WW for a year = only 8 lbs. lost. What's up with that?

fredab5

HI, I am 47 years old and 30 lbs. overweight. I was on WW for a year (May 2010-May 2011) and followed it very closely. I exercised 3-4 times a week by walking 2 miles/day. I ate my extra 35 points and my earned exercise points. It was very slow going, but in 4 months I lost 8 lbs. A friend noticed my weight loss and joined up. The next 8 months I would lose 1/4 lb. one week, then gain 1/2 lb. the next week, and so on. Meanwhile, my friend lost 27 lbs. in 4 months. She's a few years older than me and didn't even exercise, yet in the same amount of time (4 months) she lost 27 lbs. while I only lost 8! GRRRR!!! While I was truly happy for her, I became so frustrated I quit and now, 7 months later, have gained those 8 lbs. back. Could someone please give me an opinion on WHY I can't seem to lose weight? I am on a low dose of Lexapro and with Dr.'s consent cut my dosage in half, but it hasn't helped. Maybe it's my age or slower metabolism? :sad:

Susay2942

You should definately have your Thyroid levels checked.

emrys1976

I wish I could shed some light on the why's for you, but I can't. I can tell you that you are not alone with your frustrations. Lots of WW refugees are here.

blondejillie

This may sound wierd, but I am doing WW simultaneously with MFP and comparing the calories vs points. I generally find they run equal unless I try to tap into the weekly point bank, at which point I run too high on calories. You might want to stick to the daily point bank and ignore the weekly except for special occasions?

donniesgirrl

I did WW about 10 years ago and lost 45 lb's in like 4-5 months. But I tried the recent plan a couple of times the last couple of years, and I have lost very little. I don't like the changes, so I started doing MFP instead & I follow more of a "clean eating" lifestyle (ie - Tosca Reno).

skyeashlee

maybe the foods on the diet were better for your friends blood type ??? try the blood type diet, which is really just eating right for your type !! :O)
For example, ham is no good for me, or avocado and beef is really good... where as for my fiance its comlete opposite !!

Bevkus

Yes, sounds like you need a complete physical. You could have a zillion things....including diabetes!!! Please go ASAP!!!

gracielee1

Perhaps you need to change your fitness routine and try to eat more during the day when your metabolism is highest? I'd suggest resistance training and strength training too.

EdCamacho

Are you loosing sleep for 30 lbs? Maybe your friend had more to loose, or not eating the exercise calories.

annabellj

you ate all your exercise points and your extra 35 for the week. you may have been overestimating your calorie burn also. definitely ck the meds but when I was on ww if i ate everything back I wouldnt lose and most weeks that I lost it was because I didnt eat all of my 35 pts and I never ate back my exercise calories. on here, i eat back some but not all as i am not sure without an hrm of my total calorie burn. i love this site as if you are really truthful to yourself you will lose. after a yr and a half of maintenance i thought i had it all down and quit going to mtgs. the online support of mfp is what really is the key. and the cost is free of course!

firesoforion

Nope, I didn't have luck with Weight Watchers! I'm still trying to figure it out here but WW didn't work well for me in any real way. Good luck!

x0blacksails0x

Maybe WW is just not the right program for you. I've tried several programs (and mostly failed) over the years, but I will say I've had quite a bit of difference in success from one program to the next. I would definitely see a doctor to rule out any underlying conditions preventing you from weight loss.

Carri1

I did the same thing! I would lose 1/4 lb a week...that's 12 lbs a year if and only if I didn't gain anything. I believe the reason is the way the point system is now it's out of whack. For instance...it doesn't keep track of what you eat ...like MFP does...nutritional, how many carbs, protein, calcium. Ww doesn't care how you spend those points. Also free fruit? Fruit contains a lot of sugar...no matter what. So....what I did is ate less n less n less until I didn't realize it...I was only eating 600 cals a day. My metabolism CRASHED!! I gained a lot of weight hardly eating anything! When I started MFP at the end of Sept and started eating a variety of things at 1200 + exercise calories....the first week I lost 7 lbs. My 2 cents! WW is getting pricey now too! yikes

shellybean826

the thing i dont care for on WW and i joined 3 months ago ...online for the 3 month special and im not renewing ...( i have lost 34 lbs tho) ..is that the fruit and veggies have zero points ...so if you focus on eating your points ..and then you are eating fruits and veggies you arent counting it could really add up to alot of calories over all ....i dont eat any of my APS or WPS ....actually i dont eat all my DPS either because once i add in the 5 servings of fruits and veggies im full ...and ive noticed when i log the stuff in here ..im actually not that far from 1200 calories ..and yet ive only eaten 20 points ..on WW

fredab5

Thanks to all for the many responses already! I really do need to go to the Dr. for my own peace of mind and find out if something is up with my blood sugar, thyroid, hormones, etc. I just started working out following a popular exercise video that combines aerobics and weights, so I'm hoping that will help jump start things. And, I'm back tracking calories here on MFP, which I think is easier than the new WW points system, plus its free, AND the community here is supportive. I think what didn't work for me on WW is that as long as I stayed within my points, I felt like I could eat the WW snacks and goodies, but those reallly weren't that healthy for you. This time around, I've gotten rid of all chips, cookies, snack bars (fiber one bars was my WW go-to snack!) etc. and replaced with fruit, nuts, yogurt, etc.

smantha32

I lost 50 pounds on WW. But I didn't stick with it.
And then once I gained some back I hated going in and having an entire room full of people know I gained. And then the less I went the more I gained. lol

And I got sick of paying for it too. It's cheaper than some of the ones that sell their packaged food and stuff, but monthly it adds up.

muitobem

The old WW worked for me...but I've heard back and forth on the new points system...it may just be that the new WW isn't going to work for you..I really don't believe it works for every one...the new one that is...just because I've heard back and forth....
It seems more people lost on the old system...

ecw3780

You have to have something to track your calories burned. I recently got a fitbit and discovered I was way over estimating what I burned during exercise. Just looking up your exercise and figuring out how long you did it is no where close to accurate. You should eat your exercise calories, but only if you figure them accurately.

entropy83

Ditto former WW here. The new plan is not as good as the previous version. I find the weekly points on the new plan are a bit like sabotage and the super slow weight loss and the gain game frustrated me so much. I feel much better being able to look at my calorie consumption along with fat consumption etc. For me I feel like I have a lot more control and understanding of what I can eat and be able to choose the portion I want of a food. I know one girl who lost a substantial amount of weight with WW and was in maintenance but actually was gaining on the new system. I just think these new formulas they have are less forgiving to different metabolisms. I have PCOS and I found the only way I could loose with the new plan was to exercise, eat those points, but not eat the weekly points. I am finding calorie counting much easier and the food database is may more extensive than WW.

shadee321

welcome, Im 48 and am also trying to lose 30lbs. This is a nice place to be, a lot of encouragement , advice , and even questions for fun answered. I did ww to, about 10yrs ago and i know the plan has changed and i just didnt want to have another bill , but knew i eeded some kind of help. If you have an ipod or iphone put this site app on it fpr FREE. Then you can check were ever you are before you eat, the cals, fat ,carbs . It nice to see all those numbers and we see where we need to make changes. Good Luck and feel free to friend me and we can work together:flowerforyou:

darlilama

That's too bad. I did weight watchers many years ago and it was fine. I didn't have a lot to lose at that time and I know it's all different now. Unless you feel like you need a "program", why not just try to do the common sense things? I don't do any specific diet plan, but once I started logging in MFP… wow what a difference! And, yes, staying within calories isn't really good enough. You need to feed your body good stuff. I'm not a purist.. I eat all sorts of stuff, but I try to make sure that, oh, maybe 75%-80% of what I eat is good nutrition - lean meats, healthy fruits and vegetables. Then I have my chocolate or granola bar or whatever other snack I feel like.

As for exercise, while it's true you don't need to exercise to lose weight, I never understand why anyone wouldn't. Just like eating healthy is good for your body, so is exercising. Unless you have a very active job/lifestyle, I think it's necessary to have a balanced routine of cardio (heart and lungs) and strength training (muscles and bones) to keep your body healthy!

And, not to get too personal, but at your age it's possible you're also experiencing peri-menopausal symptoms. The imbalance of hormones can really mess with your ability to lose weight. Both my family doctor and my OB/GYN warned me that it might be difficult, even though they were both very honest about my needing to lose weight or my health's sake! Fortunately, with the right foods, exercise, and attitude, I'm almost to my goal!

Best of luck to you! :flowerforyou:

indigochilds

I did WW 2 years ago. I think I did it 2 times.. But it took me a full year to lose 10 lbs. and I think I was given 22 pts every day.
I'm 5 feet tall and was 27 at the time. Even though I loved the meetings. I realized the program wasn't for me. how ever I learned alot of things which I am very thankful for.

But when I first joined MFP. in January 2011 to manage to lose 10 lbs in 2 months eating at a NET of 1200. The second time, January 2012 I lost 10 lbs in one month. netting at 850 - 1200 range.

So I would say stick with MFP for at least a month or so and see how it works for you. If you manage to drop the 10 within 2 or 3 months compared to a whole year. Then you have your answer.

fredab5

Wow, I'm inspired by some of your stories. There's hope for me yet. Thanks everyone!

ElisaMarie82

Sounds like you're one of the unfortunate people like myself who can't eat their exercise calories back! I get very upset when people tell me that I'm not eating enough because I don't eat my exercise calories! One thing those people need to know is, "What works for some, may not work for others"! Stick with your same exercise routine as you usually do, and shoot for 1,100- 1,200 calories a day, and give yourself a little cheat day of Saturday to boost that metabolism! (I also take 20 mg's of Lexapro:) Good luck! I hope you find what works for you!

ElisaMarie82

You should definately have your Thyroid levels checked.

Comments like this upset me! When I weighed 198 pounds I swore I had thyrhiod issues or something medically was causing my weight gain. I spent over $700 in blood tests, and multiple doctor visits for the doctor to tell me that I have nothing wrong with me. I always hear "Thyroid problems", "Medications", "Fast Food" and all sorts of other excuses for being overweight. WAKE UP PEOPLE! Hold yourself accountable! Do not make my embarrassing pricey mistake by crawling to the doctor in hopes for him to give you a reason as to why you're fat! (Of course not calling anyone here fat, just saying, learn by my mistake!:)

carolemack

HI, I am 47 years old and 30 lbs. overweight. I was on WW for a year (May 2010-May 2011) and followed it very closely. I exercised 3-4 times a week by walking 2 miles/day. I ate my extra 35 points and my earned exercise points. It was very slow going, but in 4 months I lost 8 lbs. A friend noticed my weight loss and joined up. The next 8 months I would lose 1/4 lb. one week, then gain 1/2 lb. the next week, and so on. Meanwhile, my friend lost 27 lbs. in 4 months. She's a few years older than me and didn't even exercise, yet in the same amount of time (4 months) she lost 27 lbs. while I only lost 8! GRRRR!!! While I was truly happy for her, I became so frustrated I quit and now, 7 months later, have gained those 8 lbs. back. Could someone please give me an opinion on WHY I can't seem to lose weight? I am on a low dose of Lexapro and with Dr.'s consent cut my dosage in half, but it hasn't helped. Maybe it's my age or slower metabolism? :sad:

I also had trouble losing on WW a couple of years ago. Even though I was staying on plan and working out with a PT I just couldn't seem to lose more than a fraction of a pound one week and then gain a bigger fraction the next week. Very frustrating. I quit going and my weight really started to climb. Through trial and error and a lot of journalling I discovered that I had an intolerence to wheat. Now I avoid as much wheat as possible and have lost 20 pounds so far.

I joined WW again a month ago but now that I have found MFP I will most likely give up my WW membership. I really like MFP. It has all the tools I need, some really great people willing to give some great advice, and lots of support. And the best part is that it is FREE!

gidgeclev

I'm a WW refugee, the new plan is ridiculous and if I stick to it religiously I gain weight. The reason? If you eat just the points given you will be on 1000 to 1200 calories a day. When you add in fruit and vegetables, your weekly points and exercise points you are probably over 1800 a day. I don't lose at that level - I have a sedentary job, commute for 3 hours a day and am in my 50's ( and permanently knackered). I and a lot of others have posted on WW website numerous times pointing this out and they have now adjusted the plan slightly. It's still not going to work for many of their customers though.

Di3012

HI, I am 47 years old and 30 lbs. overweight. I was on WW for a year (May 2010-May 2011) and followed it very closely. I exercised 3-4 times a week by walking 2 miles/day. I ate my extra 35 points and my earned exercise points. It was very slow going, but in 4 months I lost 8 lbs. A friend noticed my weight loss and joined up. The next 8 months I would lose 1/4 lb. one week, then gain 1/2 lb. the next week, and so on. Meanwhile, my friend lost 27 lbs. in 4 months. She's a few years older than me and didn't even exercise, yet in the same amount of time (4 months) she lost 27 lbs. while I only lost 8! GRRRR!!! While I was truly happy for her, I became so frustrated I quit and now, 7 months later, have gained those 8 lbs. back. Could someone please give me an opinion on WHY I can't seem to lose weight? I am on a low dose of Lexapro and with Dr.'s consent cut my dosage in half, but it hasn't helped. Maybe it's my age or slower metabolism? :sad:

WW do not count fruit do they?

Did you used to eat a lot of fruit? If so, that may have been part of the problem, fruit has calories and may have been pushing you up high. Although WW lets you eat as much fruit as you wish, fruit still contains calories - banana approx 70, apples approx 60, oranges approx 70 etc. Eat say five or six pieces per day and it wouldn't take long for that calorie amount to go above 400 - even though WW do not count fruit!

If a food or drink has calories, count it, all of it and only then can you see exactly what you are consuming.

Calories in -v- Calories out - be at a deficit and you will lose weight.

snookybear

Hi Freda I am 50 and struggling to lose 50lbs more, (only 9 so far) I think the trick is not to "eat" the extra calories
"earned" by exercise unless it's really intense. (eg not just walking or weights).
And as another "December child" agree watch the fruit intake!.
Best of luck
Joy

aniwani

Make sure you are exercising smart ... do strength training ... women tend to stray off the weights for fear of bulking up, but if you are over weight and eating at a calorie deficit , you wont bulk, and you will burn three times as many calories as cardio. Make sure you are mixing up your routines, usually gyms have a free personal training session when you join. If you can buy a session or take advantage of a free one, ask someone to show you a proper routine. Make sure you are working major muscle groups ie. your back, shoulders, triceps, biceps, butt, but and thighs. you will be shocked how sore your abs will be the next day with out touching them directly. Remember this website is based off a life style I recommend you set yours to sedentary so if you miss a day or too you are still looking at accurate numbers. Make sure you are eating lots of fiber, and lean meat. Avoid carbs as much as possible. We all tend to go run on the treadmill or elliptical and go grab a carb heavy meal after. Unfortunately we are eating back our calories, because the body is not repairing muscle and continuously burning calories. I used to work so hard at the gym and get so discouraged because nothing was happening, but since I started lifting, I have lost a huge amount of weight and despite my worst fears I didn't bulk at all. Getting a physical is also never a bad thing, tell you doc your goals and they might actually be able to advise you on some body supports while you continue your journey. Don't get discouraged you'll make it happen!

sandown12

i always lost with ww in 2010 old plan I lost 11lbs in 4 weeks then 57lbs in 8 months I never eat my exercise calories on ww and always weighed and measure and tracked everything.
Some plans dont work for some slimming world doesnt for me too high carbs or rosemary conerly thats calorie counting but low and no eating any exercise cals although the class is an aerobics class each time so i think that I was having too little calories with 3 classes a week.
Always try different plans thn see which works we are all different x