Thinking of joining weight watchers... Need some input...

Emilia777

Dnarules wrote: »

Jen0414 wrote: »

I have lost a ton of weight on MFP too but I have gained it back and need support.
I am at a period in my life where I need that extra support even if it's only for awhile.
I know that I am the person responsible for "not eating that donut" and getting my butt to the gym. But I need that extra support system right now.

Then you've answered your own question. If you think it is what you need, by all means, try it. But Kristen's answer was not rude at all. People who do WW also gain back the weight, so it is not some magic answer. It can't hurt to try it. I started that way, but I got more out of MFP. Get a supportive friends list going and possibly join a group, and you might be able to get what you need for free.

As an impartial 3rd party observer, I just wanted to reinforce that Kristen was not rude in the least…

mockchoc

I am a free lifetime member so it costs me nothing. I will not however be ever going to a WW meeting again. I didn't feel supported at the meetings and get more support here for free plus made lots of great friends. I've even met half a dozen from on here for walks.

dakotababy

Jen0414 wrote: »

If anyone has anything relevant to say it would appreciate it.

Kristen I don't know if you were trying to tell me something I didn't already know but your comment was rude and uncalled for.

You call it rude and uncalled for - The rest of us would call it absolutely accurate and necessary. Sorry you got the smack of reality. Truth and honesty hurts sometimes.

2snakeswoman

The last time I joined, I really enjoyed it at first and lost about 10 pounds. By then I was sick of converting everything to points, and I didn't want the limits of the core program. If you can afford it and think it will help, go for it. You won't be locked into a long-term contract or anything.

SilverRose89

Jen0414 wrote: »

If anyone has anything relevant to say it would appreciate it.

Kristen I don't know if you were trying to tell me something I didn't already know but your comment was rude and uncalled for.

Which bit was rude and uncalled for? She was stating why (in her opinion, which does happen to be one I agree with) WW isn't that great.

You ARE the only one who can make these decisions on a daily basis (as we all are, we're all in the same boat here, including that poster). MFP is great as there are always things on here to read and people on your profile or the forums who can give some support if needed. Or in my case, often, a kick up the rear. But it also teaches so much more personal accountability, in my opinion.

It depends on you if you think WW will help with your situation or not.

WW obviously works for some people but clearly you are going to get more people on here singing MFPs praises because if we are on here it's probably because it's working. You will likely find the opposite said at a WW meeting.

:flowerforyou:

Ang108

Sorry, this was posted twice....

Ang108

Ang108 wrote: »

Jen0414 wrote: »

I am considering joining weight watchers for the supoort and to be held accountable..
Any information would be great to help me make my decision.
Thanks in advance..

I don't have much experience with weight loss, because I did not gain weight until after menopause ( still through my own fault, but I was a normal weight from 43-51 kilos all my adult life......before someone tells me that is too little, I am under five feet tall ). MFP came highly recommended and even though I have Lupus and RA since school and take steroids daily, I still lost since April 2013 55 pounds by faithfully logging and maintaining a caloric deficit. I did it all free of charge and from the privacy of my home and with the support of about a dozen of friends I made here.
I have four friends and neighbors who go to WW. One gave up after about 8 month, because she lost less than 5 pounds and has since November last year gained that plus a few visible kilos more. The other three go together and only live for weigh-in day. They eat almost nothing two days before, but after the weigh-in meeting they go out and literally pig out. It seems that most people in their group do the same. It also appears that no one has learned anything about basic nutrition, how the body works, about CICO and other elemental things that have to do with weight loss and basic health.....plus they pay for that privilege. They all believe for example that vegetables have no calories.
I do not want to put down WW, because I don't know the program and am not interested because MFP works for me.
I wish I could give you helpful advise, but to be honest I can't even really comment on your OP. Until you are ready to commit, and it does not matter if it is WW, MFP or just a notebook where you do your own thing and hold yourself accountable, nothing is going to work.
Personally I do not believe that anyone can keep/make another person accountable, because that is a personal decision. I do believe that people can support each other and only you can know what kind of support you react to more positively, but the responsibility for your weight and health is 100% yours alone.
Whatever you chose, I wish you good luck !

PS: I should add that all three of my friends complain about the cost of the program ( including gas cost and parking, which is very expensive in this country ) and the fact that they are always pressured to buy things ( what " things ", I don't know ). They also tire of cooking the WW way for them and something different for their families and are constantly surprised at what I eat .
They have shared some of the recipes with me and some of the dessert was good and I even adopted the " Chili " recipe with green beans. However I am really surprised at the small portions compared with what I eat ( an all natural minimally processed diet). For me, since I am a volume eater who needs a full plate, that would be a big reason not to join WW.

Tamie_Girl

Save your money - MFP does work, but you have to make it work. Just like anything else in life - you only get out of it what you put in. Send me a friends request. You must come to this site and log, log, log, MFP has to become your life.

ParisPrincesse

kristen6350 wrote: »

I know right now you aren't my biggest fan. I need to give a bit of background then ask you to think about something.

I lost 50lbs in 2012 (193-143), using MFP for the last 20. From the summer of 2012 to the fall of 2013 I managed to maintain it within 5lbs. At that point I quit MFP because I thought I had it all figured out. I knew how to keep it off. In December 2014, I weighed in at 167. I had went back to all my "bad" habits pretty much forgetting everything MFP taught me. EVERYTHING. Even down to the eating out of a full bag of chips on the couch at night. I hadn't gotten on the scale for more than a year because I knew if I did I'd have to go back to doing the "right" things. The fun would end. So, after that weigh in and re-gaining 3 pants sizes, I re-remembered and stuck to all those things that MFP taught me - I'm now down 14lbs of that 20ish I had to relose. It's all about doing all those things you learned for the rest of your life. Not just while you are "dieting".

I think you need to ask yourself, honestly, why you re-gained it? Were you doing things that weren't sustainable? Did you have extreme goals? Or did you just become complacent like I did? I've always said all this is totally mental. Getting your brain in a place where all of it makes sense and owning up to our mistakes. No one is perfect. We all fall down, it's about getting back up and believing we can do it.

Now, if you feel that WW is better than MFP, I urge you to try it. I wish you the best of luck in life. I'm seriously not a malicious person. Not a mean bone in my body.

Wow.....Thank You for that. I have been trying to decide whether or not I want to quit WW & do MFP full time. I struggle with my weight day to day & you are right. At he end of the day we have to have FAITH in ourselves!!! Thank you again. I would love to become friends with you on here for support.

Activelady2

http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re1105.htm

LetterboxingMoose

When I first wanted to lose weight, I tried WW. I actually liked the meetings and found them very helpful. Personally, I liked sharing my ups and downs with the people in the group that didn't judge. If someone had a bad week and shared, the group was always supportive and helped to motivate that person and helped them get back on track. Usually the leader and others would tell stories of how they struggled with the same problem. I also like the fact that I could ask the leader questions and always found her answers helpful. After going for a few months for free after reaching my goal weight, I stopped going. If I wanted to go back I would have to pay again and I just don't have the money. I have a few friends on here that have been as supportive as meetings without judgement. Those are the people I get motivation and support from, not the message boards. I am getting similar results on here and it is free. If you decide not to go to WW and continue to use this site, feel free to add me as a friend.

MostlyWater

Weight Watchers is excellent and is guaranteed to work. Health insurance even pays for it. Having said that, the most successful people stay on WW for life (plus they exercise but that's a different discussion.) My sister did it for a long long time then decided to go with the lap band.

If you are doing WW online, you can just as easily post here. If you are going to real life meetings, that can't be compared to an online presence.

You have to do what works for you.

DanniB423

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kristen6350 wrote: »

I know right now you aren't my biggest fan. I need to give a bit of background then ask you to think about something.

I lost 50lbs in 2012 (193-143), using MFP for the last 20. From the summer of 2012 to the fall of 2013 I managed to maintain it within 5lbs. At that point I quit MFP because I thought I had it all figured out. I knew how to keep it off. In December 2014, I weighed in at 167. I had went back to all my "bad" habits pretty much forgetting everything MFP taught me. EVERYTHING. Even down to the eating out of a full bag of chips on the couch at night. I hadn't gotten on the scale for more than a year because I knew if I did I'd have to go back to doing the "right" things. The fun would end. So, after that weigh in and re-gaining 3 pants sizes, I re-remembered and stuck to all those things that MFP taught me - I'm now down 14lbs of that 20ish I had to relose. It's all about doing all those things you learned for the rest of your life. Not just while you are "dieting".

I think you need to ask yourself, honestly, why you re-gained it? Were you doing things that weren't sustainable? Did you have extreme goals? Or did you just become complacent like I did? I've always said all this is totally mental. Getting your brain in a place where all of it makes sense and owning up to our mistakes. No one is perfect. We all fall down, it's about getting back up and believing we can do it.

Now, if you feel that WW is better than MFP, I urge you to try it. I wish you the best of luck in life. I'm seriously not a malicious person. Not a mean bone in my body.

Oh my goodness. We need no reassurance of your character. What you said on the first comment was spot on. Some just aren't always receptive.

TeamBlackAnchor

As far as Weight Watchers, I've had a few friends sing the praises of the program itself. I have only ever been on MFP, though, so I wanted to offer another option as far as accountability... Friends.

Now I know you're thinking, "Well no DUH", so I'll clarify:
As soon as I chose to start using MFP I started identifying my friends & family who were on a similar path. Make that your tribe. They say the 5 people we associate with the most directly impact our persona. If there's any truth to that, then getting close to people who will have a positive impact is -crucial-. If you don't have anyone in your life who is trying to become healthier/lose weight/etc than I suggest reaching out on Instagram. All it takes is posting pictures of what's going on with captions and I promise you, the encouragement is there too. Just by putting the hashtag #fitfam on my weightloss journey posts I've made friends all over the world who are full of kind words (and some have great advice!). Just something to think about. And if you don't want to take any personal pics to post you can always just screenshot quotes or other pictures to have something to write a caption for.

Regardless of your choice, I wish you the best in your journey. Any person or program can tell us how to be successful & how to stay strong. Each person must choose to turn those ideas into beliefs, though. Good luck!

ffallings

I Have done WW in the past. it works, but it is pretty pricey and I eventually got tired of counting points and I drove my husband crazy counting points on eveything. Lol. I happen to like mfp better, but it boils down to weather or not you need in person suport, or if you are ok with cyber suppoert.

majoki

I am a WW lifetime member because I did it in high school. WW is essentially free for me when I gain weight because while I have a personal goal of 155lbs, WW allows me to set my goal at 179lbs. Since I never go above 179 - I only have to pay ~$13 one time each time I decide to start back at WW and then it's free as long as I weigh in at least once/month.

Point is that WW and MFP cost me the same amount, so it's not about money for me. I prefer MFP. Why? Because WW has you learning "fake" things about food, I.e. their points system. Rather than looking at the nutrition panel on a food package and becoming familiar with all the macro nutrients in the foods you regularly eat, instead you think of things as 4 pts or 1 pts. This won't help you if you decide to lower your carb intake or raise your protein intake. So I didn't like that. I *always* lost weight when I went back to WW, but they are only about losing weight. When you are ready to build muscle, they aren't very useful.

I also muuuuch prefer the food logging with MFP over WW.


I did like the meetings and how it helped me be accountable. They don't weigh you "in front of everyone" in the sense that no one else can see your weight, and people tend to avoid watching out of respect.