Is Weight Watchers worth it??

gwensmamma06

I have been on weight watchers many years ago and was pretty successful. I was wondering what people think of the new plan, I have heard mixed reviews. Please MFP'ers let me know what your honest opinions are! :happy:

mrsskinny629

It works for most people. I've been doing it since Feb 24 of this year and have only dropped 22 lbs. I just joined mfp in november to see if i was eating enough or too much because the points thing wasn't working. I don't like the new points system. Too many people are having a hard time losing on it. In my opinion...use MFP and save your money!

foxfrank

I have tried weight watchers and other diet plans in the past and yes they all worked and then it all came back again. The only true answer is not a diet but a change in life and eating style. I have just started with MFP and have lost 3 pound with no plans of finding it again in the future. After looking at what I eat I have found that you don't need to be hungry when you do this. You just need watch what you eat. I now look at food in a different way. I could have 2 chocolate chip cookies and still be hungry and craving for more, or for the same calorie count and better overall nutrition I can have a bowl of salad with tuna or chicken and feel full when I am done with no cravings. Thinking about food this way has helped me stay on track with what I need to do. And when I finally get rid of the innertube in the middle I plan on keeping the same frame of mind about food to prevent in from returning again. The biggest thing overall (besides my innertube) is to keep a positive atitude and if you slip a little don't let it bring you down. Think about your mistake and learn from it, don't quit. And most of all if you need support you can find it here.:happy:

JenMarie826

I did weight watchers before they changed it. I had lost a good amount of weight then gained it back. Then tried to get back on it after they changed it and it was just all too confusing. Since I've started here on MFP I find this works better and stays off. Your decision on what you will do

AmandaCaswell1982

I think both are equally effective, I just find it easier to count calories Good luck!

DanceForever904

i dont care for the new plan so im doing the first points plus for now till i learn more about it but ive lost 61 pounds on weight watchers

annabellj

why do you feel a need to go? isnt this enough? you get 24/7 support, tons of great friends and just the same great advice because everyone else is going thru it also. and its free! save your money to buy new clothes is my two cents but thats just me. did the program with core yrs ago and then gained all the weight back with laziness. sticking with core again, which in laymans terms is just pretty much clean eating, i ate that way and lost weight without tracking calories back then

laursey

I've tried and tried and tried again on WW. MFP works for me. 44 pounds down and it took me 7 months. I'm super happy and have kept most of it off for four months (but for a blip this Christmas). I love the maintenance planning on MFP too!

dalgal26

Yes! I have been on it before. And lost alot of weight. Sure, I gained it back. But, I am doing it again. But, I am doing the old plan. Kept all of my information from back then. Counting calories works for me. My sister is losing on the new plan = point system. She loves it and is looking great.

Mickyboo1

I love the new program. I eat a lot more fruit and veggies.

ajourney2far

I am one of those odd people who has tried weight watchers a number of times - stayed within points and still could not lose. Some years ago, I threw my body into starvation mode (during a very stressful time in my life that lasted almost 3 years). I have a very difficult time losing.

I am going to TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) now and basically, I use the exchange plan. I am using MFP to be accountable during the week and to chart my progress on a more regular basis than just weekly weigh-ins. I highly recommend TOPS though. It's an older program than WW and doesn't have nearly as many people by far. It does provide more one-on-one support as well as the weekly meetings and weigh in.

So to answer your question, WW was not worth it to me because I couldn't lose (and they told me I was under eating but I was eating the number of points that I was given). Under eating has been a problem for a long time. I just recently got up to the proper number of calories and now I need to make certain that they are from the food groups - and not junk.

Cakepiebeer

Kristie Alley

PippaJo_

I did it a few years ago (so, not the new plan - although they seem to change it up every year or so for marketing), and I lost 15 pounds within five or six months, but I plateaued hard....and I was already down to 19 points a day, and couldn't cut it down further without being very hungry.

Although I do think it works, the problem is that I didn't understand the relationship between points for eating, and exercise points. It didn't make the kind of sense that it makes here - for some reason, when MFP does the calculations, so you see clearly that you're still at *net* calories, eating back exercise calories makes sense, where I had no real idea that I should be doing that on WW.

I always thought that counting calories was hard, and counting points was easier - and in a way I suppose it is - but with a good database to pull from, like MFP, it's so much easier than it used to be, where you had to figure out all the calories on your own.

So, having tried both, I'm finding MFP so much easier, it's working better, and best of all, it's free.

This is not a knock on WW at all - it did work for me, and I liked it while I did it. So I'd say that if you like it, and it's working for you, go for it. I have friends who seem to need the 'meeting' aspect of it, and I only tolerated it, I wasn't in love with that part - I'm more of a do-it-yourself-er. The best part of it for me was the 'surprise' I got every week at the weigh-in - I wouldn't weigh myself at home, so it was like a game, to see what kind of reward I'd get each week. But I've learned to do that same thing at home, and it has the same effect for me, so it's all good. :-)

jalara

Yup - I love it!

We have a group on here, and we track both calories and points. Yes, not everyone will like hearing that, but that's okay.

I find that about 50 calories = a point, and it works well for us.

Please join us - we would love to have you!

anabanana8866

I paid and followed the weight watchers diet plan, the old one. I have lost weight with WW. I really like the meetings because it helps me understand that I'm not the only person struggling with controlling her urges for food. I also love the instructors and all their advice..... but to tell you the truth MFP is exactly the same except you don't have points, meetings and it's FREE. Meetings are substitute by blogs. The points you can do yourself, every 50 cal is 1 point. I really like WW, but MFP is the same thing and its FREE. Hope this helped.

161>>> 31 to go
Anna

LadyKatie2010

I've lost my weight doing a combination of WW and MFP. i love it and reccomend it.

but like all things you have to DO something. don't just expect the weight to come off on its own. it requires effort on your part, too.

gwensmamma06

You guys are awesome, thank you for all of your responses. I think the 50 calories = 1 point is like the way they had it on the first time with points. Maybe 60 cals..I don't remember. I honestly haven't done very well on MFP. I have 2 friends: my sister who just found out she is prego and another friend who hasn't logged on in over 3 months. I don't really have a lot of accountability with MFP, partially by choice. I don't feel like I can be a good MFP friend bc I don't have a lot of time to comment or be encouraging. I don't wanna take take take and not give. I really just need to get some more support, and I guess that was why I was considering WW meetings again. I don't know if I can afford it and I am seeing the trend of people losing and regaining it on WW bc they aren't making life changes. Just working the program instead. If that makes sense. lol

ddawn8fan

i have done both of the WW and I love this site so much more.. Hope this helps. I really don't like the new WW

KatieCuth

Kristie Alley

I think that was Jenny Craig wasnt it?

Weight watchers is a very successful tool it has the same fundemantels of MFP...

bonnynblithe04

Yup - I love it!

We have a group on here, and we track both calories and points. Yes, not everyone will like hearing that, but that's okay.

I find that about 50 calories = a point, and it works well for us.

Please join us - we would love to have you!

I am doing this also, however cumbersome, because I have been on WW for more than six years and have kept most of the weight off. I am enjoying MFP because when I did only WW I had no idea what my daily intake was/should be.

ncsjodi

I've lost 90 pounds on WW, but am transitioning to using MFP alone. I did WW online, so I didn't use it for support. I have other groups for that. I used WW to learn how to eat and portion control. It really helped, but now that I'm on minimum points (26) and have a handle on portion size and what foods are good, I feel like I can do it on my own. My husband is starting WW next week and we'll cancel my membership and switch it to him.

chevy88grl

I tried it back in 2006 and was ALWAYS hungry while doing it. I did lose a little bit of weight, but gained most of it back.

I guess I find calorie counting to be easier and more accurate - I mean, how can veggies be "free"? They have calories in them and while it is harder to overeat on healthy foods - it is still possible to consume too many calories while eating healthy foods. I don't agree with making anything with calories "free".

laurastrait21

About how much does weight watchers cost, on average? I'm just curious because I was telling my best friend about how I was using this site and we wanted to compare/contrast

DEGiltz

I'm doing both WW and MFP; I'm a lifetime WW member. I think WW has taught me about making good choices; I read a ton of nutrition labels and can recognize the relationship between good nutrition and their points system. I've learned not to assume that everyone understands the nutritional value of the foods they eat. I'm not so sure that this site alone can teach this information because everyone seems to be very focused on the daily calorie amounts.

I will say this though. I love MFP. I am more connected to my MFP friends than any WW group I've belonged to and the daily support I receive from them is .... (as they say in the Master Card Commercial) PRICELESS!!!

Do I need both ... for now, I'm going to say "yes". I know myself pretty well and I need that extra accountability of having to go get weighed in weekly to stay on track.

I guess it's really a personal decision on how to get to where you want to be ... sharing the journey with others along the way sure makes a difference!

thesarahsundae

Yes. Weight Watchers absolutely works. I have lost over 120 pounds following their program. That being said, I am not following their current program. That one doesn't work for me. I don't like the extra points that they give you. For me that doesn't work. But I don't look at it as a diet, but as a lifestyle change. I wouldn't be able to maintain this weight loss without it.

Everyone is different. What works for me, may not work for you. Or the next person. If MFP is working for you, continue to use it. I joined in hopes of meeting new friends and getting support. And I have gotten just that. I am just not a calorie counting type of girl.

mrsskinny629

You guys are awesome, thank you for all of your responses. I think the 50 calories = 1 point is like the way they had it on the first time with points. Maybe 60 cals..I don't remember. I honestly haven't done very well on MFP. I have 2 friends: my sister who just found out she is prego and another friend who hasn't logged on in over 3 months. I don't really have a lot of accountability with MFP, partially by choice. I don't feel like I can be a good MFP friend bc I don't have a lot of time to comment or be encouraging. I don't wanna take take take and not give. I really just need to get some more support, and I guess that was why I was considering WW meetings again. I don't know if I can afford it and I am seeing the trend of people losing and regaining it on WW bc they aren't making life changes. Just working the program instead. If that makes sense. lol

try introducing yourself in the other group..that's how i found friends!...and I'm always open for more!!

MaryB2

I lost 60lbs with WW and kept it off for 4 years without counting points. I had learned how to eat and that was enough to keep it off. 2 years ago I gained it all back after I quit smoking and a few other things in life didn't help. When I did it before I didn't pay, only bought the materials and followed the plan strictly. I'm thinking about paying this time around to see if the accountability of the meetings will help. I do honestly believe it teachers healthy way of eating.

Shoechick5

WW is a very good plan. Good sound nutrition - no fads, no radical eating plan. You can do the exact same thing here for free. But at WW you get the in person meeting support. Depends if you need the outside motivation or if online is sufficient.

VanessaMFaulkner

I used to swear by WW but sadly once they changed their points to points plus it didn't work as well for me & I hated it. I guess everyone is different. It is great for helping you learn how to eat correctly...but so is MFP. I'm doing better with MFP & a food reminder as to snacks & meal time good luck whatever you decide!

VanessaMFaulkner

I forgot to say...I still eat the WW Smart Ones meals...yummy! And am easy way to log my calories

Elizabeth_C34

It did not work for me. Plus, it was expensive.

It's much easier to log actual calories than to figure out how many "points" something is worth that isn't on their list of stuff.