Tempted to return to Weight Watchers, help?!

jennk5309
jennk5309 Posts: 206 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
It had its good points, but honestly it drove me nuts! My main problem was that I was on 26 points, and that equals between 800-1000 calories, not including fruits and vegetables. There were also weekly "extra" points, but I found that I didn't lose if I used them. I went over my MFP diary for today so far, and if I converted it to WW points, I'd already have 23, and I haven't even had dinner yet! I felt like I was starving all the time.

My other problem was that I left out a lot of healthy foods because their points were too high, like nuts. An eighth of a cup of mixed nuts is only 85 calories, but THREE WW points! That's too many for a small snack when you only get 26 points. And even healthy cereals like bran flakes have 5 points, not including the milk.

What I liked though was that IT WORKED, plus the weekly accountability really pushed me to work hard. I've gained back a few pounds since switching to MFP. I don't have a meeting to go to once a week, so there's always tomorrow to do better if I mess up today. I have a weekly deadline on WW, which helped.

Thoughts?

Replies

  • Shoechick5
    Shoechick5 Posts: 221 Member
    You're driving yourself nuts trying to do both. Pick one! I lost 30 lbs on momentum, hated Points Plus and then found MFP. I would never, ever go back to WW. BUT...if you need the weekly meetings then perhaps that's the structure you need. WW points don't make you lose or gain weight, Calories do, so to me why would I bother counting some arbitrary number like points? and MFP is free:)
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    I actually found Points Plus too easy but I did eat my weekly points. With three servings of fruit a day, at 26 base points, I averaged over 1800 calories, which is what most people do. For me, that's maintenance. If I'm going to track every bite I eat, I need to lose. I always wanted to try it again with a lower points target but haven't.

    You can do it without paying, the points formulas are out there, or you can just buy a points calculator. But if you do it for the education, support or accountability, the formulas alone won't help.
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    You can actually add a points plus column to your MFP food tracker and do WW here, for free :happy: Do a search and type in something like 'weight watchers on MFP' and the instructions thread should pop up!
  • faigylu
    faigylu Posts: 11 Member
    Why dont you do the Simply Filling Plan- no counting points on food and then you have 49 pts per week for treats.
    I started it a month ago and I'm loving it! I'm down 12 pounds and I have only 15 more to go :)
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    Why dont you do the Simply Filling Plan- no counting points on food and then you have 49 pts per week for treats.
    I started it a month ago and I'm loving it! I'm down 12 pounds and I have only 15 more to go :)
    I lost 50 pounds on their old Core plan, the predecessor to Simply Filling, and loved it. I don't know why I don't do that one, again, too! I loved not counting, except certain treats.
  • hmrey76
    hmrey76 Posts: 945 Member
    i agree with shoechick5....

    i've done both and honestly i liked the weekly accountability of the WW meetings but at the same time it is expensive and you have to figure out a formula to eat! which in my opinion doesn't help you learn how to eat better/less. But MFP is free and it is so EASY because of the scanner! I also found it helps to pretrack your day so you know what you have left or how many calories you need to burn to eat that piece of cake :)
  • MyFoodGod
    MyFoodGod Posts: 184 Member
    Your profile says you struggle with overeating. Check out Overeaters Anonymous. Check out the LA podcasts online. Visit a few meetings and listen to the experiences of others.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,324 Member
    do what works easy for you. WW drove me crazy..I'd never do it..because I'd just fail.
  • ashzacher
    ashzacher Posts: 114 Member
    I didn't like that you could eat processed, gross food and it would cost you just as many points as something healthier such as chicken with rice. But, that's just my opinion! Like you, I found that it was using a lot of my points if I ate something like peanut butter or raw almonds.

    I tried both MFP/WW and it is a nightmare to try and do both! So much tracking it can make your head spin. Especially when you're trying to make ends meet on both apps. Personally, I like MFP and watching my carbs/fat/protein ratios. Plus, it's free. :) But, different things work for different people!

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