Why I left Weight Watchers new "Freestyle" Program

newheavensearth

So far the weight is wooshing off, but then again Smart Points sucked for me. I have been sticking to my deficit pretty well. I am still weighing, measuring and tracking everything. Today was tricky because I left my planned meals home in a hurry and had to rely on calories, no points, no list. But I made the best of it. Still made a deficit. I just felt unstructured in my eating.

LeeseySparkles

I just ended my membership because of their new Freestyle program. I was genuinely upset about it. I would keep with the meetings but why pay to listen to ppl talk about a plan that doesn't pertain to my journey. I loved Smartpoints Beyond the Scale, and plan on paper tracking as well as calorie tracking.
I don't think it's right they changed my plan in the middle of my membership month. I didn't pay for the Freestyle plan.

jk1508

The cost has really gotten to me. It is $35 a month online. That is a lot of money! I was on the verge of joining again because I am a bit of a sucker for the new programs. However, I held off as I remembered my last membership. Everyone was making muffins in a mug and piling them with fruit and sugar free syrup, then packets of processed food. I recall trying to stay in my points for one day and after 8 days of going over my points, I gave up. I also tracked those days on MFP and a few of the days I ‘failed’ I consumed about 1400 calories. Forget about olive oil and healthy fats - you have no points for that. I am on mfp now and just eating 3 solid meals a day to a total of 1300 - 1400 cals with high protein and minimal sugar. Seems better to me and free!

consumone

Wow that list of -0- foods is going to do me no good - so I will stick with this and stay accountable to my friends - which yes I need friends - both here and in real life, but that is fat happy girl problem

alpa4985

I also cancelled my membership today. I have been thinking about it for a while and tried and tested the new plan and have not had any success. A lot of people have left as per the post on connect. MFP is the way forward. We can do this.

glassyo

Do they ask for feedback when you leave. I've always been curious.

hesn92

I’ve always thought mfp is better. It’s more logical. It’s straight calories in vs calories out which is the science behind weight loss or gain. Plus it’s free.

displaced1

glassyo wrote: »

Do they ask for feedback when you leave. I've always been curious.

I believe so, like a little questionnaire online.

newheavensearth

glassyo wrote: »

Do they ask for feedback when you leave. I've always been curious.

When I cancelled on the phone for financial reasons I was asked why.

glassyo

@displaced1 and @newheavensearth Good to hear! That's when you can really let them have it.

claireelewis

Well they have caviar on the list - where do I sign up haha!!

Natalianime

I did weight watcher back when they were on points plus. When the only free things were fruits and veg. I left once they moved to smart points because it seemed like the punishment for carbs was kind of drastic. Foods I used to eat for 4 points suddenly became 11. It was too much of an adjustment to get used to.

I think they are moving more toward general better eating tools for people who have very poor diets. I get what they're doing and it has it's place but won't work for most.

If you eat nothing but takeout, pizza, wings and soda and decide to join weightwatchers you likely will lose weight and learn to eat better. Regardless of the amount of free food you eat. It's no longer a place for people looking to lose 5-20 pounds. It's a learning tool, meant to be used for losing 50+ pounds.

If you're someone who already eats all the foods regularly on their new list you're already past the point of needing their guidance.

kshama2001

While I liked WW when I did it in the 90s, I don't see the point now that there are free resources like MFP.

I suppose the accountability of a public weigh in could be helpful for some, however.

Jimb376mfp

Change is hard, but did you did not give it a try for even a couple weeks.

I will see what my results are after a month, at least.

2013-2015 I lost 105# on WW Points Plus Value Plan.
2016-2017 I lost 80# on Smart Points

My first WI onFreestyle I was down -1.6

I will meet my GW soon by continuing to eat healthy and exercise. The BASICS of CICO are not going to change. Whatever program helps people to eat healthy , exercise and enjoy life should be the one they follow.

skinnychick1017

I left weight watchers too. I tried the freestyle plan for 2 weeks and gained weight. Happy to have some structure with MFP and already back to losing weight!

Christine_72

Jimb376mfp wrote: »

Change is hard, but did you did not give it a try for even a couple weeks.

I will see what my results are after a month, at least.

2013-2015 I lost 105# on WW Points Plus Value Plan.
2016-2017 I lost 80# on Smart Points

My first WI onFreestyle I was down -1.6

I will meet my GW soon by continuing to eat healthy and exercise. The BASICS of CICO are not going to change. Whatever program helps people to eat healthy , exercise and enjoy life should be the one they follow.

@Jimb376mfp Do you eat a lot/some of the free foods?

bfanny

This is my experiencie with WW:
I am a Lifetime member for 9 years, meaning I don't pay a cent because I got to my goal AND I'm maintaining, I've seen many changes, some I like better than others and what I've learned is that at the end of the day, just like with cals you have to find your own formula, is NOT one size fits all and I know that IF I use common sense IT WORKS And before you ask I track cals once in a while just to watch my Macros...
Good luck getting to your goals!!!

bfanny

If you still have connect you can see my meals (fann28) I don't starve or abuse fruit or eat everything from the freestyle list, I enjoy fast food very often and I love my carbs I include them in every meal...My weight is at the middle of the BMI I lost 48 lbs

Jimb376mfp

Christine_72 wrote: »

Jimb376mfp wrote: »

Change is hard, but did you did not give it a try for even a couple weeks.

I will see what my results are after a month, at least.

2013-2015 I lost 105# on WW Points Plus Value Plan.
2016-2017 I lost 80# on Smart Points

My first WI onFreestyle I was down -1.6

I will meet my GW soon by continuing to eat healthy and exercise. The BASICS of CICO are not going to change. Whatever program helps people to eat healthy , exercise and enjoy life should be the one they follow.

@Jimb376mfp Do you eat a lot/some of the free foods?

@Christine_72,
I’m on day 12 of the new plan so not much data yet. Hard boiled eggs and chicken breasts have always been two of my Go TOs so I will continue to eat them.
I did make some chili with LOTS of beans and ground turkey. I’ll see how that affects my WI. (Concerned about sodium)
Today I bought a large container of FF Greek yogurt to use in lieu of Oikos Triple Zero yogurt I have been eating.

I have not reviewed the Zero Point list yet but I will to see if there is anything I would try.

After following two different WW Plans ( PPV and Smart Points) over the past five years I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. Why would they roll out a product that does NOT work? They ( WW Inc) are in this to make money, if they fail at selling the program then they will lose customers.

I will follow the Plan, Eat Zero Point foods IN MODERATION. Try some new (healthy) choices and see how I do after a month.

I know there is no Magic Plan, no easy way to lose weight, but anything that helps my manage my CICO Process is worth trying.

CICO is a “Simple” process to understand, use more calories than you consume over a long period of time,
BUT it is NOT an “ Easy” process to understand, implement, and continue to do 24/7/365!

Honey5

I HATE Weight Watchers Freestyle program! I was doing well on Smart Points and losing weight. Freestyle is too restrictive. Since it is so restrictive I find myself running out of points mid day. Since I run out of points so early in the day I just go ahead and blow off the rest of the day. This is causing me to eat more than I did on Smart Points.

Weight Watchers should have given members an option to stay on Smart Points or switch to Freestyle. If I don't get the hang of this within the next week or two I will have to quit WW for fear of GAINING weight.