Fresh off WW and having problems......

Anyone transistioning over from Weight Watchers and having problems with "running out of calories" (even when I exercise) when you're used to being able to eat pretty well all the fruits and veggies you wanted before when you were hungry because they were 'free'? I'm just feeling a little restricted and would love to get more in......Any tips or advise would be greatly appreciated!

Replies

  • I did WW 5 years ago and hear it has changed. I am finding the calorie allowance to be fairly similar to WW when counting points but agree about the "free" food. Eating a banana on mfp adds a heap of sugar to daily allowance. I guess just be sensible in eating. Veges are lower in sugar but if eating fruit it has to be healthier than other processed food
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
    Up your calories. You're probably on 1200. Search the forums for 'not losing on 1200'.
  • JeTiJi
    JeTiJi Posts: 42 Member
    Thanks guys! I do find myself substituting fruit for processed food, so obviously this is just the start of a lifestyle change:)
  • KellyyT
    KellyyT Posts: 41 Member
    depending on how tall you are, and how much you weigh currently, 1200 could actually be just fine. all that stuff about "not losing on 1200" is a load. tons of people on MFP are set at 1200 and are losing weight just fine, myself included. i lose about 1.5 lbs per week.

    anyway, you might feel like you're starving initially because you're used to being able to eat anything you want without having to think about it. you feel deprived even if you've obviously eaten enough! replace your processed food with fruits and veggies (this one's obvious).

    however, pick low-cal options that give you more bang for your buck. for instance, most melons (watermelon, honeydew, etc) are around 50 cals for a whole cup. still hungry? eat TWO cups! i bet you won't be as hungry. fruits like bananas are higher in calories and i usually avoid them as fillers.
  • faeriewings1
    faeriewings1 Posts: 98 Member
    Was weight watchers working for you? Is so depending I on what your pro points allowance was you could count 1200 cals and not count your veges and fruit
  • JeTiJi
    JeTiJi Posts: 42 Member
    great point! At least when you're over your calories for the day, it wasn't on junk:)
  • CherylP67
    CherylP67 Posts: 772 Member
    I gave up weight watchers, I was not losing with the 0 point fruits and veggies.

    I've been making healthier choices and logging here since May 2. I've lost almost 25 pounds in 11 weeks here. I'm a 5'5 woman who used to weigh 198.4 and now weigh 174.

    I suggest you read as much as you can on these forums and the Internet and figure out what works for you.

    The first week, I did the 1200 calories MFP gave me to lose 2 lbs a week, I was hungry and miserable. I did a lot of reading and decided to move up to my BMR and eat back exercise calories. Over the next couple weeks, I worked up to 1400. I still felt like this wasn't enough, since my BMR was 1540. Over the next couple of weeks, I moved up to 1545 and eating back my exercise calories. My lightly active TDEE (totally daily energy expenditure) minus 20% (recommended to lose weight) is 1837 calories, I think I'm going to bump up my calories and not eat back exercise. This time moving up is hard for me, I'm satisfied on the 1545 and don't hit that goal some days.

    I'm a nurse and work 3 busy 12 hour shifts a week. I'm also a single mom, so I do it all; cleaning, yard work, car chores, etc. I exercise with purpose sporadically, I take a brisk walk 2-3 times a week. I'm in the middle of a divorce, so after that is final and my finances clear up, I plan on joining a gym and starting lifting. In the meantime, I'm reading and learning about that.

    I never had this kind of success on Weight Watchers and I feel AMAZING. Feed your body well and it will love you back. You really have to put the work in and find out what your body NEEDS and what works for you. I have lost weight every time I bumped up my calories. I stayed the same one week, and that was when I came home after a beach vacation.

    Feel free to add me as a friend if you'd like.