Weight Watchers v MFP

Pohudet

I did ww, the online version, in the past, and it was successful. But this is much better! First of all, because it is easier to count calories rather than points! Second, mfp database is much bigger. Third, i like the forums here. Plus, its free! No-brainer for me.

xandra

I joined WW a few years back, and followed it religiously the first week... Imagine my dismay when I saw a weight gain of 3 pounds.

My first week following MFP: I lost 6 pounds. And MFP is free!

Food is not comprised of points - it's comprised of carbs/proteins/fats and other nutrients. And that's what a person needs to learn to track to learn lifelong healthy eating habits. Points = gimmick.

Just my .02

I totally agree. Calories are real world. Points are made up.

umachanxo

WW and MFP are both great, in my opinion.
The only difference to me was the cost.

Char_marcus

I did WW a couple of years ago lost loads of weight, and when it switched to the new propoints i just couldn't get the hang of it everything was much more complicated and i ended up gaining even though i was sticking to plan.
I have now joined slimming world as their plan is much more sensible and easier to follow and have lost 7lbs already in a week !

MakingProgress

I've tried WW several times, but I am always hungry after a week or two. I start out fine, but after my points drop once or twice, I am starving. I may lose weight, at least until I completely lose it and eat everything in the kitchen, but eventually I stall out. And forget exercise ... Exercising on WW is a joke for me because once I start exercising, I start gaining. I can eat the exact number of points I'm given, and gain. I add back in the exercise point or two I get and still gain weight. I just don't think that for me, there's enough food.

But not every diet works for every person. And if you're not in the right mindset it won't matter what eating plan you try ... whatever you do, good luck to you. :-)

daisy51981

I am currently doing WW PointsPlus etools ($12.95/month) and counting calories on MFP. Meetings are no longer available in the local area and I would have to drive an hour for the nearest meeting. I have done WW off and on since 2001 and quit each time because my friends would quit. I didn't have the willpower to go alone. I lost around 45 lbs in 2010 when the location closed. Both are excellent programs. I have 31 WW pts a day which is about 1200-1300 calories depending on the food. WW Pts are calculated by using fat, carbs, fiber, and protein. I'm not new to dieting at all and have at least 20 books and a ton of magazines on different diets but the main objective is to learn to eat healthy in a safe manner. If I didn't have a full time job, I would be sitting at home analyzing different diets, foods, and recipes to see what works for me and what doesn't. Whatever path you choose, I wish you the best of luck on your weight loss journey!

sallywilson06

I did weight watchers a few years ago where I went to the meetings and had to weigh in every week. The only problem with it was that I could only go to the evening classes and I always bloat during the day with water weight so I would never be my exact weight until the morning. It was too costly as well and really if you know the points system and you know how much you are in-taking and putting out it is basically the same thing. Either way, good luck on your journey.

Gargwin82

I managed to lose close to 60lbs on WW online. HOWEVER I felt really isolated. My reason from leaving WW is the stupid points system. It's a gimic to keep people paying. Just when you have purchased the books, the tracker (which they wouldn't sell to me since I didn't go to meetings I had to get a meeting member to smuggle me one), ect THEY CHANGED THE POINT CALCULATIONS! So EVERYTHING I had bought was now useless. Go to any second hand store and you'll see dozens of WW books that are no longer practical because they system has been changed.

I like MFP, I like communicating with people, I like being able to figure out calories with simple math not points voodoo, I like not wasting my money!

Littlesparky09

I use the old WW method. I don't bother with the new method as I know the old method works for me. I don't go to meetings or use the online tools, I use MFP for that. I get far more motivation from my friends on here and on the forums. As a PP said, I was also sick of other members at my WW meeting asking me what I was doing there because I wasn't fat enough (when I was close to goal weight). WW has had enough of my money over the years, wished I had discovered MFP a long time ago!

bessbla

WW and MFP are both great, in my opinion.
The only difference to me was the cost.

I agree. I think if I had an amazing team leader running the meetings, I would have stuck with it, but I hated paying $40 a month just to have access to the e-tools function when the same function is on here for free.
I tracked my WW points and MFP for two weeks and I felt I got more food with WW, which for me is not really a good thing.

Whichever you choose is a choice in the right direction, so good luck!

AleksD3

I end up eating more food on MFP than WW which messes me up.

I always seem to eat healther with WW as well, probably because I can check off things like healthy oils and vitamins on the website. I guess for now I need things to be easier and figuring out points doesn't sound like it would be easier but it works for me.

Maybe it's because points are like a game :laugh: and I can still keep track of nutrients on here.

erickirb

Hi, is there anyone doing WW's and MFP and if so which one do you think is working better for you? I know MFP is free but I'm thinking that joining WW's will motivate me more since I'll be paying for it. Any advice will be helpful, thanks!

You can pay me half the amount of WW and just use MFP, that way you save 1/2 the money, and I get some $. JK

lkwalker71

I did WW in the past, lost 52 pounds but gained it all back plus more. When I did WW, I lost the weight alot faster than I have on MFP. My husband said he thinks MFP is much better as I am losing like I should be. I enjoyed WW but I find I am more accountable on here and I pay closer attention to calories that I did with WW. I am enjoying MFP much better.

cathyAprice

I'm so picky, I had a hard time finding things to eat and the things I did like (and were healthy) had more points that I was comfortable with...but I followed it for two months and gained 1 lb -- now I just "google" healthy meal plans and with that, Shakeology and exercise, I'm losing weight. WW is great for many people but I wasn't one of them

AleksD3

Frankly I would love to just do MFP. I'm working on both with WW in the lead and hoping that by the time my WW membership runs out in May I won't need it anymore.

I put everything I track form WW into MFP to try and figure out what I'm doing differently and why one is working better than the other.

I consider it research lol.

Swissmiss

is it hard figuring out what you are eating is how many point? not sure if i should change myself up to that or stick with this? i have struggled my entire time to loose...

WW sells a calculator that figures the points in foods when you enter the nutritional information. I did WW along with MFP last year. I am doing better with just MFP at this time.

Ruthaw1961

I also have used WW in the past. I prefer looking at the Ratios of Carb/Fat/Protein and balancing them in a way that works best for my metabolism. With "Points" you could not do that.

IMO, WW is a great starting point but, as you learn more about nutrition and portion control, the info becomes so repetitive. I also do not like the way Activity Points are earned. I do not think WW is designed for the active, fitness minded individual. Too much emphesis in the number on the scale...

stephc0711

I do both. I love both. My problem is completely me. Both seem to work great, but I just can't stay motivated enough to get anywhere. I've been on WW since Nov, and have lost 10 lbs, most of which was in the first 6 weeks, but I eat way too much, don't track everything, and fudge on the working out. SO... it's my own fault. What I've been doing is tracking on MFP first, then adding up the points for the meal totals for WW. Hopefully, I'm going to stay motivated this time!

montana_girl

I am doing both... I lost over 100 pounds with WW, but stalled (and then gained) when they went to PointsPlus. So someone on the WW message boards suggested counting calories along with following the Good Health Guidelines suggested by WW... and it worked! I figured out I was eating too much on the new WW program and since then I have been counting calories instead of points.

I love WW because it taught me a lot about eating healthy and getting moving. And I know if it wasn't for the meetings (and my most awesome WW leader), I would have given up when I hit a spot in my life where I started gaining weight (going through family drama and still hadn't dealt with my emotional eating issues). But the leader and the members kept encouraging me to stick with it and continue with the meetings... and I did... and eventually I got past the drama in my life and got back on track.

Would I recommend WW? Yes, I would, because I had a lot of success with it. Is it for everyone? Nope... I believe everyone has to find the weight loss program that fits them. But once you find the thing that works, stick with it... through the good and the bad. I always tell people that, "the program only works, if you work the program." And that pretty much applies to any weight loss program.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

jamccurdy

Both work well, I've done weight watchers for years, but I always slide back because I hate figuring points. MFP works better for me because you just put in the food, put in the exercise and it does the calculations for you. I had a harder time with WW especially when I would go out to eat. Yes, DWLZ would help with the restaurants, but MFP shows more meals at the restaurants. If you have never done WW, the meetings are worth it because they do give you ideas and ways to cut the points, but after a certain amount of time, it's the same thing over and over. Hope this helps.

tbskipp

Like many of you, i am also on WW (online) and MFP. I use the mobile apps sooo much. My membership on WW lasts until like April 4. I may renew, not sure yet. I love the online support here on MFP!
One difference that makes me like MFP better is that it tracks my calories, sugar/carb/sodium/fiber/protein intake. I especially like to be able to track that info. WW has a scanner for the iPhone just like MFP, but most the times, the food is not in their database, but usually always in MFP.

What is the group here that uses both??

AleksD3

Go into the "groups" section toward the top of the page and put "weight watchers" into the search area. I think there are a couple.

AleksD3

"So someone on the WW message boards suggested counting calories along with following the Good Health Guidelines suggested by WW... and it worked! "



This exactly what I need to do. Use MFP while including all the WW's GHGs.

_Kitten_Kate

I was joined WW online and started MFP at the same time... MFP is musch better for the food database...
I always had probelms with WW site taking forever to load and then not having even basic food in their database.
So, I just donated $50 to them... dropped the WW and kept up with MFP.
When I was doing them together for that first week... the points and the calories here matched up pretty closely.
It's the same principle.... they give you extra points for your workout... ie... extra calories to eat if you want.
I honestly would't waste my $ now the I found this. Its much more user friendly... and you have a GREAT support system you can build here.
Which reminds me ... I need to cancel the WW deal.