Weight Watchers!? Who's done it!?

skpresley20

Alright guys, I was contemplating doing weight watchers because, well, who DOESN'T wan't Jennifer Hudson's awesome slammin' body? Anyhoo....it was just a THOUGHT so was going to ask who all has;

Done it?
Is doing it?
What did you like the most?
What DON'T you like about it?
Do you notice you have problems with anything?
Is it easy?
What's the hardest thing about it?
How successful are you?
How many lbs per week do you estimate you lose?


And if you guys can think of anything more please please feel free to share!


Thanks!
Sarah

Maryfullofgrace

Alright guys, I was contemplating doing weight watchers because, well, who DOESN'T wan't Jennifer Hudson's awesome slammin' body? Anyhoo....it was just a THOUGHT so was going to ask who all has;

Done it?
Is doing it?
What did you like the most?
What DON'T you like about it?
Do you notice you have problems with anything?
Is it easy?
What's the hardest thing about it?
How successful are you?
How many lbs per week do you estimate you lose?


And if you guys can think of anything more please please feel free to share!


Thanks!
Sarah

Done it? Yes a few years ago
What did I like the most? I did lose weight.
What didn't I like about it? I don't know how it is now, but then it was Points, and you had to figure out how many points everything was... and I just thought it was an extra unnecessary step. It was expensive.
I didn't have any problems with it, but I did gain back everything I lost.
I did lose pretty consistently on their plan... but I have also lost consistently by just eating less and moving more... and saving a lot of money.

jvan1957

Did WW

Found out after I started MFP how many extra calories I was getting everyday because WW called them free foods. 0 points. Plugged in fruits and veges in MFP and found a ton of extra calories I was eating I didn't know about.

MFP much better.. And if you look at some of the success stories here you can find plenty of bodies as good or better than JH.

kyrstensmom

I've done it. I did not have success with it. I found the meetings to be a chore and not at all helpful. I didn't like the "free food" eating plan as you can eat lots of calories worth of free foods and gain weight, even though you are following the plan exactly. I think MFP is a much better place to get support, tips, and advice...and its free!

raisingbabyk

Isn't it basically MFP but more complicated as calories are converted into points amounts? Seems like MFP is much better.

cuatesmom

done WW a few times. worked great. but it is not free. and this site is equally as effective plus in my humble opinion the WW site is not as fun and easy to use as this one is. save your money. do this. put the money you were gonna pay WW in a treasure box and treat yourself to some nice work out clothes with it every time you lose 5 or 10 pounds.

BerniceB

I joined and lost weight -1 to 2 pounds per week. Here I have lost much slower. but we travel and I don't want to make time for meetings. This is a good place to get support too. I do think having to show up and face the music plus having personal support at the meetings was wonderful. I lost about 30 pounds. Took a couple of years to put them back on. I have lost 21 here only 9 to go to back at my ww weight. I did love the fact that I could eat anythng in moderation. I tr to do that now. I am just not quite as good. at it on MFP. You could do both.

Gee45

I went twenty years ago before the point system and was quite successful. 40 lbs each time. Lots of preparation for the meals but I guess if I would have not made as many different meals each week, it would have been easier. Only down side was $ for me.

jalara

In it and loving it. The new Points Plus system is pretty great.

What I like about it is that it doesn't focus on calories, but instead teaches you to choose the right foods. For example, I would choose a low-cal cookie instead of banana, but with WW I can eat a banana for free and the cookie would cost 2-3 points. (Obviously if I eat too many bananas it's bad, but in general it works really well for me). If I'm hungry I can always have an apple or strawberries and it doesn't cost me anything.

Karen_145

>Done it?

Did it.

>What did you like the most?

Losing weight obviously. Weekly weigh-ins really helped with accountability as there was a REAL person weighing you weekly and you'd feel super guilty if you gained. Also having no diet restrictions per se.

>What DON'T you like about it?
>Do you notice you have problems with anything?
>What's the hardest thing about it?

These are all related. I was always hungry. ALWAYS. Very hungry. My blood sugar was a mess and I started craving sweets, something I'd never craved before. One issue I had was that if I wanted to eat a real meal I'd have to save up for it all week or starve myself all day just to eat a good dinner. It was no fun.

>Is it easy?

It starts out easy but gets harder as you lose more weight as you have less points to work with. I eventually got to the point where I didn't want to keep losing because I wanted that one extra point.

>How successful are you?

I lost a lot of weight, but ended up swapping to Atkins in the end. That diet was so much better for me.

>How many lbs per week do you estimate you lose?

1-2, which is pretty standard.

I do hear they have changed things up a bit since I was a member. For instance, I hear that veggies are free items now.

This diet works well for many people, but I personally found Atkins to be much better. I was never hungry on Atkins, lost weight at a faster rate, lost more weight overall, had control of my blood sugar and kept the weight off far longer. Atkins was more expensive though, as you have to rid your house of any unwanted carbs and buy more expensive food (meat and other fresh items, not processed crap).

Elizabeth_C34

I tried WW a couple years ago, and although it worked, it was expensive and the meetings were not my thing.

I've done much better on here for no more money than my usual grocery bill.

Alexdur85

Yep! I've done it a couple of times but not anymore... too expensive and I see MFP as pretty much the same thing. Except on weight watchers they "zig zag" your calories/points.. you have a set alotted for the day but then you are allowed 45 extra during the week. You can do that here on MFP as well. Their points system has changed and it says that fruits and veggies are zero points. We all know that's not true. I don't think it's as easy as counting calories. I can estimate how many calories is in a food by looking at what's on the plate. However, since it's WW you have to calcuate points which you have to put into this system to calculate it for you.

I don't see a huge difference between WW and counting your calories.

MzGrinch9250

I tried it before I found MFP. I was starving on their plan and wasn't happy. Wish I found this site before I wasted my money on WW. With MFP it's free, easy and I'm not hungry and I'm very happy :bigsmile:

durhamity

I'm in WW now and I like it. It is more expensive than... well, FREE (MFP), but I like the support I get from the meetings. I learn alot about portion control and making healthier choices. I get advice on how to avoid diet pitfalls as well as how to get back on track when I do stumble. I do sometimes feel like it is AA for over eaters, but I need the accountability. Too many times I fall off the wagon on my healthy eating goals and regret it. Weight Watchers helps me to remember my goals. You can find that hear on MFP too, but sometimes its nice to talk to an actual person

Counting points takes in to account how much fat, fiber, carbs, and protein the food has. Its a more complete way of looking at the nutritional value of foods I eat. Fruits and veggies are free because they want to encourage better eating habbits. Will you reach for that 2 point cookie if you can have a banan for free? And they figure eating fruits and veggies isn't what makes you gain weight..

I have tried many diets and found this to be the most sensible. I lost weight really quickly doing low carb and gained it all back and then some! With WW, I feel like I am learning how to live a healthy lifestyle and maintain it easily!

Good luck with whatever you decide!

ZeroTX

Did it. Don't like paying someone else to convince me to be disciplined. MFP has a better database, better iPhone app, better message board/community (and bigger from what I can tell) and free. I'm very happy to look at all the ads in exchange for this free service!

wellbert

I did it... without being able to see my macros I made some really awful decisions. Had no energy, etc. That's my own fault though. It's also pretty expensive.

I like MFP and straight calorie cut much better.

ADTeachTX

Did it several times. First time lost 90 lbs but this was before points. They were on exchanged then and I really liked that plan. The switch to points just never really got me on board. Gained it all back. Tried again when I got engaged and lost 60 lbs but then plataeued out and stayed there for 6 months. Finally gave up. Tried again after getting married and lost about 25-30 lbs. Just really could not get on board with points. It seemed like an extra step and I really didn't get it. Also after a while the meetings get repeatative and I could not stand going to talk about food. Food is my addiction and I don't need to hash out how to be able to eat MORE for less "points." I need to learn to eat normal food in normal portions 95+% of the time. I did not need to listen to mostly women discuss how to eat more sugar free chocolate and feel less guilty about it. I need to think about food being a fuel that I need to live and nothing more. I need to break my addiction and love affair with food, not figure out how to cheat for less calories. I really like the support I get on this site and I am slowly working on my demons. I have to work hard for even this site not to turn into a replacement addiction.

ZeroTX

I did not need to listen to mostly women discuss how to eat more sugar free chocolate and feel less guilty about it. I need to think about food being a fuel that I need to live and nothing more. I need to break my addiction and love affair with food, not figure out how to cheat for less calories. I really like the support I get on this site and I am slowly working on my demons. I have to work hard for even this site not to turn into a replacement addiction.

I agree. It always seemed to be how can you eat the same garbage you did before for fewer "points." In theory you could eat anything you want by adding fiber to it. That doesn't make sense. Sure, "that was a great milkshake with two tablespoons of fiber added, just 2 points!" Seriously? How about learning to live a life that doesn't involve regularly eating milkshakes instead? I'd rather live to 85, healthy, eating less and better than die at 60 from obesity and gorging on milkshakes.

It's not that WW is bad, but just be very careful about the mentalities that you may be exposed to at the meetings. Here on MFP at least you can join groups of like-minded people and ignore/de-friend those who aren't compatible with your goals!

-Z

isisbryan

I am on WW right now. I like it because it sort of forces you to increase you fruits and veggies intake. It also encourages you to increase whole grains and dairy. I got in on a deal so I didn't spend that much. I eat off the WW plan, log it in WW, and then log it in MFP. When I finalize my food for the day, it always states something like if I continue to have days like today then I will lose a certain amount of weight. I do the online version of WW and I don't go to meetings. Logging the food is slightly more complicated than MFP. The least MFP stated I would lose in a 5 week period was 10lbs. You have to make your foods a favorite for them to show up like they do on MFP. I also like that you don't have a meal plan. You adjust your meals/recipes to fit within the plan. For instance, I like nachos so I decreased the amount of meat, added beans, and used fat-free cheese and sour cream to decrease the point range from 10 to 6 so I could enjoy the chips with the Nachos.

Now for the down side (for me). I eat like to plan requires and I don't go way over my daily points (over about 1 or 2 points). The only time I go over is for special occassions, stuff like wedding cake. I am about 3 weeks in and really haven't lost anything (8 oz). I am active and workout about 4 to 6 times a week. The program adds points but it doesn't require that you use them. It also doesn't enourage you to use the points you earn through activity. It is great for overeaters because it eases you down into a more appropriate food portions. However, I am not an overeater. I am a dedicated faster :laugh: I make a habit of eating one meal a day.

I recommend that if you are losing with MFP, then you should just stick with it. However, if you need some assistance with managing appropriate foods and making better food choices, then you should definitely do WW. It is absolutely fabulous for that. I don't eat regularly in general. So WW helped me to increase the amount of food I eat. I track my hunger signals and found that I have started to have hunger pains throughout the day. In general, my body didn't start talking to me until dinner time before WW. By this time, I had fasted the entire day. So, WW is good for certain things. If you need help with picking appropriate food, then do it. So maybe you should figure out where your down fall is and ask if WW helps with that. I choose WW because I couldn't follow a meal plan. I want to make my meal plan and I have busy life. So, I needed something to assit with food choices on the run. (What fits in my program at this eating establishment?)

carlson06

I didn't read all the posts so someone might have already said this. But I did it before the new points system and i like it and lost etc. but I have heard from many that the new system they don't like to much and are not getting the results like they used to.
My mom works at curves and she said there are lots of ladies there that are not liking the new system and are not seeing results like they used to or expected.
I personally find counting calories easier and have seen better results with it then WW>

natini

I lost 42lbs on it 10 years ago. It did teach me how to eat sensibly and I thought the points were easy to use. I liked the weekly weight ins, they kept me honest. The new program is more complicated with the points and I dont like having to pay for their online tools. I am finding it difficult to loose on the new ponts system and that might be because of the FREE fruits and veggies. I do think you can eat too much fruit if you are not careful. I also got tired of the meetings and seeing the same people every week complaining and not loosing any weight.

nixickle

I personally haven't tried WW but I do know loads of people who have, and have successfully lost weight, but they all seemed to put it back on again. I'm afraid to me it really doesn't make much sense, I find the whole points system confusing and don't feel it covers all food items. I dread to think how many points I've consumed today alone!! I mean, I've had 4 cookies and 50g of Stilton! Yes I've also had salad, fruit and vegetables and generally my days are quite healthy, but I'm pretty sure cookies and Stilton would send my points right over!! To me MFP is a more natural way of doing it and fits in better with my daily lifestyle. I can eat exactly the same things as my hubby, just smaller portions...but I certainly don't feel like I'm missing out! And this for me is making it easier to manage. I am now my goal size and have successfully maintained this for a month or so, which was previously unheard of!! I've not given up anything, I just enjoy it in moderation! Calories are now written on
Most food items, so if I'm out and about and have forgotten my phone, I can still make a note of what I've consumed and still work out how many I have remaining...I'm not sure WW is as easy to follow when out and about?

However, if you try it, love it and are successful on it, then go for it! We are all so different, and just because it may not work for some on here doesn't mean it won't work for you.
Best of luck in whatever you decide and enjoy these steps to a healthier you :-)

whitmars106

Did WW

Found out after I started MFP how many extra calories I was getting everyday because WW called them free foods. 0 points. Plugged in fruits and veges in MFP and found a ton of extra calories I was eating I didn't know about.

MFP much better.. And if you look at some of the success stories here you can find plenty of bodies as good or better than JH.

And they're regular, normal people here! I have issues with celebrities endorsing weight loss programs, because they have the money for personal trainers. I know people on MFP do as well, but it seems most of the people here are using themselves as their motivators, not someone they pay, and people on MFP are not getting paid to lose the weight. I did WW probably 10 years ago. I was young, and really didn't need to lose much weight then, so I didn't care. I've looked into it as an adult, and it's just an expense I'd rather save. Besides I'd rather use the time I'd have to spend going to a meeting with WW to going to the gym instead! I vote MFP!

isisbryan

I am on WW right now. I like it because it sort of forces you to increase you fruits and veggies intake. It also encourages you to increase whole grains and dairy. I got in on a deal so I didn't spend that much. I eat off the WW plan, log it in WW, and then log it in MFP. When I finalize my food for the day, it always states something like if I continue to have days like today then I will lose a certain amount of weight. I do the online version of WW and I don't go to meetings. Logging the food is slightly more complicated than MFP. The least MFP stated I would lose in a 5 week period was 10lbs. You have to make your foods a favorite for them to show up like they do on MFP. I also like that you don't have a meal plan. You adjust your meals/recipes to fit within the plan. For instance, I like nachos so I decreased the amount of meat, added beans, and used fat-free cheese and sour cream to decrease the point range from 10 to 6 so I could enjoy the chips with the Nachos.

Now for the down side (for me). I eat like to plan requires and I don't go way over my daily points (over about 1 or 2 points). The only time I go over is for special occassions, stuff like wedding cake. I am about 3 weeks in and really haven't lost anything (8 oz). I am active and workout about 4 to 6 times a week. The program adds points but it doesn't require that you use them. It also doesn't enourage you to use the points you earn through activity. It is great for overeaters because it eases you down into a more appropriate food portions. However, I am not an overeater. I am a dedicated faster :laugh: I make a habit of eating one meal a day.

I recommend that if you are losing with MFP, then you should just stick with it. However, if you need some assistance with managing appropriate foods and making better food choices, then you should definitely do WW. It is absolutely fabulous for that. I don't eat regularly in general. So WW helped me to increase the amount of food I eat. I track my hunger signals and found that I have started to have hunger pains throughout the day. In general, my body didn't start talking to me until dinner time before WW. By this time, I had fasted the entire day. So, WW is good for certain things. If you need help with picking appropriate food, then do it. So maybe you should figure out where your down fall is and ask if WW helps with that. I choose WW because I couldn't follow a meal plan. I want to make my meal plan and I have busy life. So, I needed something to assit with food choices on the run. (What fits in my program at this eating establishment?)

Revision - I quit WW because I lost the initial 10lbs and have kept it off but didn't lose any further. When I talked to a Nutritionist, she suggested macro-nutrient diet (veggies, quality protein, and healthy fat) with a serving of fruit as a dessert. WW discourages healthy fats but a macronutrient diet encourages healthy fat. We will see how it works out.

astrampe

Did it, lost almost 60 lbs and kept it off - if you gain the weight back, it just means that you are overeating and not sticking to what works - not the programs fault...
It is expensive, and you can do the same on MFP for free....
If you need the meetings and one on one encouragement ww is tha way to go - otherwise, enjoy MFP....

cwolfman13

The program is just fine...expensive, but it works. My mom did it about 10 years ago and lost a lot of weight. She counts calories now though and she works out like a beast in the weight room. WW never taught her how to properly fuel her body for her the gym....when she lost all of her weight, she was skinny, but high BF%. Counting calories and managing her macro nutrients along with real weight lifting (i.e. more than just dumbbell curls with 2 Lb pink dumbbells) has produced something much more incredible, especially for a 60 year old

Also, Jennifer Hudson's rockin' body is a product of a lot more than just WW and diet...that's very important, but I guarantee you she hits the weight room hard.

pennydreadful270

I tried the online program but I quit after a couple of days and got my money back. The points database was pitifully small compared to MFP, with very few brands and only options to add grams of each food. The tracker was also clunky as hell to use, and had to open in a separate window. The forums aren't even that busy.

Basically there is NO reason to pay for WW online while MFP is going.

Never tried the classes, but I wouldn't mind trying those if I could afford it.

ciarabubs

I tried it and lost about 21lbs (put it back on) but found the class repetitive and got that I only went to get weighed. An exspensive weigh in. Bought the calculator only to be told if I paid monthly got the app for my phone free. Only been doing MFP for over a week and find it so much easier.

tazzy2911

I'm doing ww now. Have lost 20 lbs in about 12 weeks. I need the accountability of stepping on the scales in front of leader and having to answer to her if I'm up (which I havnt been so far) I have not deprived myself of anything, gone out drinking every weekend and had takeaway aswell using the 49 extra points you get on the new program. I also find the meetings great, seeing other people's successes week after week spurs me on. I also love the success stories on here but actually meeting real people helps me. Also my leader in ww is excellent and I think that has a huge effect on whether ww works or not. I attended a class before and it didn't work for me coz the leader wasn't much good.
I love this site for the message boards but personally I need the meetings of ww so using both is working for me!

montana_girl

Done it? Yes, started in 2004 (after joining and quitting a half dozen times since 1993)

Is doing it? Yes, I am now a Lifetime member and still attend meetings once a week.

What did you like the most? Love the meetings and the accountibility of facing the scale every week

What DON'T you like about it? The Points Plus program (introduced in 2010) which has "zero" points fruits and veggies. For a lot people at or close to goal, this has caused weight gain.

Do you notice you have problems with anything? see above

Is it easy? Yep!

What's the hardest thing about it? Learning the points values of foods, but it's easy if you use the WW tools (online, apps, etc)

How successful are you? Lost 113 pounds and have kept that off nearly three years.

How many lbs per week do you estimate you lose? WW reccomends a healthy weight loss of .5 to 2 pounds a week.

I know a lot of people on here don't like WW, but like any weight loss program, "It only works if you work the program."

Good luck with whatever you decide to do! :flowerforyou:

suz155

I did it and lost a few pounds, with the old points system. I didnt like the new points plus system, I didnt care for the weekly meetings and it was expensive. I find MFP much easier to follow, Ive lost more weight and its free. On the other hand, I do know a lot of people that have been in WW for years and love it,,,,even in maintenance. I think it just depends on preference.