Weight watchers

successleadstosuccess

So I'm currently a weight watchers member looking to switch over to mfp... has anyone had success doing this? I'm feeling super restricted in the new smartpoints program, but I'm also afraid of all the freedom I'll have with MFP...

InkAndApples

Yes! I particularly enjoyed being treated like an adult who can make her own food choices (and occasionally eat a slice of cake without having to eat nothing but rabbit food for the rest of the day to make it fit).

Freedom = a good thing. I like knowing exactly what I'm eating in terms of calories and macros, my food choices are my own.

tinkerbellang83

There are loads of threads from ex and current weight watchers members - this is a fairly recent one http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10558830/why-did-it-take-me-so-long-to-figure-it-out-weight-watchers

Don't be scared of the freedom, it will help you manage the way you're going to eat for the rest of your life.

estherdragonbat

Don't be afraid. I've done older WW programs that worked well for me. When I was in my teens, about 30 years ago, they had "exchanges". 1 oz meat=3/4 oz cheese=3 oz tofu=1 protein exchange and you needed X number of protein exchanges per day, same for bread, fruits, veggies, milk, and fat. It was good, but basic and hard to convert recipes to exchanges.

I did one of their earlier points programs and eventually lost my enthusiasm. I also had this thing where the closer I got to goal the more nervous I was about maintaining and I started missing meetings. So, not blaming WW for that, it was all me and my mental game.

From what I've heard veterans of the most recent program say, this time out, WW's points are more divorced from caloric values. On the points program I did, higher-fat foods had fewer calories to the point (1 tsp oil=40 calories=1 pt) and high fiber foods might have been up to 70 calories to the point, but ballpark? If all you had were the calories, you could assume 50 calories/pt and be close. Now, 200 calories of lean protein versus 200 calories of starchy carbs could have wildly different values. We're not talking 3 points for the protein and 5 for the carbs; more like 3 and 7. At least, that's what I'm inferring; like I said, I haven't tried the newest version.

Unlimited fruits and veggies have been a major plank of the platform. Problem is, when it comes to weight loss, a calorie deficit is king. And although it's hard to get into a calorie surplus on non-starchy carbs and fruits that aren't avocado, since they are zero points, it's easy to mentally picture them as calorie-free. They aren't. To lose 1lb/week you need to eat 500 calories/day below maintenance. If you're eating 200-300 calories/day of fruits and veggies, your loss is going to be slower and you might find yourself plateauing more quickly. I just had 8 cherries with my lunch and they were 50 calories. The cup of grapes (151 grams on the scale) I had with breakfast were 100. If I weren't counting them, it would have an impact.

The freedom you have with MFP is the freedom to know what you're really eating and find out for yourself which foods satiate you, give you energy, and keep you going. You're going to find low-carbers, high-carbers, keto, paleo, vegetarians, vegans, you name it. Because it's all about finding a sustainable way of eating in a moderate deficit, whichever way works for you. You eat what you like within your calories, and most of us figure out pretty quickly that we feel better when we eat mostly foods with a lot of nutrients. That doesn't mean no desserts or indulgences. It does mean feeling less guilt over indulging. Right now, I'm on 1380 calories before exercise. If I choose to use 75 calories on a homemade chocolate truffle, I know that it derails nothing. It's a treat. It's not a cheat.

I'm sure there are plenty of people doing well with the current WW program. Most of them probably aren't here, because they've found what works for them. But with MFP, I feel like I'm finally getting a healthier relationship toward food. It works and it's free. And freeing.

raeleigh26

I did WW from Feb. 2016 until about a week ago. I lost about 60 pounds on the program so it definitely works, but the last 5 pounds I've struggled with and it's more of a me problem not the program. I just didn't want to keep paying every month if I wasn't going to follow the program. I've been using this app for about a week and there is more freedom. I'm down 3.1, but I'm sure it was mostly water retention. I'm still eating like I was doing WW, but it is nice to have treats and not have to worry how to make my points work for the day.

Stationagentjules

I did WW for first 3 months and the last month of it I tracked using both MFP and WW. I found my calorie count was similar with either plan. I've had the same success rate with both. For months now I use only MFP.

I found MFP to be less restrictive in general and I was never comfortable with WW not counting fruit as points. Plus MFP is free so...

For tracking and convenience, ease of use, I prefer MFP. Even though I need to double check accuracy with their massive nutritional database, once I have my staple items it's pretty quick and easy to track.

The MFP restaurant search is pretty cool too.

susanofarrell

WeightWatchers has been shown that it's the #1 most effective 'program' for weight loss. They didn't consider MFP a "program" so it didn't get a comparison... but I know it works for me (this coming from a lifetime WW member).

Can you do both (logging your WW program in MFP) until you get a feel for what works for YOU? Information is power!

royalty_mind_1me

MFP keeps me accountable, its when I stop logging that I gained weight. But syncing my FITBIT APP helps even more. Definitely a true motivator, verses just eating right. It causes you to stay active! And results will follow! -Nik

Xx_Christie_xX

I have tried both and for some reason I struggled with WW to lose weight!
Pros of WW - unlimited fruit and veg saves weighing and tracking. I also liked the weekly allowance however this was also a con as I would use them all the first few days then be starving the others! Atleast with MFP you know where you are each day, it's free and the community is also helpful.

MommaGem2017

I posted this is another thread - my recent realizations and frustrations with the current WW system:

1.) WW does not take your normal daily activity level into consideration when allotting daily points.
2.) The WW community does not encourage eating the Fit Points (which would be the equivalent of eating back exercise calories here).
3.) There is a weekly pool of points, but with the "blue dots" there is a large percentage of the people who won't touch those either.
4.) WW penalizes certain foods to gear you towards making certain food choices (which made me feel like a child). Two slices of whole grain bread (140 cal - 4 points) vs. 1/4 c dried cherries (140 cal - 8 points). If someone actually splurged on one or two of these penalized foods they might end up under calories for the day. Also, banana (90 cal - 0 points) vs. corn on the cob (80-90 cal - 3 points). What?? So you'll really try to tell me that a banana is a significantly healthier choice than corn?
5.) Because of the sugar penalty, people are more apt to choose fake foods laden with artificial sweeteners and sodium rather than a small portion of real food. Velveeta slices vs. real cheese? So high in sodium and gross tasting. A Dove mini bar vs. Enlightened bars? No contest.
6.) They do not offer consolidated nutritional breakdowns of the food you tracked, so short of taking a calculator and adding it all manually, it was so hard to make sure I was staying under sodium levels or getting enough fiber.

I've been having a much better experience with MFP. I'm losing weight and the days of extreme fatigue are gone!

changeconsumeme

I've done WW consistently since January 22nd and lost 38 pounds so far. I'm doing a Whole30 with people I go to the gym with (just for fun/to see if I'm up for the challenge) and my first week, I struggled. I tracked in both MFP and WW, and I consistently went over my SP but my calories were either on target or pretty close to MFP guidelines. I didn't follow all the guidelines of W30 for fear of screwing up my WW SP, but I did anyway despite my best efforts AND I was always hungry!

One thing I've always hated about WW is that they penalize you for fat intake. Fat is good. It's satisfying, it helps regulate your digestive system, balances your hormones, etc. It's impossible to do W30 without fat, and so I've made the choice to track here and not in WW for the rest of my W30 to see how I do and feel. After this week, I think I gained. At least 1-2 lbs. Hoping it's just beginner gains for eating more than what I'm accustomed to with WW, but we shall see.

After W30, maybe just tracking here will make me better off in the long run. I'm scared to deviate, as I've had such great success with WW, but the freedom of tracking calories vs points is kinda nice!

AmandaEdwards1

I've counted calories before and been successful. I didn't use MyFitnessPal but a similar website.
I joined weightwatchers recently and logged for about a week and hated the points system so I cancelled the account and switched to here. I'm much happier here and I'm losing weight. I agree with some of the above posters that the points system don't really make sense.

caryll4

Agree with new point system I was a weight watcher for years, with new program is to much focused on sugar. Mfp much more sensible

choppie70

I initially lost about 6 lbs with WW the first two weeks, then gained it all back within 3 weeks (still following the plan!) I did not like the point system. I could eat two bananas (close to 200 calories) and use 0 points, but that granola bar that is 180 calories will cost me 7 pts?!?! I was eating a lot of fruits and vegetables and not using my weekly points or my fit points (I was getting over 170 each week!) and I still gained weight - because I was still eating too many calories!

MommaGem2017

The Whole30 fat intake post got me thinking again about WW penalized foods. 1 slice reduced calorie whole wheat bread - 50 cal - 1 point. 1/4 avocado I had for lunch - 50 cal - 3 points! Same Calories - Different Point Values!

I am just so frustrated by WW intentionally manipulating people to choose certain foods over others no matter what their situation. I am a grown adult - if I want to eat that donut and it fits into my daily calories - I should damn well be able to do it.

mabug01

I've been doing WW for a couple of months, using the Simply Filling option. I've had very good success with it and I think I'm making healthier choices using the list of foods they supply. If I were younger, I would want the freedom to eat a donut; however, I have to be really careful to watch my cholesterol, blood sugars, etc now that I'm over 60. My meeting group has a really great leader and we focus on behavioral changes, which has been very helpful. The in-person component is helpful for me, but I love MFP friends, too, so I'm tracking here.

newheavensearth

I liked WW because it taught me portion control, how to add fruit and veggies to your daily diet, and taught the psychological aspects of eating. I lost 60 lbs on the older Points programs, and an extra 10 double tracking here. I made it to goal, so I am a free Lifetime WW member. But when WW switched to the new program I struggled to maintain the loss, much less lose more to get to my personal goal. Reason is the zero points food and points bias skews calorie control. Seems everyone on the WW is in "the turtle club" (slow losses) because of it. And everytime I foolishly try to follow WW again and double track, I plateau or gain. Calories are too high for me. I also got tired of converting everything to points, and being limited in food choices because of points values. It led to a lot of binges.

Another major problem I have is lack of maintenance support. They say increase your points by 6 per day. So I did and gained. And I was treated like a screw up instead of given advice and better guidance. I got the gain off with MFP.

All in all, WW has its benefits, but I prefer MFP.