using MFP and using old point system

nrdevers

Hi everyone -

I too got tired of paying for WW (and seeing all the advertising on their site too!) - I had the materials from WW momentum - the plan just before the new one. I use the formula( calories/50 +fat grams/12) -fiber grams (max4)/ 5. don't know where I learned that formula, but somewhere I did. The new system just seems more complicated - I really wanted to know how much sodium I was eating too. I have a problem with fluid retention, and cutting back on sodium is important to me. So I use MFP because it's so easy - and I love the phone feature where you can pick up the nutritional info from the bar code. You do have to be careful sometimes because the nutritional info may not be correct for everything, but I found that also to be true on WW site. I don't know why I feel the need to do both, but I have noticed that the calorie difference is amazing when you eat more high fiber low fat food (fruits and veggies) vs higher fat foods. Sometimes I can eat only 1400 calories on MFP and be done with my point total for the day if it's higher fat foods, and sometimes it goes up to a higher number of calories if I'm eating better food t I can wrap my head around the calorie numbers much easier than the point numbers. I'm mostly just doing it as a comparison - maybe to see when I have really good weeks to see what the difference is in what I'm actually eating?
I just started doing this so time will tell. I quit the WW site about 3 wks ago.

Juliane_

I don't like the new system either. PointsPlus is more like PoundsPlus for some people. It's not working for everyone.

Your observation about high fat vs high fiber is very interesting. I think this may be where filling foods come in. I also find I'm more satisfied on higher fiber. I'm still debating whether I want to keep track of momentum points with the excel spreadsheet or if I want to use MFP. I'm just not used to looking at calories after so many years of doing points. It's a bit hard to get over it. With the spreadsheet I use though you can see your total calorie, fat, fiber amount. You should check it out. http://www.abxguy.com/excel.html

Oh in regards to the WW site, I think there a lot of rude people there on the boards.

newdaynewme

I would pay WW to continue to use their services if they ever went back to the old program, but I am already down 4 lbs just by starting WW momentum again in the last 2 weeks! not much but more than on this site counting calories!!

do you know by chance how many 0 point foods we can eat on momentum per day?

nrdevers

I don't really know. I count all my calories - including all fruits and veggies. when counting up the points, I'll let some of them be free, but I just follow the guidelines in the WW book. I know that many of the 0 points foods, if you tally them into WW system (the old one) they would count as points. It defeats the purpose if you eat lots of low calorie foods, and then act like they just don't exist. That's why I quit the Points Plus - you just can't eat unlimited fruit and have it not add up to something.

Juliane_

That's a great questions Newday. I do know that 1/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk is 0 pts. I mix that with 1/4 cup of raw milk for my coffee each morning so I end up with a 1 point coffee.

I will say this, back in 2001 when I lost about 45-50 lbs I was eating 2 apples a day as snacks between meals and I was NOT counting the points for that. It never hindered me from losing weight consistently. Maybe it's the fiber in the apples?? I don't know but I doubt I would have gotten the same result if I was eating bananas instead. I think different foods have a different effect on us and it is our job to make those observations regardless of "studies" that indicate fruits and veggies should be 0 points. I do agree though, most non-starchy veggies are not a deal-breaker in regards to weight loss.

Juliane_

BTW congratulations on the 4 lbs! WW works!

Did you try to lose weight calorie counting?

slowpoke12

I just started counting points again too. I really don't want to pay for the program but I have a good idea of the old plan and how it all works from years ago. Keeping WW in mind is always a better lifestyle than what I have been doing. I'm focusing on staying with my point allowance, drinking lots of water, eating foods higher in fiber, and working out. I love to cook so I like to be creative. I also like to eat out; however, that is one of my many roadblocks. I have a really tough time making good decisions when I'm out to dinner. It's really hard to know how the food is prepared and that is what bothers me most. Anyone have any advice about restaurant eating and what you order out?

Juliane_

So, I've been trying to make a decision lately as to the best way I could journal my food counting pts.

I thought:

1. Paper & Pen: it's great to see a history of what you have eaten but I tend to get lazy. It's too much writing for me plus in the beginning its hard because you have to remember the points for everything.
2. Excel Momentum journal- I love this spreadsheet but I don't always have it available. I was using dropbox before to sync with my work computer and home computer but since I work at a different office dropbox is completely blocked and the only solution is a flash drive which is ok until I get home and have to dig my purse for the flash disk.
3. Using MFP: Enter "My Foods" to slowly build up my own food database with Points listed next to each item. This way I can enter a daily note listing my total points used, & weekly allowance. For now it seems ok plus I can view it from my phone so it's nice for when I'm at home or out and about. Feel free to view my food journal and see what I mean. I've only started it this week but I think it can work.

brandie_kelly

I agree with Newday, I would totally resume paying for the WW account if they went back to the old system.

I just got the Momentum plan from ebay so Im kind of doing a hybrid tracking. Ive found I like to use pencil and the provided journal at home with the help of finding calories fat and fiber online with MFP. Then when I go out I use the app on my iPhone and and the provided Points calcualtor to track the foods and the Points.

I also count everything I eat, and I never drink anything but water (if I have to, ugh) and diet soda. I know diet is just as bad as regular but I feel it is completely unnecesary to drink your calories unless they come in the form of one or two weekened margaritas. The only things I dont count at all is condiments. i never use anything mayo based (I just dont like it) so I dont worry about it too much. Things like PB&J and butter I count but things like ketchup, mustard, A1, soy sauce no. I track things that dont really count like cucumbers and strawberries just to see what Ive eaten for the day.

The weekends are a terrible downfall for me, because the gym is closed on the weekends and thats when everyone wants to go out. So I save all my weekly points for Friday and Saturday. I treat those days like my reward days. However, this is all what I did when I did the old WW sytem which Ive just restarted last week. Today was my weighin day and I didnt loose anyting from last week but I didnt gain anything either, so Im looking forward to how this week will go.

Beachlover926

Hi everyone! I am new here but I like you have had success with the old weight watcher plan. I have decided to do it on my own with my old books. I will track on paper and here. I am so glad I found others like me who are not willing to change something that works as long as you do the program.

crudd123

bump

crudd123

Ladies, on facebook there is a group called Old Plan(s) Preferred and Working with PP! Just ask to join! They have lots of info and recipes on there and everyone is doing an old ww plan not PP! Good luck to you!

emgrgg

Hi, I did WW years ago and had a lot of success with it. I've put on a few pounds and I'm working my butt off to lose it! I hit 30 this year and it definitely isn't as easy as it use to be! I haven't tried points plus, but I read a lot of bad reviews on it and always think if it isn't broke don't fix it. I still have some of my old materials plus with the internet I feel like I have most of it covered. I am going to look on ebay and see what I can get. Anyways I'm happy to have found this group!

Elisabeth2506

Hiya

If I won the lottery I'd buy the rights to the old plan and put it out there again. I tried their new plan last year and gained a stone in a month. I can't do Slimming World either - I think my metabolism must treat fruit as though its deep fried chocolate! :S

So happy to have found this page!
I'm always messing about with other diet plans, when I know I usually can (and WILL!) lose a stone within 5/6 weeks on the old plan.

Excited!

Juliane_

Ladies, on facebook there is a group called Old Plan(s) Preferred and Working with PP! Just ask to join! They have lots of info and recipes on there and everyone is doing an old ww plan not PP! Good luck to you!

I'm a member of that group. It's a nice group of folks over there. My problem is that I don't have access to facebook during the day. :frown:

Juliane_

I love your idea Elisabeth! I know back in the day FatSecret used to display WW Points. I wonder if they can do it again since apparently WW is not interested in the old points anymore. I would love an easier way of keeping track of my points. I've been relying on an app on my phone but I would love to see the calories too...just for my personal gain.