Dual Tracking on WW and Loving MyFitnessPal!

stoogeswoman

Hi Everyone!

I've been doing Weight Watchers for a couple of years, just recently switched to Online only because I didn't want to go to meetings and couldn't afford almost $40 a month. Then someone recommended I check out this site, MyFitnessPal, and I really love it!

I decided to try tracking on both sites for a few weeks and see which one I liked better. Then when I get to WW renewal time, I'll decide if it's really worth the $$.

I have to admit, MyFitnessPal is really cool! I like the fact that so many of the foods I want to enter are already there - on WW if it's not in their database you have to add it yourself, which takes extra time.

Also, of course, I love this MFP thing because it's FREEEE!!!

Just wondered if any other Weight Watchers refugees are around here and what do you think of it?

Christine :-)

boomboom011

i am struggling with this at the moment! I love WW but i really would rather save the money and reward myself when i reach certain goals. I have to say that i really love MFP and the people on here. I may not make the best choices ALL the time but having this website to check into EVERYDAY helps keep me in line a bit.

FatNurseSlim

Hey im not WW im Slimming World (dont hate me :P) but i find this website great and when i follow my daily SW plan im always below what MFP has recommended my daily calories to be- so the two never clash .... i attend the meetings but due to being a shift worker i do miss the odd week - im finding that MFP keeps me on track as i cant 'forget' eating things if i log them in, and logging my exercise helps me stay motivated....hope MFP works for you too!

Sarah xxx

tolliver67

The fruit is worth calories, where on WW, fruit is 0 points. . . In one week I have gained 4 pounds, yet I am staying under or at the calories assigned. . . Not sure yet how this is going to work. . . but I am going to give it a couple more weeks before I decide. . . Truthfully, it sucks having to do any of this. . . why can't weight loss be easier????????

VeganGal84

*raises hand*

I have been a WW online member since May '09 and am switching to MFP for a few reasons

1) It's free!

2) It feels less diet-y to me (no more worrying about PointsPlus, just calories)

3) I am less tempted to binge eat without the "weeklies"


That being said, I miss the "weeklies"! How are you coping with eating a set point of calories each day with no wiggle room for special occassions/eating out like with the 49 weekly PointsPlus that WW allowed? I always ate those Points, and am scared that I will struggle on MFP without that wiggle room.

Pam37841

Hi Everyone!

I've been doing Weight Watchers for a couple of years, just recently switched to Online only because I didn't want to go to meetings and couldn't afford almost $40 a month. Then someone recommended I check out this site, MyFitnessPal, and I really love it!

I decided to try tracking on both sites for a few weeks and see which one I liked better. Then when I get to WW renewal time, I'll decide if it's really worth the $$.

I have to admit, MyFitnessPal is really cool! I like the fact that so many of the foods I want to enter are already there - on WW if it's not in their database you have to add it yourself, which takes extra time.

Also, of course, I love this MFP thing because it's FREEEE!!!

Just wondered if any other Weight Watchers refugees are around here and what do you think of it?

Christine :-)

Hi And Welcome!

I just wanted to tell you in case you haven't figured out yet if you food and the info is wrong you can edit it. I haven't done weight watchers but I was paying for another site that didn't hold a candle to mfp! You will find tons of motivation and support on here! The other site I was on had NONE! IT was a money scam.. anyhow... Wecome and I hope you stick around even if you don't give up weight watchers.
I am hosting a challege, It is called the Burnin' Down weight loss challenge. Feel free to join up oh and add me as a friend if you want. :happy:

rmrainbow

MFP has definitely proven to be better than WW for me in the long-run! It's free, you track a simple equation of calories in and calories out, you can alter the ratios of protein/carbs/fat to fit your personal needs, there is no converting to points (so you can see exactly what you're putting into your body, 24/7 fellow fitness pals available for support, etc.

Need I say more?
I see MFP as something I can do the rest of my life, whereas WW made me nervous that one day I'd have to stop shelling out money and try to do it on my own.

Whatever you choose, good luck!

monica1515

I was doing WW (online) as well and I find myself logging into MFP more than WW.

I find people to be more involved in the online community here on MFP and, like you said, it is free!

Do you find a big difference in your calories when you tally up your weight watcher points into calories VERSES MFP recommended caloric intake?

daisyelaine

The other nice thing is that calories, sodium etc will always be the same, and not change with a new "plan". I did WW YEARS ago, and lost weight, and there were certainly advantages ( like never having to count past 30.. ) but with a plan that changes every few years, and a need to do formulas... eeep. Plus, I'm just too cheap to shell out the kind of money that WW requires. I know that I'm smart enough to make healthy lifestyle changes on my own ( and that's what it is.. a lifestyle change.. not something that works "for a while") and I can weigh myself and save $13 a week. I've read reports that the biggest difference that WW offers to make weight loss successful is the support they offer.. which I can get from friends and places like MFP for free too.

Plus, I'm all about self-empowerment and taking the control from the big bad corporations.. Feel free to add me!!

tristajanelle

Hi! I am a recent convert from WW. I was finding that the new points plus program was just not working for me! I already ate a lot of fruit and veggie and not counting the fruits was not getting me any losses on the scale. Since changing to MFP I have lost almost 4lbs. and I am feeling more motivated and encouraged! Friend me if you'd like!

dkk1953

I've been doing both for about one week. I returned to the older plan from WW though since the new plan wasn't a good fit for me or the scale. The plan I'm following was the one I used in 2004 when I reached my goal (lifetime) weight (Turnaround). I am stretching out my 35 extra weekly points to include them into my daily total = 26 + 5 = 31 points per day until I fall under 200 and then I lose 2 points per day.

I track on MFP, then print out the sheet and quickly use my calculator on my phone to convert to points so I can compare the two.

One day I had 1613 in calories - 30 in points
Another day I had 1412 in calories - 24 in points

mfp gives me 1660 calories per day for a slow and steady weight loss - I'm in no hurry as long as the lost pounds don't find me once again!

PS: cancelled the online subscription and quit going to WW meetings. I've been a member since 1978 and have joined/rejoined at least 100 times - I figure its time to realize that I've given them enough of my money in the last 33 years. Now, once I return to lifetime status, I might go back to meetings as long as they are free and fit into my schedule.

HS1984

I really struggled with WW. I don't know why. I enjoyed watching what I eat - but for some reason (and not all from bad food) I wasn't losing weight. Im sitting at a plateau that shouldn't be a plateau at all because I am just beginning my journey and I have alot to lose.

Any advice on kick starting my weight loss? Or advice on how to manage both WW and MFP??

I work out 5 days a week for at least an hour each shot. I do have a cheat meal once a week- but it's not like over indaulge in junk food. My cheat is nachos or 2 slices of pizza, ( i used to eat these 4-5 times a week).

nuttyfamily

I like MFP over WW which I have followed for over five years.

I also know a bunch of people who are making the switch as well. Many do not like the Points Plus.

Countrymade

I am actually a lifetime WW member for many years now 7 lbs from goal. I loved the old program but the new PointsPlus didn't work for me after the first few weeks. I plateaued forever. Someone on the WW msg board mentioned MFP and I remembered that I downloaded it on my phone over the winter and forgot about it so I decided to check it out. I have been on here for about a month. I absolutely love it. I like the fact I can keep track of carbs, protein, fat etc. and I finally broke my plateau.
I very seldom used my weekly 49 pts on WW but was getting in all of my healthy checks and daily points but I was not eating enough calories. Don't get me wrong. WW is an excellent program but I have to say that the new PP does not work for everyone.
At least on here if something isn't working or you have plateaued you can try something different without having to pay for it if it doesn't work.
I still have my WW online membership but not sure if I am going to renew it. Old habits are hard to break and I have been an online member since 2006. Every now and then I will go on and double track. It was to hard to do every day.
Good Luck with whatever you decide with your weight loss journey.
Please feel free to add me as a friend if you would like.

stoogeswoman

Thanks for the input, everyone!

I find it interesting that both the Points tracker and the MFP seem to be "syncing" nicely with each other - in other words, I put all my daily food into both trackers, and wind up with essentially the same amount of Points or Calories left over at the end of the day.

So I definitely think I will be saying goodbye to WW Online at the end of my 3-month membership!

It will be a bit hard to let go of it because I did lose almost 50 pounds on WW two years ago, but that was when I was working full-time and could afford to go to the meetings. Since I lost my full-time job (waahh!), and am now self-employed in my own business (yayy!!) I must watch the DOLLARS as well as the POUNDS (nyuk nyuk!!).

Really pleased to have discovered MFP!!

(AND UPDATE: I just checked my WW profile and found that my next billing cycle starts 7/6/11 - so I went ahead and cancelled my subscription now. Am afraid if I wait till next week I'll forget about it!)

dkk1953

Welcome! Today I'm going to just track into MFP and forget comparing the points vs. calories. Like you, the WW habit/mentality is hard to let go but if this works, hey - its free!!

mikeyrp

I've don both. MFP is much better - the support here is fantastic and of course its free.