Weight Watchers Weekly Allowance
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Seriously, do you know what your body would have to do to remove the coffee from that water to utilize it? It's not worth it, so it's mostly waste, I can't support that.
WW is relying on scientific research. Your perception is, unfortunately, longstanding, widely believed, junk science.Killer and her colleagues enrolled 50 men, all moderate coffee drinkers who didn’t take diuretics or caffeine-containing medication. Women weren’t included in the study because menstrual cycles may cause fluid balance fluctuations. In the study’s first phase, investigators randomly assigned the men to drink 4 cups of black coffee or an equal amount of water daily for 3 consecutive days. After a 10-day “wash-out” period, the groups switched. Coffee drinkers changed to water and vice versa.
The investigators analyzed hydration status with several established measures—body mass, total body water, and blood and urine tests. They found the hydration effects of coffee or water did not differ significantly. The study participants lost a small but significant amount of body mass each day during both study phases, 0.2%. Several factors may explain the body mass loss, the investigators wrote. One possibility is that the men simply didn’t drink enough fluids during the study. Even so, the men weren’t near the clinical dehydration level of 1% to 3% body mass loss, the investigators noted.
“Consumption of a moderate intake of coffee, 4 cups per day, in regular coffee-drinking males caused no significant difference across a wide range of hydration indicators compared to the consumption of equal amounts of water,” Killer said.
She and her colleagues noted that public health recommendations to exclude caffeinated beverages from daily fluid needs or to drink a glass of water for every cup of coffee or tea consumed “should be updated to reflect [our] findings.”
http://newsatjama.jama.com/2014/01/09/coffee-hydrates-as-well-as-water-study-says/
The actual study: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0084154
It seems counter-intuitive to me. I do not claim to have scientific backing, that's just how I feel about it. It is what it is. It's not as black and white as I think water! Water! Everywhere! All the time! You want a litre of Earl Grey post workout? I am no one to tell you otherwise, but telling a room full of mostly obese people who have battled with weight problems long-term and are already on the fast track for hypertension that 4 cups of coffee a day is just as good for them as plain ol' water is not really seeing the forest for the trees when it comes to overhauling poor dietary choices in people who are paying money to look for direction in that area.
I didn't go to WW simply to be skinny; I went because I understood I needed guidance in making better choices when it came to consumption and portion, and if I'm paying good money for someone to teach me those skills I expect my old habits and pitfalls to be torn right down to the foundation and rebuilt. Telling me I can power drink coffee and fruit has the caloric density of air isn't doing that; so I don't feel that a business marketing themselves as experts in dietary changes should be promoting half-cocked guidelines for better choices out of the gate. People who are already in reasonably good health are a different story but people who are paying WW because they need help with nutrition should first learn how to walk before running straight for "reasonable substitutes for water".
Am I wrong? Possibly. Clinging like some blockhead to some archaic ideal that one must drink water to ensure hydration? Well then, blockhead I be; but that's why I said *I* can't support that, not that you shouldn't.
I agree with you on the fruits. No way they should be free, but it does encourage people to eat more nutrient dense food since they are free.
As for your coffee thoughts...yes, you are wrong. Being hydrated is the point. You can do that with 100% coffee and no plain water without ANY negs. I rarely drink plain water cause I am not a fan.0 -
Anyways Fitbit is a great tool keep the deficit according to your weekly goal and go from there
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I am not on the "Premium" version of MFP, so I can't speak to this directly. However, one poster on a different thread said that with Premium, she has one calorie goal for weekdays and a different one for weekends.0
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I am not on the "Premium" version of MFP, so I can't speak to this directly. However, one poster on a different thread said that with Premium, she has one calorie goal for weekdays and a different one for weekends.
Problem is, my schedule varies too much to have specific high and low calorie days.
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Just do the old program that you liked and worked for you. Just because they make changes doesn't mean you need to.0
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You want a litre of Earl Grey post workout? I am no one to tell you otherwise, but telling a room full of mostly obese people who have battled with weight problems long-term and are already on the fast track for hypertension that 4 cups of coffee a day is just as good for them as plain ol' water is not really seeing the forest for the trees when it comes to overhauling poor dietary choices in people who are paying money to look for direction in that area.
My blood pressure was > 140/90 typically and sometimes as high as 160/100. It went down to < 120/80 after losing the first 30 or so pounds and becoming more active, and I consume at least 4 caffeinated beverages per day. I also use an electronic cigarette and keep a constant low dose of nicotine going. My resting heart rate is 55-60 despite all of this as well. I have made multiple small dietary and habit changes, but I haven't done anything fanatical. The weight and inactivity were bigger factors. Of course, I'm just one person, so your mileage may vary.
At the end of the day, WW and MFP really aren't very different. I lost oodles of weight and learned things from WW the first time I used it despite completely going off the rails after a year (and I wasn't a rabid caffeine fiend then - I felt like I had to drink water all the time or else - perhaps one example of why I said to hell with it eventually). WW costs money and gives some guidance and has meetings and trinkets for positive reinforcement. MFP is free and is more of a diary with a calculator than a program. Other than that, both are calorie counting at the core. If you want weeklies, temporarily reduce your deficit to 1/2 pound per week or maintenance for the day(s) you wish (you can change your diary settings whenever you want) or use a weekly average instead of a daily average and bank calories - apparently the phone app has a weekly view. No, it's not exactly the same, but it accomplishes the same goal.
Or continue with WW and ignore the parts of it that you don't like. It's all the same so long as you are eating less than you burn. Even the free fruit that everyone complains about really isn't such a big deal as long as people have some common sense about it. 2 legitimate servings? Fine - they do the math to include this stuff. An entire bowl of mixed fruit plus a couple of bananas each day? No.
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afatpersonwholikesfood wrote: »You want a litre of Earl Grey post workout? I am no one to tell you otherwise, but telling a room full of mostly obese people who have battled with weight problems long-term and are already on the fast track for hypertension that 4 cups of coffee a day is just as good for them as plain ol' water is not really seeing the forest for the trees when it comes to overhauling poor dietary choices in people who are paying money to look for direction in that area.
My blood pressure was > 140/90 typically and sometimes as high as 160/100. It went down to < 120/80 after losing the first 30 or so pounds and becoming more active, and I consume at least 4 caffeinated beverages per day. I also use an electronic cigarette and keep a constant low dose of nicotine going. My resting heart rate is 55-60 despite all of this as well. I have made multiple small dietary and habit changes, but I haven't done anything fanatical. The weight and inactivity were bigger factors. Of course, I'm just one person, so your mileage may vary.
At the end of the day, WW and MFP really aren't very different. I lost oodles of weight and learned things from WW the first time I used it despite completely going off the rails after a year (and I wasn't a rabid caffeine fiend then - I felt like I had to drink water all the time or else - perhaps one example of why I said to hell with it eventually). WW costs money and gives some guidance and has meetings and trinkets for positive reinforcement. MFP is free and is more of a diary with a calculator than a program. Other than that, both are calorie counting at the core. If you want weeklies, temporarily reduce your deficit to 1/2 pound per week or maintenance for the day(s) you wish (you can change your diary settings whenever you want) or use a weekly average instead of a daily average and bank calories - apparently the phone app has a weekly view. No, it's not exactly the same, but it accomplishes the same goal.
Or continue with WW and ignore the parts of it that you don't like. It's all the same so long as you are eating less than you burn. Even the free fruit that everyone complains about really isn't such a big deal as long as people have some common sense about it. 2 legitimate servings? Fine - they do the math to include this stuff. An entire bowl of mixed fruit plus a couple of bananas each day? No.
Maybe I'll give changing my diary around a try. I know that Mondays vary depending on whether I go to my friend's house or not (and who is preparing dinner- last week, her husband cooked a semi-modified Weight Watchers recipe). Wednesdays are also a tricky one since I never know if I'm going out or not until the last minute.
But maybe I can try setting my diary for a 1.5 to 2 pound loss per week (on a work day, that'll give me over 1,600+ calories to play with, and I'll usually aim for at least 1,500 calories). Then, if I find that I'm a little less active than usual (like on my day off) OR I go out and want to treat myself a little, I'll just go in and reduce my goal as needed. I figure even if I splurge a LOT one day and go from a 2 pound loss to maintenance, that'll still leave me at a 6,000 calorie deficit for the week (assuming I actually EAT all of my calories every day).
The whole exercise calorie bank thing mentioned by another member here also sounds intriguing. Basically, you just take the calories "remaining" at the end of the day and track them as being "eaten" that day, and then carry them over as an "exercise" the following day? My only concern is in regards to the Fitbit sync, so I'll have to play around with it. It might even work out better for me as it's more like the Activity Points in WW.
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I just remembered an experiment I tried in the past, and it seemed to work well for me until I got lazy.
I multiplied my daily points target by 34 and set my calorie goal on MFP to that. I also set my diary to "lightly active" and made sure it was set to lose 2 pounds per week. Then, I ate those calories and didn't track my fruit and vegetable intake. I also allowed myself to earn and eat activity calories. Essentially, I turned MFP into WW and it was a nice balance between the two.0 -
Okie dokie then. Whatever works for you!0
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I quit WW in a quickness because it was WAY too low calorie and low fat for me. When I double-logged and logged on MFP, my calories were woefully low! I was starving all the time!! They say you can eat what you want but really that isn't true. They force you to eat low fat by the system, if you don't, I was basically able to eat 900 calories one day which was insane so I quit. I am much happier back here on MFP! I was a long time SparkPeople member, this is way better for the database, however MFP doesn't track as many nutrients if that is a concern to you.0
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I actually like Sparkpeople because it has a better database for "generic" foods- whole foods like fresh fruits and vegetables. If I search "apple" the first one is a USDA official entry.
But this site is better for just about everything else. Though, I do like the idea of having a calorie range.
I think the thing I like most about WW is the free fruit and vegetables. I like the freedom to grab a pear on my way out the door as a snack without feeling guilty or pressured to track it.0 -
I just remembered an experiment I tried in the past, and it seemed to work well for me until I got lazy.
I multiplied my daily points target by 34 and set my calorie goal on MFP to that. I also set my diary to "lightly active" and made sure it was set to lose 2 pounds per week. Then, I ate those calories and didn't track my fruit and vegetable intake. I also allowed myself to earn and eat activity calories. Essentially, I turned MFP into WW and it was a nice balance between the two.
But why complicate things? Follow one OR the other and you'll be fine...we are not suppose to mix cals with points since they're NOT the same0 -
Also by eating DP + WP (like suggested) there is no way that you are starving, unless...you are trying to get away with a lot of "0" pts food which should be a complement and not a supplement0
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OP you are way over complicating this. Pick one or the other (WW or MFP). Modify whichever program seems to work best for you to fit your individualized needs. No one is holding a gun to your head and making you do something a specific way. Both systems allow for flexibility.
Also you are way overthinking your FitBit. My advice... Put in your stats. Set MFP to a reasonable goal (1 lb/week). Synch your FitBit. Track all your foods. Eat back the exercise adjustments. Stop over thinking it. Be patient. Give it 2 months and see if you are losing at the rate you wanted.0 -
I started on WW last Christmas and was fairly successful. I then added MFP a little later and double tracked for a while. I gradually transitioned to MFP because I find checking calories much simpler than converting to points.0
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Also by eating DP + WP (like suggested) there is no way that you are starving, unless...you are trying to get away with a lot of "0" pts food which should be a complement and not a supplement
I was not using "starving" in a literal sense, but in a figurative one. Besides, wouldn't trying to get around with eating more 0 point foods actually make me LESS hungry?
I generally don't snack much between meals (I'm a 3 meal plus one after dinner dessert) kind of gal. I basically like to create an entree (whether it's a breakfast sandwich for breakfast or a couple chicken drumsticks for dinner) and then fill up the rest of my plate (or lunch container) with fruits and/or vegetables. Occasionally, if I am going a bit longer between meals, I do like the freedom to grab a pear without tracking it, and I've cooked dinners for my friend and her family where I've served a salad. I portioned out my dressing and cheese, and then had multiple helpings of the fruit/veggies (with the little bit of cheese and dressing divided up among the multiple helpings of salad).
I definitely am leaning towards MFP for the most part. I would love to go back to tracking on WW, but I'll admit that finding things here is a lot easier. I was able to track my impromptu Thanksgiving dinner in minutes here. On WW, it would have required a lot of conversion (looking up food on here and then putting it into the WW calculator).
I just don't really want to deal with having to weigh and measure EVERYTHING. I like the flexibility WW allows with the 0 point fruits and vegetables. It's not like I eat 3 bananas a day or munch on grapes between meals. I rarely eat anything between meals. It's just nice to be able to make, say, a soup and toss in an extra bunch of spinach into the broth when I reheat my leftovers, or go to a church potluck and fill up my plate with fruit and veggies so I don't spend an hour nibbling on junk.
I would be more inclined to try giving WW another try (since I was doing quite well before I got off-track). Part of me thinks I should just trust the program as-is, but the errors with the new website and tracking make things really hard for me to stay on track.0 -
You just need to pick something, keep it simple without mixing several programs together and stick with it long enough for it to work. You seem to be stuck in a cycle of indecision and over complicating every single diet or program while making little to no progress. I've been around long enough to have seen you making these same posts over the last several years both on here and the WW forums.
Whatever you choose to do you will have to have some idea about how much you are eating and that will mean either measuring or weighing your food. You might not like it, but if you are really dedicated enough to buckle down and lose the weight you will have to be disciplined, ditch the excuses and do what you need to do (in a healthy manner) to reach your goal.0 -
I just don't really want to deal with having to weigh and measure EVERYTHING. I like the flexibility WW allows with the 0 point fruits and vegetables. It's not like I eat 3 bananas a day or munch on grapes between meals. I rarely eat anything between meals. It's just nice to be able to make, say, a soup and toss in an extra bunch of spinach into the broth when I reheat my leftovers, or go to a church potluck and fill up my plate with fruit and veggies so I don't spend an hour nibbling on junk.
Doing what works for you is important! I'm a new WW/MFP hybrid too. These are tools, use what you need. I've never used WW online. I joined meetings only and tracking on paper lasted about 1 day. I remembered MFP and started tracking on here. I did run into an issue with some things. So I bought a food scale for portioning things like shredded cheese, lunch meat, and snacks like cereal and yogurt.
I'm not planning on weighing everything that goes into my mouth right now. Like you said about not eating 3 bananas. I needed something to give me ideas, to help me eat more regularly, and to help me eat more balanced meals. I don't have a sweet tooth and can't tolerate sweets. I'm not tempted to eat 41 points of graham crackers and fat free cool whip.
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You just need to pick something, keep it simple without mixing several programs together and stick with it long enough for it to work. You seem to be stuck in a cycle of indecision and over complicating every single diet or program while making little to no progress. I've been around long enough to have seen you making these same posts over the last several years both on here and the WW forums.
Whatever you choose to do you will have to have some idea about how much you are eating and that will mean either measuring or weighing your food. You might not like it, but if you are really dedicated enough to buckle down and lose the weight you will have to be disciplined, ditch the excuses and do what you need to do (in a healthy manner) to reach your goal.
So much this!0 -
I'm ok with weighing and measuring most of what I eat when possible. I have a little pocket scale that I can use to weigh out portions if I'm at my friend's house for dinner, etc, and I'm pretty ok with estimating volume based on things like eyeballed portions (especially if I can use the bowls or plates as a reference point- like when I knew how large the soup bowl I had was and was able to use that to determine how much soup I had).
I guess, in the same sense, I can eyeball fruit and vegetable portions, and honestly, even if I were to weigh things like apples or pears, it would only be to get a sense of what is defined as a "small" or "large" fruit. I don't think I'd be able to bring myself to weigh and measure everything down to the gram. That kind of obsession has led to failure time and time again- whereas the freedom to eat fruit and vegetables without stressing about calories or points actually helps me stay on track.0
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