WW Success Story - Unsuccessful with NEW Points Plus Plan

pedalpusher5

http://www.weightwatchers.com/success/art/index.aspx?SuccessStoryId=12241&sc=600 (You will have to copy and paste this in your browser to view the story, as I have no idea how to imbed a link in the posting :frown: )

Over the past 5 1/2 years I have lost 75 pounds using the old WW Points system. I have maintained that loss since reaching my goal weight over a year and a half ago. Then came the new Points Plus system, which doesn't seem to work for me. I couldn't seem to loose any weight at all, and sometimes gained a bit, even when sticking perfectly to the plan. My daily points had gone from 20 to 29, fruits were now free along with some vegetables that used to have points values, like carrots. I eat a lot of fruit. Items with fats in them didn't seem to cost as many points, and items with a lot of fiber seemed to cost too many points. It seemed out of kilter to me from the beginning, but I used it for several months without any success.

Then about 2 weeks ago a friend invited me to be her pal on My Fitness Pal. I decided to do a little experiment. For a couple of days I tracked everything I ate simultaneously in my Weight Watchers tracker and also in My Fitness Pal. The calorie allowance given to me by MFP was 1200 a day which, given my BMR, seemed about right, and in fact back in the old days when calories used to be included in points calculations, I think that was about what I had daily on WW as well.

Anyway, at the end of the day, when I had used up my calorie allowance in MFP, I still had 8 or 9 points left in the WW Points Plus Plan. Good grief, no wonder I wasn't having any success. I would have eaten those points (plus my flex points over the course of the week, plus my activity points). Heaven only knows what all that would have added up to.

I don't know why they decided to change a very successful system. I have been on many message boards discussing this situation, and I am not alone. Many other members, a lot of them lifetime members, say they are gaining again on the new Points Plus system. But I am very thankful that My Fitness Pal came to the rescue, I am happily losing again and I will continue to be a success story.

Becky

Sigra

Good to hear you got on the right track with the OLD WW point system. A lot of people who are just stepping in are probably extremely confused why they are not losing weight if they are doing everything right!

Great job with losing all that weight I hope to be one of those people, one day!
/struggle
/struggle
/struggle

twinkle1074

Wow I am so glad you posted this. I also did the old WW plan and lost about 35 pounds and then fell off the wagon so this year I decided to try the new WW points plus plan. I not only didn't lose weight...I actually gained a pound which frustrated me and I kept thinking am I counting these points right. I finally cancelled my online subscription and started on this site and I lost 2 pounds in my first week. I am much more happier with this plan and it really gives me a real idea of exactly what I am eating. I loved the old WW flex plan and I lost weight fairly easily but this new plan...I dunno they might need to really evaluate who is actually losing on this plan because most of the success stories on their site show people who lost weight on the old plan. Interesting uhh?!

ToeTapN

bump

Kraziekay89

First thing first, I just started using the PointPLUS system and have already lost 1lb. Please don't come on the message boards completely downing this program because everything works differently for different people.

They changed the program for a few reasons, one being that they have taken into consideration how things break down in your body! This is great. Here on MFP which I also tried, you don't have to actually watch what you eat. As long as you are eating under 1200 calories you're supposed to lose weight! WRONG, that very well may not happen because you can still eat all CRAP you ate before you decided to diet, just in more moderation.

I know many people that I go to meetings with that LOVE the new program. I met a lifetime just yesterday that never stuck to weight watchers until the new program. Please be kind to everyone and don't dis the program.

Just the same I would like to say that I still like MFP. I'm enjoying keeping track of my calories and find that I am now under some days and over others. It really just depends. But I am eating better foods now due to weight watchers. MFP is a great place for support and for those that are good about eating healthy foods this has really worked.

I hope that no one gets discouraged from my statements or the statements from pedalpusher5 because you really have to find what works best for you!

Good Luck Everyone!

moniew24

I am so glad that I was not the only one that gained on the new Points Plus Plan. It seemed that I just couldnt get it, I was eating on point and still gaining so needless to say, I discontinued my membership, because I was tired of paying to gain weight.

LeanerBeef

I've had some success following WW in the past but I really believe that their point system is designed to keep you enrolled in WW forever. Even with the old system I found that the number of points given was a little high. I know it's set up as a lifesyle change and for long term change of eating habits but the key word is "long". How long do you want to wait to lose weight?? Maybe I'm wrong but that's my opinion...:happy:

Kraziekay89

Good to hear you got on the right track with the OLD WW point system. A lot of people who are just stepping in are probably extremely confused why they are not losing weight if they are doing everything right!

Great job with losing all that weight I hope to be one of those people, one day!
/struggle
/struggle
/struggle

Wow, so many negatives about this program.

Way to be negative nellys.

I see a lot of people losing weight on this system. Hmm..........

twinkle1074

I agree @ KrayzieKay with everything you said because I know people who have lost weight on the new plan but for me I felt bloated and I gained a lb. Let me reinterate that I LOVE Weight Watchers because I lost a big chunk of weight when I used the old plan so I am definitely not bashing...I am just wondering why the new plan works for some and not others. Also they need to show more people who lost weight on the current plan in their success stories online. I am glad I saw this post because honestly I was really beating myself up because I thought I was doing something wrong especially since I had so much success on the old plan. I personally didnt see the point in continuing with a plan that I felt was making me gain weight and I am sure there are others who may have the same experiences as well. If it works for you then that is awesome and I am happy for your weightloss but please don't feel offended if other people including myself didn't have the same experience.

deebuttersnaps

My father has lost ALOT of weight on the new WW point system, but it hasn't worked for me. It works for some and not for others. Here's to finding what works! :drinker: (water )

Countrymade

I have to agree with you on the new WW PP. I have been a lifetime member for a lot of years now. As with so many others I gained my weight back. I went back to WW because of the success I have had in the past with the program. When they changed it I thought Wow! Free fruit. I thought it would be a successful program as in the past. Wrong. Well at least for me it wasn't. I got rid of 24 lbs but after the first 2 weeks I can't budge the scale to get rid of these last 9 lbs. In fact I gained 2 lbs. Then I have been up and down those 2 lbs. Someone on the WW message board mentioned this site and I remembered that I downloaded it on my phone over the winter. So I decided to go back into it and check it out. I had been using SP but that was driving me crazy double tracking. I love this site and it is so much easier to use than SP.I love the more simplified feedback I get on here. I have a good feeling that I may be able to break the plateau I have been on. If I do WW online will be history. I don't want to waste my money anymore with it. It is sad that such a great program in the past is having so many members that are unsuccessful with the new one. Maybe they will look at it and tweek it up a little. Good luck everyone with all of your weigh loss goals.

MarthaRN

I am a lifetime member also. I haven't been able to lose one ounce since they changed the plan. I just canceled my e-tools membership. I love this site so much more. Good Luck everyone.

KatyRing

I have never tried WW, but it does kinda bother me that some fruit and veggies are now free.. My reasoning is this. For ME to lose weight my carbs have to be low.. I cant do carrots or alot of fruit because of the starch and sugar.. This could be why some people aren't losing on the new system.

unaffected

I've done both the old and new WW systems, and the old one worked better for me. I found that I was eating too many carbs with the fruit (especially extra carby bananas). I am not joining the next session at work. I will instead save my $ and hang out here
:devil:

breezad

yep im in australia and i didnt loose anythng, i gained
i felt sooo bad!
i mean with all these extra points i was eating sall sorts of things, and like 4 pieces of fruit int he morning for breaksfast and stuff with yoghurt.
not cool!!!

i have the WW stuff for home so im thinking of reading my old books and really get back to the old system that i know worked for me!

its s shame there isnt still grouos and meetings still on the old system. its the new system or nothing which is a shame but im glad i have the old stuff to follow

lauralhicks

I know exactly what you're talking about, I lost 45lbs on the old plan, and in Nov. when they switched over my loss haulted needless to say i'm not on WW anymore.

pedalpusher5

Krazy Kay,

I am sorry if you were offended by my post. I would just like to set the record straight about my relationship with WW. I am not dissing WW in any way as an organization. I am simply stating the facts of my experience, which is what the forums are here for, for us to share our journey. Sometimes we share negative experiences as well as positive ones, it's all information and it's all meant to edify.

I am not a basher in any way. If you knew me personally you would know that I am an encourager. That is why I participate in the online community, to share my success, how I got here (both triumphs and downfalls) and to encourage others to do the same, for the sake of their health. Otherwise I would just sign on, keep my profile completely private, log my food and get off. But I had a lot of support along the way, and I want to be a support to others if possible.

I was a WW member for 6 years, I lost and maintained 76 pounds on the old plan, so I was WW's biggest cheerleader for a very long time. I believed in the program with my whole heart and recommended it to absolutely everyone I knew that was interested in losing weight. I was an online Success Story last month (actually the photoshoot took place last year before the new plan). The people at WW were extremely kind and supportive during that entire experience and I have very high regard for them. I am not bashing them in any way as an organization.

What I am saying, and it should not be confused with dissing of WW, is that the NEW points plus system simply does not work FOR ME (and for a number of others I have talked to, some of them lifetime members who started gaining weight with the new plan), and I stated my reasons why I believe that is.

I would also like to address your other point about people being able to eat junk on MFP. Believe me, people eat junk on WW too. I've known WW members in the old days when you counted "exchanges" who logged their pina coladas as a fruit exchange. It's all been done. If people are determined to eat poorly, they will, regardless of points systems, or calorie counters, or food pyramids. I firmly believe that most people know what is healthy for them and what is not and they are going to do what they are determined to do. Your points counter does not set the healthy food in front of you and force you to eat it. You have to do that on your own. People who want to change their life for the better by eating healthy will do so, regardless of how they are counting it.

I am very happy for you that the points plus system is working for you. I encourage you to keep at it, enjoy your progress and be your own success story. And please, try not to be so easily offended when someone sees things in a different way from you. I think most of the people on these forums are here to support others and to be supported. Maybe every once in awhile someone will have a malicious agenda but I would bet that 99.9% of the time it's simply a difference of opinion spawned by a difference of experience.

Good luck to you and I hope you achieve your goals,

Becky

makeachange22

OLD WW, works like a genius i absolutely love it

FruitLoop05317

Good to hear you got on the right track with the OLD WW point system. A lot of people who are just stepping in are probably extremely confused why they are not losing weight if they are doing everything right!

Great job with losing all that weight I hope to be one of those people, one day!
/struggle
/struggle
/struggle

Wow, so many negatives about this program.

Way to be negative nellys.

I see a lot of people losing weight on this system. Hmm..........

if you dont like what ppl are saying about it you dont have to continue reading. i used ww points plus. i lost 9 lbs the first week but then that was it. now i eat what i want but i stay in moderation and am dropping weight everyday. 41 lbs since quitting weight watchers. ur right it is a good program for some but not all, people are entitled to their own opinion, please remember that. thanks

Jaradel

I started on Weight Watchers in January 2008, and in the first 10 months I lost 50 lbs (245 to 195), which was a little over half the weight I needed to lose. Then the holidays hit, I got lazy, I fell off the wagon and gained back about 15 lbs. I got back on in February 2010 and did alright - I lost the 15 lbs I'd gained - but then I started a new job, fell off the wagon again, etc... when I went to start back on WW again this spring, they had started the new PointsPlus plan. They had also discontinued the non-Flash tools on their website, and my work computer is old and doesn't display the new tools at all, so I was lost. I was back up to 220, confused and frustrated by the new points program, and tired of being heavy. So Wednesday night I was looking up apps on my Droid and I found the MyFitnessPal app. As a test I entered the foods I'd eaten that day. WOW what an eye-opener! Particularly when it told me how heavy I'd get if I ate like that every day. I've decided that counting calories - and generally making healthier food choices, along with exercise - is the way to go. It's easy to count calories, whereas it's hard to calculate Points values unless you want to carry around WW's proprietary calculator everywhere. I like the simplicity of counting calories. So tonight I canceled my WW membership. After I finish a project at work this week, I'm going to start taekwondo lessons. I am going to get back on the wagon and lose this weight, finally!

Since starting Wednesday, I've lost 2 lbs. That may not seem like much - and yes, I get that it's probably water weight - but even that small success is motivation for me.

MaryKatU

MFP is the best! After finding this site, I will never go back to WW.

mrsjohnson75

I'm glad you found what works for you

My story is the opposite. I was on MFP and I was not losing weight, then I joined WW in March (never knew about the old plan) and have lost 21.2 pounds to date (I logon to MFP to update my friends on my weight loss and to read success stories..lol). Its all about finding out what works for your body. My mother joined WW at the same time and quit because she was not losing (she's a diabetic) and needed to count her carbs carefully. The "free" fruit was not helping her at all.

Again CONGRATS!

lizzybethclaire

I was on weight watchers and Jenny Craig. Jenny Craig really worked well for me, but I couldn't keep it up because it was too expensive. It did teach me two things though that I knew would work: portion sizes and eating six small meals a day. I think that is why MFP works so well. I eat every 2 to 3 hours and drink tons of water. I went on weight watchers using the old points system and I did not like it at all. The points confused me. Weighing and measuring my food has helped teach me portion control which I feel that I did not learn on weight watchers. I know people who loved the program though so I guess it really is personal preference.

nickiog

i think the problem that some people have that struggles with ww is that the dont really fully understand the new program. fruits and veggies arent UNLIMITED...they are free yes..but in the literature it clearly says over and over that you have to use common sense.

of course you arent going to lose weight if you eat 10 bananas in a day. but if you are eating a variety of fruits and veggies over the day to make for a balanced diet then you WILL lose weight. you can also eat 29pts worth of peanut butter or junk food and hit your points target but not lose.

the points system is not a license to eat whatever bs you want and just magically lose weight. you still have to make good choices and use common sense.

i track with both ww and mfp and i hit my points target every day and i still stay within range of my calories/fat too. it can be done, and when it is i think it works wonderfully

H8T3D

I think a lot of the people that say WW don't work are people that came across the program online and failed doing it correctly, with any diet program you must use common sense and exercise.. The issue with WW is that most people use their 49 bonus points and over exaggerate their activity points.

Yes fruits and veggies are free but if you been to any WW meetings the instructor will say over and over again that free does not mean "Eat the bushel". This is where common sense comes into play, we should know right from wrong and common sense tells me if you eat a bushel of bananas, it's not going to be good.

Too many people attempt to cheat the system, but in the end they are only cheating themselves. I've been a member of WW for 2 1/2 months now and I have lost 35 pounds. According to what I have read, the new Points Plus system is much better than the old system.

Yes you get more points but foods are also more points, so it all evens out. As for fruits and veggies... I would much rather someone eat a 100 calorie banana than a 100 calorie candy bar!!!

RebekahhAnn

I guess....every diet.....affects everyone differently. I am a lifetime member of WW. The last time I had dieted with WW I was on the core program....not counting points. Apparently they still have it...but you must ask for the instructions. The new program offers me much too much food...I believe. I have just been introduced to MFP and I believe I will like it very much. Any diet....has to be a commitment for it to work. I am still on WW....but also writing everything eat on MFP. I certainly haven't lost as quickly as I did on the WW...but I am older now also. I will keep up with both for right now...because I have close friends in both programs. I also am working out more....hoping it will help also.

sarah120906

First thing first, I just started using the PointPLUS system and have already lost 1lb. Please don't come on the message boards completely downing this program because everything works differently for different people.

They changed the program for a few reasons, one being that they have taken into consideration how things break down in your body! This is great. Here on MFP which I also tried, you don't have to actually watch what you eat. As long as you are eating under 1200 calories you're supposed to lose weight! WRONG, that very well may not happen because you can still eat all CRAP you ate before you decided to diet, just in more moderation.

I know many people that I go to meetings with that LOVE the new program. I met a lifetime just yesterday that never stuck to weight watchers until the new program. Please be kind to everyone and don't dis the program.

Just the same I would like to say that I still like MFP. I'm enjoying keeping track of my calories and find that I am now under some days and over others. It really just depends. But I am eating better foods now due to weight watchers. MFP is a great place for support and for those that are good about eating healthy foods this has really worked.

I hope that no one gets discouraged from my statements or the statements from pedalpusher5 because you really have to find what works best for you!

Good Luck Everyone!

Don't take it peronal:) She's just stating that she is unhappy with the new program and that it's not working for her.

mmck1006

I agree.

chocoholicandbaby

I think one of the problems with the new WW plan and the old one is that people took the free fruit and starchy vegetables to mean that they could go crazy on them. If you look in the plan it actually says to stick to 2 serves of fruit and 5 of vegetables.

With the new plan (and with non-starchy vegetables on the old plan) they have included these servings into your daily points allowance. That is, if those items weren't free your points allowance would be higher. Part of their reasoning for now including fruit as 'free' was to encourage people to choose fruit as a snack over something else. Many people who 'didn't like fruit' would make excuses that some fruits were point heavy - hence why it is included now into the points allowance.

I did a bit of the old and a bit of the new with WW. I like the new plan better but wasn't dedicated enough at the time to losing weight and being healthy. I also didn't have a particularly inspiring or encouraging leader. I know that weight loss is an individual process and I can't blame my lack of success on my leader, but part of the reason that people join a program like WW is to get the motivation and support and that definitely wasn't there where I attended meetings. I am having much more success - and easier success - here at MFP and I think a lot of that has to do with the support and culture on here. (And I think a lot of WW meetings do have that wonderful culture and support, but mine didn't.)

fat2fab4life

The original poster has a write to express their side and viewpoints. Weight watchers points system worked for me and a friend to lose but when it switched to the points plus we both gained and joined this site. If you look at all of the weight watchers magazine success stories it will say in small letters under their pic that its from using the previous ww plan. I have not heard any success stories and would love to

3tzmom

I lost 30 lbs on the old points system and maintained for over a year. I have tried to maintain on the points plus and instead gained every month. I then tried to adjust my points from maintaince to losing weight and still gained. I then stopped eating excercise points and that didn't work. I excercise 5 days a week, which includes three 5 mile runs and two days walking 4 miles. There is no reason I should gain weight on this plan. I tried to limit myself to two fruits a day and that didn't work. My only thought is I might need more carbs and less fat than the new points plus allows. I know it works for many people, but for my body points plus was not successful. After 10 months of frustration, I stumbled upon this post and felt motivated to try something different. I have just created my account and am excited to try something new to lose my gained 5 lbs from points plus.