Weight Watchers compared with MFP

_L_A_

I did WW years ago and lost 2 stone (28lbs) in 8 weeks, which is a lot in a very short time period! I obviously gained that back very quickly as I hadn't really made long term sustainable choices! When I wanted to lose weight again I considered WW again as I enjoyed the meetings, learnt useful information, met new people and I know it had been successful for me in the past and is successful for many people... but I didn't want to pay for something I could do for free... so I found MFP and started tracking! My calorie allowance has ranged between 1400-1750 whilst I've been on here and exercising 2-5 times a week, but looking at what I was taking in whilst with weight watchers... it was 800-1000 calories per day, plus exercise 7-10 times per week, no wonder weight just fell off of me!!! It was a very unhealthy way to do it! I much prefer MFP, it encourages me to lose weight healthily!

The_Fitness_Foodie

I did Weight Watchers for 1 year (2005-6) but I then lost my job so I couldn't afford to go every week, then we calculated that I spent a total of £240 to be told I had lost total of 67lb in weight....

Here I've lost 164lb & spent £0.00 - job or no job, this site wins over for me....

MadMaximus83

Congrats on such an awesome loss! I'm on WW now and MFP is winning me over for sure. I totally agree on the barcode app example! 9 times out of 10, the WW barcode app can't find it or freezes up. Also my app has a heck of a time tracking on the weekends for some reason. I have none of those troubles with MFP. Right now I'm tracking strictly on MFP to see if I can keep going with my weight loss (I've lost 80 lbs and have 22 more to go). So far I have tracked with just MFP for 2 weeks and I have lost 3.5. So it looks like WW will have another cancellation

Tljordan40

Wonderful information and review about WW. I am currently a WW member and have been a member for years now. I have come over to my MFP and I love it. The food database is awesome and the people on this sight are awesome. I have realized that I do not enjoy the message boards like I do on MFP. I think that I am going to do MFP exclusively and save my money that I spend on WW monthly.

caddir

Nine days after I started this post and can I now confirm why I was not losing weight on WW. I have tracked everything on MFP and am eating so much less fruit and veg: because it was free I ate it - and must have been on another 300-500 calories a day than I am now.

I lost 6lb in the first week - I know that this is probably atypical but it is very motivating!

futuresize8

I did lose 30 pounds on WW years ago. I did not like the meetings because I'm a private person and if I gained a pound one week because of sodium or female issues, I didn't like the whole, "what did you do wrong?!?!" shriek of the leader. So much for dignity and privacy during the weigh in! Also, I followed the points but also walked five miles/five days a week and never ate back those points. In other words, it was more about creating a deficit, which I think I can do on my own, for free. But WW does make a lot of people happy, and I commend them for taking the time to find what works for them.

chixyb

Great work! I have done weight watchers off and on since I was a teenager. It works. However, I agree with a few others here. It doesn't actually teach you to eat. It just teaches you to restrict your intake to meet a points allowance. I lost over 140 lbs with MFP, became injured (1 1/2 years of injury so far) and gained 50 back.

My mom was interested in joining weight watchers so I said I'd do it with her. I'm 2 weeks in and already back on MFP. I feel like I'm being discouraged to eat anything with protein or fat because it raises the points level of a food so much! I do like that they are trying to push you towards eating more fresh produce but I'm not sure if it's being done the right way. The biggest thing that made me come back (well, doing both currently since I paid in advance) is the website and their customer service. THEIR DATABASE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE THEIR OWN FOODS, let alone any others. I usually only use the recipe function anyway but really?

So...welcome to MFP!

caddir

Whilst on WW I lost4stone 14lbs (69 pounds). I was averaging 0.4lb loss a week for the last6 months or so but would gain it back at the holidays. Can you believe that it took me over a year to lose 7 lb? I just couldn't seem to lose any more.

Since starting on hear on 2nd Jan I have already lost 8 pounds, so I finally arrived at my 5 stone (70lbs) milestone YAY!. I am aware that I am losing a bit too quickly, but can adjust that. oh happy day.

rayqd2

So I am trying to use MFP instead of WW. I successfully lost 25 lbs on WW but then started slacking, gained some of it back, and just can't seem to be as strictly on the WW train as I was originally.

Here's my question though, I met my MFP calorie limit today but calculated the WW points total and it was 41! Normal my WW points goal is 29 or 30. That worries me a lot. Any thoughts?

caddir

Hi Rayqd
The ww points will be 29 + your weeklies, an extra seven to add on which would be 36. Also the free fruit and veg wasn't counted. I worked out that with the free fruit and veg I was eating around 1700calories a day, 500 more than I am on now.