Has anyone tried weight watchers in the past

TheNewPriceIsLoading

I was in weight watchers twice. Had great success twice. But this last time I lost a grand total of 47lbs in WW. Now, I have been plateaued for 6 months.. Time to get back on track...

PrizePopple

I joined for a short time online then started doing it on my own. I used the core food list and followed the appropriate points for non-core food items. I did lose weight, but then I got pregnant. Frankly I find it easier to just watch my calories than attempt to figure out points of foods.

Booksandbeaches

I did WW after the birth of my child. I had about 20 pounds to lose and I just couldn't do it with going to the gym. The gym had a WW group. I lost the weight. It was the old-fashioned, weigh you before the start of each meeting, type of group too. This was before WW's online program became popular. I didn't maintain the loss. I've had better success using MFP and the support from my friends here. I couldn't stand the point system. It was a strange way to look at food. I find eating lower carb and exercising 5 times a week works far better for me.

Booksandbeaches

Yes ^
I didn't even know WW has an online program ? SO you have to pay and you don't go to the meetings or have to physically weigh in with someone ?

that seems out-dated to me. If so, my vote would go for MFP.

Yes, they have an online program. You don't have to go to meetings. You have to pay to use the online program, but there are a lot of features. I know people who use the online program and never go to a WW meeting.

HeidiCooksSupper

I also note that over the last 20 years, I've found that each new incarnation of WW is less effective. I won't go back to WW. I guess the thing to keep in mind is that they are a business first and foremost, and people who succeed and keep it off aren't good for the profit margin!

I was a member in the early 70s, the late 80s and the late 00s. I would agree that the more recent versions are gimmicky and dumbed down. The early 70s version was a little loony but that was the state of scientific knowledge about diet at the time. In the 80s, WW's diet was very similar to the heart and diabetic associations' exchange diets.

It certainly doesn't do anything MFP doesn't, for free.

What weight watchers did for me in its earlier guises was start me on the road to learning about nutrition and healthy eating. I'm not so sure it does that as clearly now, what with points and "free" foods, etc. What it also gave me at the time was a community and weekly accountability.

Now, if you need a weekly meeting to keep you on track and you like gizmos and the like, WW may be for you. Otherwise, you can use MFP and other sources to learn about nutrition, etc., and do as well for free. It all comes down to what works for you.

Snip8241

I did WW a few years ago, lost 30 pounds. I have since gained it back.

I prefer MFP because it seems that I have learned much more on this site. We speak to each other, we ask questions and through this communication I feel as if f I am more informed.

It seemed that in WW they spoke to us. Here we speak to each other. For me that's been the difference.

stepkiko

I lost all my weight on WW- started in 2012, did the online program and app on my phone. Did it all by myself, didn't want to go to meetings and weigh in front of others. That being said, I just celebrated my one year anniversary at my goal weight. After I had been on WW for one year, and was at goal for about six months I decided that I didn't need to spend the $17 per month any more so I quit and joined MFP. I will say that I met a lot of very nice supportive people in the WW community even though I never went to a meeting. I was heavy my entire life never able to get to a healthy weight and then stay there. WW is the first thing (I'm 59) I ever did that actually clicked and worked for me. Even though I don't agree with some of the things they do business wise, I do support them and encourage others to try because it worked for me! Belonging to the community gave me a lot of insight into why I eat, my habits, and things I needed to change. That part in itself has completely changed my life. I will add an editorial comment and say that if someone has lost weight on WW or any diet and then gained it all back did so because they went back to their old eating habits, not because a particular diet is not any good.

sewilliams32

I did WW about 10 years ago and lost 68lbs. I have managed to maintain my loss till this day so for me it was a success. I agree it doesn't promote exercise as much as it should and that is why i now use MFP. I log my food and exercise and the bonus is it is free. I wouldn't ever go back to WW. I know people that are on and off it for years so it isn't for everyone. I find the support is much better on MFP.

mercurysfire

i tried it a couple of times. first- the expense was a bit high rent for me. it was a lot easier if you bought their prepacked stuff, but holy cow that gets expensive fast.
second- the points are easy to game/don't work across multiple portions. what they say is 2 points is two points for exactly one serving. if you eat 2 servings its 5 or 6 points. the math doesn't work when it's all estimated and rounded for ease.
third- i felt like i was in a show-and-tell/AA mashup. and often i was the only one there in my age group. and if you miss a meeting you still have to pay for it.

it can work, but their stats aren't great. something like 5% are successful. mainly because they don't teach you how to counnt anything except points which don't translate into the rest of the world well unless you eat a LOT of frozen food or at applebee's all the time.

i've found more success with mfp than any other plan. im not perfect, but when i can visualize something it is way more real to me than a cloud of magic math.

cody2209

I was successful with WW back in 2006-2007 and lost almost 50 lbs.
I recently rejoined WW and with their new program, I was not able to be successful i.e. consistently lose weight. They give too many points and you don't have a good way to figure out how to adjust the system.

I started MFP 3 weeks ago and I've already had weight loss progress. I'm still working on fine tuning my daily calories but I like that I am logging REAL info calories and macronutrients rather than points. Long term I think it will help me stick with a balanced eating plan.

darkhorse43

I lost 35 pounds on weight watchers using their points program and became a lifetime member. Loved that plan. The problem is that over time they change their plan so if you like using a certain plan but they have moved on you can no longer use their apps and such on the old plan. I find it ridiculous to be told that the new way is better than the old way when the old way had worked for you. So now I'm here relearning but with the MFP system which won't be changing on me every year or two.

The one benefit of meetings is motivation. There is something to be said for getting a round of applause and a sticker or ribbon or whatever when you reach a milestone. At least there is for me.

belucky1

I have been a member on and off for more years than I care to remember but to be honest got fed up working out points so decided to stick to calories at least they are on 99% of products, unlike points which you have to work out.

WW does work but not for me.:laugh:

nononocat17

I did it almost a year ago, lost about 13 pounds but then had to stop going/it got too expensive.

I liked that WW made it okay to eat most fruits and veggies as 'free' foods compared to calorie counting. BUT I didn't like that WW is trapped in the 80s/90s mentality of fat being bad for you (if you calculate the points yourself in their apps, you see fat is the biggest contributor to building up points). I got SO constipated after being on WW because I wasn't eating enough fat. WW also encourages you to buy their foods and such which are all super processed. Processed/low fat/diet foods are a big way of "cheating the system" on WW, which is great for the scale, but I did't completely agree with that (for me and my needs) in the long-term, and that was pretty off putting.

I lost the bulk of my weight (nearly 60 pounds) calorie counting. I've gained back a little over 10, so I'm trying to get to the next 30 pounds now back at calorie counting.