Not counting smart points (Weight Watchers) anymore

honeybee739

I have been paying about $20 per month to do Weight Watchers online.

I've lost count how many times I've joined this program.

Every time I join, I quit and tell myself I will never join again.

Points frustrate me. The program changes every few years and that frustrates me. Now the new "smart points" is pretty much a low/moderate carb "clean" eating diet, which I do agree is a healthy way to eat, but sometimes it's not easy to do on a daily basis, and I find it restrictive.

Back on "point." So, this past week I said, Screw it. I am going to track on MFP and exercise every day. And it was Leslie Sansone walking DVDs mind you, so nothing crazy.

I lost 2 pounds.

Lesson- I can do MFP for free. Calories never change. I lost 2 pounds because I ate at a deficit and exercised. I don't need to pay for a program to lose weight. And the biggest bonus was, I ate food I LIKED. I didn't feel like I was ON a diet. Just eating a bit less of the foods I enjoy and eating more fruits and veggies vs chips...but I still had chips one day!

Any other similar revelations out there?

Alatariel75

Hello, I'm a former WWer from all the way back to the "Classic" program where you got to pick a certain number of servings from each group for the day! Then came Fat & Fiber, then Points, then ProPoints, then the Simply Filling... etc etc etc.

I found that the new system is very judgmental on food choices, the fact that they don't count carbs (only sugar) and only count saturated fat, rather than total fat, makes it more about their parameters for health rather than the numbers required for weight loss.

I notice there are a lot of WW refugees joining MFP nowadays.

MFP is free, and it really mimics the old, original point system of counting. I'm much happier here (and now completely used to counting fruit and veg!)

honeybee739

Yes! I am less stressed. Wow! I know about Points Plus and on but not the others before that. I agree, it is very judgemental. I get that "Not all calories are created equal" in that you can have 2 oreos or a bowl full of strawberries for the same calories and one is offering nothing but a craving satisfaction where the other is offering nutrition and keeps you fuller...I get all that. But I am also human and like to have a little more control over my choices. I don't want to feel "punished" if I choose the chips one night. I don't eat chips every single night..but one night isn't going to derail me! When I would plug that in to the WW app, it just made me feel like a loser.

sarahsweightlossjourney

This is exactly what I just went through. Weight watchers was so depressing and really left me in a bad place. I lost 8 lbs in 6 months which isn't much. I binge ate pizza orders weekly cause I was so hungry on weight watchers I couldn't eat anything I liked. I eat healthy and like a kid most of the time I have a balance and i don't care. I have no Intention of eating healthy and fat free and sugar free for rest of my life. I can eat whatever and lose weight counting calories.

honeybee739

Yeah, I would rather count calories or just cut carbs and not count anything than count points. So depressing. haha

Witchy_Mortician

I was on WW again for the 3rd time and hated the new system. I lost 2 pounds during my time with them and always felt like I was hungry. Been on MFP and have already lost 9 pounds!! I don't feel restricted like I did on WW, and I am not bored either.

weigh_less_weight

I am currently tracking on both. Trying to figure out why I feel like I am eating too much but still meeting my points on WW. I actually GAINED weight since I am been on WW and I have logged everything. Seriously thinking about switching back to MFP. The only thing I really like better about WW is the online support. I feel like WW online support is a lot easier to find and getting friends is easier.

DancingMoosie

Well, kind of. I never understood calories. I never understood why my sister was skinny and I was "fat". I hated that she would run everyday and I couldn't. I was frustrated with my weight and not being able to lose, or lose 4lb just to gain them right back. I even managed to lose about 15 for my wedding, but they were back on before our 1st anniversary. One day, I came home frustrated and hubby asked why I didn't try this app "my fitness pal". I had never heard of it, but decided to give it a go. I also decided to buy 30 Day Shred. I went to the gym and logged everything. I got on the scale and yelled at it. I lost 40 lbs. I've learned so much about eating and working out. There will be days that are difficult, but you just keep going.

Carol_

I go to meetings once a month as a 'lifetime member' which means I only pay once a month or not at all if at goal. For me it is more of a sentimental thing. I worked very hard to earn the lifetime membership.I hate the smart points plan. But I do like weighing in and having it officially recorded. I count calories on MFP. Sometimes I use an older WW points system along with it. But never smart points because it did not work for me..or a lot of people I know. I suppose it works for Oprah considering someone cooks for her and brings it to her and adds the points for her. And pays her well to lose the weight. I like Oprah rather she loses or not. I do not like ME unless I lose...so I am NOT doing smart points. Give it a couple years..and yeah..they will come up with something else. They might even re invent the calorie!

rodneywittner

I would like to add my $.02 if that's ok. I would like to voice a different take on WW. It's not my intent to step on toes or hurt anybody's feelings (wow, that seems to happen a lot these days) but I speak from the heart.
I am currently on the Weight Watchers Smart Points Program, tracking on both WW and MFP. I have been on the WW online program w/ coach support for one year. Two weeks ago, on my one year anniversary, I hit my goal weight. Started out at 233, goal weight was 168. I have lost 65 lbs utilizing WW, and getting regular exercise. I like the SP program because it is regular food, purchased from the grocery store. Lots of veggies, protein and fruit. A balanced diet. Which are foods I like anyway. No pre-packaged, proprietary food like Nutri-System or Jenny. WW does have some of their own foods, but I have not purchased any.
I thinks SP is a great plan and it works well for me. I will be "Lifetime" in 4 weeks. I started WW last February and in April, I bought a FitBit and use it daily. I tracked food and activity on both WW and FitBit, then recently switched from FitBit to MFP. Last February I started going to the gym consistently 5-6 times a week, beginning with strictly cardio exercise. I struggled at first, but kept with it. I have developed an exercise habit and it's now a part of my life. I miss it if I have to skip a day for whatever reason. I am now doing strength training as well. And running. I ran 5.3 miles in 65 minutes last Saturday. Until this past fall, I have not ran in over 30 years. I have also kept on with the WW plan consistently. You see, I believe that a balanced diet plan and an exercise plan, practiced regularly and consistently will work. Following those principles, you will lose weight. It's nothing more than burning more calories than you consume. I think the SP plan is really simple and easy to follow. There is a learning curve, just like any thing else. I don't know... maybe it's just me.
Now... has it been easy? NO. Of course not. Did I have bad days and days when I wandered off track? Absolutely. Did I give up? Absolutely not. No weight loss plan is easy. There is no magic pill. Losing weight is a very hard thing to do successfully. And maintaining the weight loss is even harder. Losing weight requires changes. Changes that most people are not willing to make. Temporarily, yes. Permanently, no. That's the bottom line. I have gone through a complete life style change and transformation. Maintaining will be THE challenge, but I have become well educated in the last year. Not just in the WW program, but in myself. Having a coach along the way has been instrumental and one smart decision on my part. Maybe I got lucky. Maybe I just chose the right coach. She has been awesome. She lost 70 pounds 15 years ago on WW and has been lifetime ever since. She has tremendous experience, knowledge and knows what to say when I need to hear it. Fortunately for me, I have been willing to listen.
The WW plan has and does change over time. As does pretty much everything. Not just WW. I mean, think about it... Everything changes. WW does not change the plan because it does not work. They change it because as the plan evolves, they improve it. Everything around us changes. Things change because knowledge and experience allows us to IMPROVE. WW has been around for many, many years. I remember my mom being on the WW program when I was a kid, and I am now 62. Unsuccessful plans (companies) don't last that long unless they work and are successful. Just like anything else. Where would technology be if we did not change and improve. Technology changes at the speed of light it seems.
One thing I have learned, is THERE IS NO FINISH LINE. I cannot get to goal and think, Whew! I made it!!! Yay me! I lost 65 pounds! And then slowly (or quickly) go back to the old habits that got me fat in the first place. This is where the lifestyle change plan comes into play and the decision to maintain and follow my new life style habits from here on out. All things considered, it boils down to one thing. A decision. A decision to change temporarily at first, then permanently. A decision made that I simply cannot go back on. Period.
Best wishes to you, in whatever method you choose in your weight loss desires and goals. I think Weight Watchers rocks.

doxielady123

I too found the many chances disheartening. Gotta buy a new set of books every time the program changes. Today was my first day here, and I am already learning a lot. I can do this. I WILL succeed in losing the weight.

melissa570

I agree and have felt the same. Struggling so much with smart points. Lost the weight on points plus, gained about 10 back and rejoined. 6 weeks have gone by and I have gained/lost the same 3 pounds while working the program. It does feel more restrictive and found myself then just not tracking. I have come over to MFP. Set my goal to moderately lose 1/2 a week, tracking everything and synced my garmin. And bam, lost 1/2 pound this week AND I feel satisfied and I am not hungry. I feel like I can work in treats and stay on program. Plan to stay here for the long term. Plus got tired of paying the $20 a month!

Running_and_Coffee

I am loving the program. I understand it might all be about CICO when it comes to weight loss, but I find it easier to get to the calorie count I need to hit to lose with WW than when left to my own, carb-craving devices. The foods they incentivize you to eat with the points are healthy and satisfying and the lower-sugar aspect for me means fewer cravings.

I 100% percent believe in "whatever works to get you there."

rayeofsun2017

I did weight watchers a ways back when it was points plus - i lost 30 pounds on it. Smart points - for whatever reason, i cannot lose weight with. I loved the sense of community i found at weight watchers but I have found that here where it is free and thousands of people and not the same 20 people each meeting

AngelinaB_

rodneywittner wrote: »

One thing I have learned, is THERE IS NO FINISH LINE.

Wise words. I have never been able to lose weight large amounts of weight on WW. Only one time I signed up with husband, he lost 40, I did 20. To me, it's a money grabbing scheme. But it works to some people, so whatever works for you, you should do.

I prefer MFP, I did buy the premium, but it's $49 a year vs $20 monthly with WW ($240/ year). I cannot afford 20$ monthly right now so...

Something I like here much better is the database. We found the WW one very limited, and to me, logging everything works. So only for that reason I like much better MFP. It works better for me.

I do like WW have a sense of "program", in that regard, it is easier to jump on the bandwagon than figuring things out by your own.

It ultimately boils down to what we eat tho. And deep down we all know what to do.

jonnymopar

Hi all,

I just joined here a few days ago and I already really like what I see. I have experience with WW, but a friend recommended that I check out MFP.

I lost 25lbs in 2013 with WW, then hit a rough patch (read: becoming a father - a happy one, but an overweight one), and things got out of hand.

I resubscribed to WW a year ago and I'm down to my college weight, which I never thought possible. I'm over 40lbs lighter than I was on my wedding day less than 5 years ago. But, I can't help but think that $19/mo is steep for just the online tools. I don't go to the meetings. I've had excellent luck on my own. Plus, compared to a few years ago, the new interface is extremely lacking. A few years ago, you could track your water intake, fruits and vegetables, dairy, and a dietary supplement separately from your points, as well as leaving yourself daily notes. All of that is gone, and all you have left is your list of food, exercise, and pictures of Oprah everywhere. Great, thanks. Yeah sure, some Hollywood billionaire with her own personal you-name-it is going to inspire me to lose weight. Riiiight.

The one reason that I continue to pay is to use their database. It was good in 2013, but it's truly great now. I was skeptical of MFP for this reason. How good could a free service's database actually be? After the last few days, I'm a believer! Plus, I was told that MFP was a calorie-counting system. While it does do that, it lists all of the other parameters as well which I love. I'm an engineer - give me numbers, give me reports, let me tweak things on the fly. MFP does all of that.

I did have good results with WW on more than one stint, so I won't sit here and completely trash it. It works for tons of people out there and definitely worked for me. But it's starting to feel like a set of training wheels. Sure, when I first started, if I put a buck in a jar for every time I asked myself "but, how many points is that", I could probably take my family on vacation with it. I'd never done this before! But, it's not like that anymore, and it hasn't been for a while. All I need now is a simple way to keep myself accountable. It may be too early to call, but for my personal needs, MFP so far has made a compelling case for dumping WW.

SuzMar17

Just left WW (for the million plus times); for me I'm always thinking about food or starving....points just annoys me lol I feel like I have more control with MFP plus i like to see all the nutrients, like my carb, protein etc. I know so many that get frustrated with the plan and feel like a failure and just a vicious cycle.....

cwagar123

honeybee739 wrote: »

I have been paying about $20 per month to do Weight Watchers online.

I've lost count how many times I've joined this program.

Every time I join, I quit and tell myself I will never join again.

Points frustrate me. The program changes every few years and that frustrates me. Now the new "smart points" is pretty much a low/moderate carb "clean" eating diet, which I do agree is a healthy way to eat, but sometimes it's not easy to do on a daily basis, and I find it restrictive.

Back on "point." So, this past week I said, Screw it. I am going to track on MFP and exercise every day. And it was Leslie Sansone walking DVDs mind you, so nothing crazy.

I lost 2 pounds.

Lesson- I can do MFP for free. Calories never change. I lost 2 pounds because I ate at a deficit and exercised. I don't need to pay for a program to lose weight. And the biggest bonus was, I ate food I LIKED. I didn't feel like I was ON a diet. Just eating a bit less of the foods I enjoy and eating more fruits and veggies vs chips...but I still had chips one day!

Any other similar revelations out there?

Yes yes yes.

Love this post.

I have gained and lost the same 15 lbs through WW over the years.

MFP.... Down 80

size102b

WW prior to late 1990s was calorie counting done in points I always lost on that 40lbs in 3 months 2lbs a week
Then they got all carb sugar obsessed and I lose little stating a jacket potatoe is high points as the kind of carbs are bad isn't to me good it makes your life miserable
I lose weight on mfp having what I like I choose healthy as possible so I'm not hungry. WW is a business that's why they change it every year after Christmas to get new members.

klr4589

I love this thread because I just canceled my WW account last week for the 100th time. The reason I go back is 1) the Connect feature on the app and 2) weekly points. I do love that weeklies keep me in check so I don't go too crazy on weekends. On MFP if you exceed your calories, there's really no accountability as it starts all over the next day. BUT I always, always, always felt restricted on WW. I know I can eat certain guilty pleasure foods in moderation and still lose weight, but WW made me feel that anytime I did that, I ruined everything. Then I'd stop tracking for a while, defeating the whole purpose. It's totally a mindset change between the two apps. Already from being on MFP for a week, I feel MUCH less restricted, which ultimately will help me be more successful. I paid $50 for the annual premium membership. So worth it and better than spending $20/month for WW!

sadiepie8705

I'm on WW right now my daily points only come out to 1050-1400 calories. Add in weeklies and you could get up to 1650. I've been starving since I've been on it the last two weeks. I gained a pound my first week and lost 0.6 my second. I don't know, I'm thinking about coming back here. At least I won't be so hangry. Also one thing I've noticed is that my workouts started getting really hard for me to get through. One night I had a mini binge from being so hungry all day, I got up the next morning and had the best workout!

fvtfan

I am currently on WW - was using MFP for 2 years but I really struggled to stay on track, I think I need the discipline of points telling me that I don't really need that chocolate chip cookie - but if I want it I can still have it. The weekly points allow me to splurge once in a while - this past weekend I did that but did not go over my points and lost 3.6 pounds. I feel like I never really knew how many calories I should be eating on MFP - maybe it was all just to simplified for me. I do wish that WW broke down the macros in reports - I would like to easily tell how much protein I am eating every day without manually tracking it myself.

When WW changed to SmartPoints I thought to myself that it would never work for me, because I love carbs, so I resisted trying it out. I started on January 1st and low and behold I am now down 18 pounds. It works for me, but it may not work for everyone. I think one of the things that people do on WW is just stick to their daily points and do not use the weekly points for whatever reason - I can totally see how doing that would leave you hungry, I am not sure why people feel you should not eat the weekly points or the FitPoints you earn as they are part of the program.

I did learn a lot in the time that I used MFP (like I need to fuel my body when I am working out and daily weighing really helps you understand the ups and downs of weight loss) and I do still come back here and read the boards. If I wasn't so lazy I would log in both places so I could get the macro information I want, but that just feels like way too much work.

loisburch59

Thank you for the many testimonials. I have never joined WW and now feel that that was one of my good decisions. I have weighed as much a 500 lbs, measured in the hospital when I had volume overload. I lost almost 100 lbs in 4 days, just water weight. I know the problems of the ups and downs of weight loss, have done Dr. Adkins and every other diet since I was 12 and my mother put me on the Roman Meal bread plan. Yes I'm that old. I am a short 6 foot tall. Now with the experiences of each of you I can see a little clearer the path that I am walking again, never quiet get to the brass ring, now I can see it is there, this time will do it. Thanks to all of you.

kathyk1965

Yes I feel the same way I've been going to ww since I was 15 off and on im now 51 and probly have lost 10 people so far just to put it back on i really never followed the plan like you i ate everything in moderation and walked alot. I was thinking about going back because i need the part of weighing in everyweek because i feel like im a failure if i dont loss weight so it kept me accountable for my weight loss. But this time I'm trying on my own with the help of mfp.

MommaGem2017

fvtfan wrote: »

I do wish that WW broke down the macros in reports - I would like to easily tell how much protein I am eating every day without manually tracking it myself.

This is the biggest sticking point for me with WW. I dislike having to track things in 2 apps to see how much protein I'm getting, or if I'm eating too much sugar, etc.

I DO like the Weekly accountability that WW has with the Daily/Weekly points. I can splurge a little during the week, but the splurge is contained.

Right now I'm still using both. MFP so I can educate myself about the details of what I consume, and WW for the weekly accountability and the Connect app.

carynfulda

I'm back after trying WW - again. I lost 40 lbs on it ten years ago. I eat mainly fruits and vegetables and lean meats, hardly any carbs, not even whole grains. I exercise 10-14 hours a day walking, hiking, boxing, elliptical, cycling. I have what my partner and I call one "dirty meal" on the weekends where I dip a little into the weekly points, but not my activity points. On paper I should be losing weight. I'm staying steady after two months.

The problem is that it is inconsistent. I'm tracking WW and MFP. I can eat the same spinach, cucumber, apple and blueberry smoothie with protein powder one day, and it's 8 points (no added sweeteners, the protein powder is unsweetened). If I decide to eat all those components as a fruit salad, it's just 2 points for the protein powder. Same thing, same amount of calories. On the days I count the smoothie I consume about 1000 - 1100 calories. On the day I don't, when I have extra SP because I didn't use them on my smoothie, it's around 1500. For two weeks I tried Adkins on WW after a friend lost a ridiculous amount of weight in a short period. I had points left over every day, but calorie wise I was hitting close to 1700 a day. I know you're supposed to keep your metabolism guessing but 1500 and 1700 calories is way over what I should be eating to lose weight.

Secondly, I don't like fat free plain greek yogurt on its own, but for protein it gives you a pretty big bang for your buck, so I try to incorporate a tablespoon or two here and there in different dishes through the day. Two tablespoons is 0 points, but a cup is 3. I was over eating three points a day and didn't realize it because the amounts aren't cumulative - something that calorie counting will take into account. When I added up other things I was using sporadically during the day, I was over eating by five points a day! That's not an issue with calorie counting.

And some of the points don't make sense. I made a turkey sandwich and created it as a recipe. No cheese, loaded with veggies, maybe 2 teaspoons light mayo. individually the components added up to about 8 points, but as a recipe, it was 12. That's like eating a small order of French fries.

It's too much guess work, too much tweaking and adding. I'm going back to my 1200 calorie diet where I know the values of what I'm eating.

bmd1011

"I've lost count how many times I've joined this program.

Every time I join, I quit and tell myself I will never join again."

^^^^I could have wrote exactly this. I've been stuck in the same WW/MFP cycled for years. I logged onto WW's website this morning and was about to rejoin (for the millionth time since I first joined back in 2004!).....I know MFP makes more "sense" for me and my current lifestyle but there's still a nagging feeling that maybe, just maybe, WW is the answer. I know what to do, just need to actually do it (for the long term). No need to pay for it!!

canarysal

You have to work it out for yourself, I'm liking the simplicity of eating what I like within my calorie allowance and its working, 31lbs off since January - my SW colleague has lost 2lbs in a year yet still pays weekly to be weighed and is miserable turning down foods because of syn values.

LastDance53

Just today I cancelled my WW membership and decided to go "rogue" for awhile. I'm a WW fan for sure and I've joined and quit a million times and I will probably join again. Today I started my journey here and with your support and my will power I hope to be able to lose about 30 pounds.

LB30

klr4589 wrote: »

I do love that weeklies keep me in check so I don't go too crazy on weekends. On MFP if you exceed your calories, there's really no accountability as it starts all over the next day.

Actually you can see weekly totals on MFP. On the website it is under Reports, and on the app it is under Nutrition. You can see your totals for each day, and the average for the week. I use that feature a lot as some days I may go over and other I may be a bit under. It helps me to see if I have some leeway to work in a weekend treat or not.

ladyhusker39

I've never done Weight Watchers but I notice that often times when we decide to lose weight and/or get healthier it's an all-or-nothing, huge lifestyle change overnight kind of extreme. It's challenging enough just to consistently eat in a calorie deficit to lose weight.

Sometimes I think people would be better off to take smaller steps and just focus on losing weight by cutting what they currently eat. Then as you start to get the hang of it make gradual changes in food choices over time. It's much less stressful, but it can take longer to get the end goals. Or it seems like you're not dieting because you're still eating food you enjoy which somehow seems wrong.

That's the overall impression I get about the current WW program.