Weight Watchers... should I quit?

tracydr

OP, I can relate even though I have the opposite problem. I am a WW member who loves my leader and my Saturday morning meeting but struggle with the points plus system after doing well with it for the past 16 months. As I get closer to goal my daily target has shrunk to the point where it's unlivable for me but I value the info that I receive from the meetings and the other members every week. I think that "will power" is a worthless concept and that you need information, plans, strategies , and routines that you build into your life until they become second nature. It was only this week that I stopped tracking points and switched to counting calories full time (still including the WW Healthy Check guidelines) while still going to meetings. I can still track points but it depressed me to be 7 - 10 points over every day even though I am losing 1.6 - 3+ Lbs a week eating way over my target. If you have tried other meetings in nearby towns, check to see if there is a local TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) or if one of the hospitals in your areas has a diet group. There is no point in paying $45 a month to be miserable if the situation is not working for you. Just don't lose any of your current momentum when/ if you quit! Best of luck!

Sounds to me like you should add about 5-10 points so that weight loss is closer to 1 pound a week and the program is more livable. You may be not getting enough calories, which sets people up for failing or even quitting.

trisha1298

This is all great advice, thank you everyone!

misskj1988

I've just quit Weight Watchers and joined MFP instead. I lost 21lbs but nothing since November. It's a scary prospect,the commitment of a meeting was a bit like a comfort blanket but I've decided I want to be accountable to myself rather than a company. Good luck with whatever you decide

rose313

I think if it's no longer working for you, you should quit, especially since it costs money. Plus you're not giving up, you're doing something different now which will hopefully help you more.

ksy1969

You don't need any gimmicks. Best diet is the one where you track your calories in versus estimated calories out, CICO. If you are accurately tracking your intake it has to work. If it doesn't then you calories out is lower than you though. From that point you can either lower your intake or increase your activity to increase your calories out. This way you will hopefully then start losing weight. If not you adjust again till you start losing

This is coming from someone who lost over 100 lbs on WW. I left because I realized they actually complicate the program and in the long run create more confusion. Oh yeah, I also quit them because I realized I didn't need to pay money for something I could do on my own.

jkal1979

I went through that last year. After sticking with WW for 6 months it just wasn't doing anything for me anymore. Meeting topics were getting gimmicky and there was no focus on fitness unless their activity tracker was on sale. I only came on MFP again to track my macros but seeing how many calories I was eating compared to points was a real eye opener. The information on exercise that I read on the boards here made me change the way I work out.

I think that WW is a good program, especially for people that really need to learn the basics such as portion control and making better choices with their food. I just couldn't sit through another meeting about how table settings will benefit my weight loss.

GeorgiaJenn1181

May I also say that I prefer the forums here? I found that there were two things that made the forums over at WW Online less than conducive to a supportive environment. The first is that the forums are open to anyone, so any specifics about the program were off-limits on the boards. That meant you had to speak in cryptic language to convey questions, or people could only respond with, "read your materials/ask your leader". The other is that the overall tone was just plain rude. I mean, there are some super testy people on those boards. It was a daily occurrence that someone would say something hurtful or snarky and then there were little cliques that would hang together and give each other little cyber high-fives for being mean. It was super juvenile and really kind of disheartening.

Becky60s

If you get something out of the weekly meeting format, you might check to see if your town has a TOPS chapter. TOPS is Take Off Pounds Sensibly, and they have the weekly meetings like Weight Watchers, but it's only $26 a year. Plus you can do whatever diet you like-- it's just about the support, I think. I haven't been to one of their meetings, but I'm thinking about it, I've heard good things. With any organization, though, it all comes down to the dynamics in that particular group as to whether it's a good fit for you. Sounds like your current meeting is definitely not-- you need a meeting with younger people.

daynerz

Lots of inspiration to be found on here
but ultimately within you lies the choice and dedication to a healthier you

I wouldnt stay with WeightWatchers, you have no relations to the older woman, nothing will be relevant for u

tmj4477

It doesn't seem like it's working for you and its costing you money. Are there any other WW groups you can join with younger people? Or have you ever thought about going on meetup.com and finding a workout group close to your area?

By the way I felt the same way about WW, too many people who weren't close to my age.

1974lynnette

I used WW in the past & had some success with it but I got stuck at a weight pretty quickly. I got discouraged because I was doing everything right by the book & I was losing nothing. I gained that weight back plus some after I quit because I didn't really gain any knowledge about how to eat. With MFP I've lost 4 lbs in a month, I'm counting all my calories, tracking my water intake, & I feel like I can keep going on this journey. I hate that I wasted time & money on WW.

WalkingAlong

May I also say that I prefer the forums here? I found that there were two things that made the forums over at WW Online less than conducive to a supportive environment. The first is that the forums are open to anyone, so any specifics about the program were off-limits on the boards. That meant you had to speak in cryptic language to convey questions, or people could only respond with, "read your materials/ask your leader". The other is that the overall tone was just plain rude. I mean, there are some super testy people on those boards. It was a daily occurrence that someone would say something hurtful or snarky and then there were little cliques that would hang together and give each other little cyber high-fives for being mean. It was super juvenile and really kind of disheartening.

Those forums are the most juvenile, mean, petty, useless ones I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot. And the software is from the stone age. WW should be ashamed of themselves for that cesspool and I've told them so.

My meeting's average age is about 70. I have two left then my subscription is up and I'm not rejoining. I still like the plan but I can do it on my own.

RealtyGoddess

Just cancelled my membership today with WW. I have been on it since January and I know it's a good program and all but this new point system just does not make sense. I lost 26lbs in six months but I know I could have done better and I followed the program to a "T". The zero point foods really are deceiving because you are still consuming calories. Then you have activity points and flex points and .... blah blah blah. It's just easier on there. For the last few days I have been tracking on both systems and I enjoy MFP much better. It's more accurate. A calorie eaten is a calorie eaten, a calorie burned is a calorie burned. Why continue to pay for a service when it's just not working well.

I am not bashing them, just saying it's time for me to do something else because it was not really working for me.

Controversial

You've been at it long enough, you probably know what works and what doesn't for you more than most, definitely more than your "leader" from the sounds of it. Personally, I found WW a waste of money and did far better on my own. Plus, you're not really on your own since you're on MFP.

rivka_m

I'm doing WW online, but I have to say I'm glad I'm not the only one who was thrown by how petty and unpleasant the WW forums are, especially since the few real-life meetings I've been to have been very supportive. I don't post there and I don't even usually lurk - too many hangry people and they form into hangry cliques.

It's also weird that so many of the WW forums are divided into men's & women's sections for no obvious reason.

WalkingAlong

I just logged a complaint with WW corporate over the lack of moderation on the forums. I don't know if they'll care but better to make sure they know it's a problem. If anyone else is an Etools member and wants to do the same, there's a chat app you can use to talk to support.

I'm not ready to give up on points but I might try a week of logging without Etools and see how it goes. Counting points is a looser noose to me than having to count every bite. F&V is not so much 'free' as it is 'pre-counted'. Because of that I reach for it more than when I'm counting calories.

herbaliz

Good Afternoon!

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lanell2659

I too just cancelled my ww - I do like the plan and lost 25lbs, but they just couldn't get their website right , didn't like paying for
something you cant get full use of, I too complained
a lot to the Help center with out any care from them. now just going to eat right on my own:)