly colored rug to lighten up a dark space.

This set of floating shelves draw the eye up while adding room for knick knacks in otherwise wasted corner space.

Sarah and Joshua Rhodes via A Beautiful Mess

6. Take Advantage of Vertical Space

Build up instead of out to maximize the available space. When you hang curtains, place the curtain rods right below the ceiling. Then choose curtains that extend all the way to the floor to make the ceiling look higher. If you're selecting art or other wall hangings, consider designing a gallery wall or choosing a few large pieces that fill the whole space. Do you have an odd nook that currently serves little or no purpose in the living room? Think about constructing shelves to simultaneously add storage and draw the eye upward.

Small Family Room Design

Finally, creating the ideal flow for your small living room is an ongoing process. It often takes weeks, or even months, of living with a living room arrangement to determine what is and isn't working. Don't be afraid to keep making tweaks and adjusting the layout until you find a arrangement that suits you and your family.

Additional Small Home Resources

• Frugal Storage Ideas for Small Homes: Creative, Unique Organization Methods
  Creating functional storage for a small home is simple when you're equipped with the right organizational tools. Pick up purchasing resources, general organization tips, and much more.
• How to Make the Most of a Small Kitchen: Simple, Affordable Kitchen Solutions for Every Budget
  Organize and brighten up your small kitchen space with practical solutions to create a functional yet inviting space for family and friends.

© 2016 Rose Clearfield

Riffat Junaid on June 30, 2020:

Very good article you wrote very helpful tips and pictures are so beautiful you added.

Chitrangada Sharan from New Delhi, India on April 05, 2016:

Excellent hub!

I enjoyed going through your tips and suggestions to design and lay out a small living room. Using the place below staircase is a very nice idea. Very attractive pictures to complement your interesting and useful hub.

Thanks for sharing!

Sage And Burgundy Living Room

Source: https://dengarden.com/interior-design/How-to-Design-and-Lay-Out-a-Small-Living-Room

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White Beams In Living Room

White Beams In Living Room

Below we share beautiful earth tone living room designs in an assortment of styles, colors and finishes.
Using earth tone color schemes always add a warm, cozy and laid back ambiance to any space. Since earth colors are warm neutrals, it looks good when combined with almost any color, making it an ideal choice for common spaces. If changing furniture upholstery is out of your budget, simply repainting the walls with an earth tone paint would instantly give that warm ambiance to any living space. Another advantage of using earth tone paint colors is it's proven timeless charm and versatility. You can play around with different shades and tones, and it will never go out of style, making it a worthy investment and a practical choice as well.

In the picture above the soft beige paint color of the walls adds just the right amount of warmth to the space, which is also populated with earth-toned furniture pieces. The beige color is even used on the coffer ceiling, making it stand out.

Earth Tone Paint Colors for Living Room

When choosing the paint color for your living room, always take into consideration the color of your furniture pieces and accessories. For projects starting from scratch, paint color could be decided before furniture color, but if you have already selected furniture pieces and upholstery colors, the paint should complement or match with your fabric choices.

Currently popular is greige, which is a mixture of gray and beige. This color is a nice and subtle neutral color that would easily match any theme. You can also experiment with warmer and darker earth tone colors, depending on the look you want to achieve.

Here are some popular earth tone paint colors commonly used in living rooms:

• Shaker Beige (Benjamin Moore) – a mid-tone beige color that would look great for a general wall color. It has a nice, warm undertone that creates a warm and cozy ambiance.
• Antiquarian Brown (Sherwin Williams) – a rust-toned color that has a strong warm undertone which would work well as an accent paint color.
• Natural Linen (Benjamin Moore) – a light taupe tone color that is also good as a general wall color which is very subtle and can create a brighter ambiance
• Squirrel Tail (Benjamin Moore) – a dark, earth color with a gray/neutral undertone which looks great as an accent color and matches well with natural stone finishes
• Colony Buff (Sherwin Williams) – a soft-toned earth tone color with a feminine appeal
• Brevity Brown (Sherwin Williams) – this color has a red undertone with a very natural look that is very close to wood natural wood colors
• Coconut Husk (Sherwin Williams) – another nice dark earth color which you can use as accent and molding color

Earth Tone Color Schemes for Living Room

Below you'll find a variety of living rooms featuring earth tones in an assortment of design styles.

This contemporary living room provides true indoor outdoor living. The color palette is a light brown for the wall paint with matching furniture, contrasted by dark wood beams, two brown ottomans, a dark wood coffee table and accent pillows.

This contemporary living room space showcases its high ceiling with a primary beige paint color and a brown accent color above the fireplace. A light brown jute area rug with matching window valances  combined with wood furniture pieces offer plenty of earth tones that are further enhanced by two large indoor trees.

For this living room design, the walls were painted a soft taupe color to give it a light yet warm-toned finish. The TV wall becomes the focal point of the room as it uses a darker beige paint, similar to Sherwin Williams Nuthatch.

This modern living space with an open layout is a good example of using very subtle earth tone colors to add just the right amount of warmth to this very contemporary space. The living room paint color uses a light creme shade to give it a brighter ambiance. The use of wood finish on the tray ceiling accents and openings also adds more warm earthy tones into the space.

You can also play around with textures to achieve the look you want. While using stones /masonry is the usual route, it can be above the budget for some, so a quicker and more practical solution is using textured paints and paint techniques. In this example, Venetian Paint in a sand color was used on the accent wall, giving it an elegant yet simple texture.

The use of earth tones isn't only limited to your paint colors, but can also be used on the finishes of your wood. This example shows various tones and colors of wood, of which the dark Mahogany wall slats stands out the most, giving the space a modern yet natural appeal.

Aside from paints and wallpaper, if you have the budget, you can also you large natural stones to serve as your earth toned backdrop. This contemporary living space has gorgeous solid sandstone walls paired with beige floor tiles.

The walls of this living room is a neutral taupe color to give balance and contrast against the dark wood finishes found on the flooring and the wooden furniture pieces. The furniture pieces int he space have matching creame-beige toned upholstery, creating a fresh and warm atmosphere to the space.

This traditional living room offers a variety of earth tone accents including dark wood double doors, brown curtains, wood beams, floors and a variety of furniture pieces. The living room hardwood floors and wood beams bring a rustic charm to the space. Pops of color are used throughout the decor to liven up the design and provide contrast to the space.

To maintain the classic ambiance of the interior architectural features of this space, matching Baroque furniture pieces were used. Warm yellow Venetian paint finish was used on walls and the ceiling, accentuated by natural stone wall panels and dark Mahogany moldings on the ceiling.

This lovely open living room design utilizes squirrel tail gray paint by Benjamin Moore to effectively realize soothing earth tones. Natural hand scraped wood flooring and wood beam ceiling combined with a wood coffee table and end tables helps create a cohesive space.

The architectural details alone of this space is enough to create a stunning look, but the modern lines and geometry is given more personality and warmth through the use of earth toned finishes such a the golden oak flooring and the brick accent wall.

This feminine transitional style living room has a soft and dainty look with the combination of tan colored walls and white wood paneling. The French casement windows and other interior architectural details further adds a dainty appeal to this space.

The warm yellow undertone of the wall color helps tone down the dark Mahogany color of the wooden doors and beams found in the space. This also helps balance the over-all look of the large and dark-colored furniture pieces in the space.

A contemporary living space is given a warmer and cozier ambiance through the use of an earth-tone color scheme. To maintain the contemporary aesthetic, light-toned colors were favored, such as the light cream paint on the walls. Subtle accents with red undertones were also use to add a bit of contrast to the space, such as the copper-colored curtains and area rug.

This living room uses a simple combination of a light-cream painted wall, dark brown flooring and a gorgeous beige stone accent wall, creating a space that feels light with enough balance and personality.

This contemporary living room design uses mostly gray tones is given a touch of warmth through the use of earth tones found in the Oak wood furniture pieces and the accessories in the space.

This living room design embraces brown with a dark shade of the color for the primary wall paint matched by a lighter shade for the two couches. To keep things from getting too dark the dark shades are contrasted by a light beige carpet and area rug, accent pillows and light color ceiling.

This rich earth tone living room features a variety of shades from beige for the walls and area rug, cream for the window coverings and dark brown for the leather furniture.

This monochromatic living room design features a beige wall and ceiling paint color with similar tone furniture and window coverings. You can achieve an attractive monochromatic design by choosing a single base color and then using its relative shades and tints for other details in the room.

This modern living room space has a warm color palette with an assortment of brown colors to create a cohesive design.

For this space, the natural wood finishes on the ceiling and flooring already makes up most of the earth tone is the space. In contrast, the walls were painted in a light green color giving it a vintage appeal.

This cottage style living room design has painted shiplap walls with a beige color, wood flooring, stone fireplace and large brown sectional couch.

Showcasing an assortment of earth tones, this formal living room brings in color through its use of burnt orange and brown curtains, throw pillows and houseplants. A large area rug frames the central sitting area and matches the overall look of the sofas and armchair.

This stylish contemporary living room space offers wood textures including a sloped ceiling and bamboo floor. An orange modern ribbed management chair brings a pop of color in to this otherwise neutral color design. Get more living room flooring ideas from this gallery page.

White Beams In Living Room

Source: https://designingidea.com/earth-tone-living-room/

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