Weight Watchers vs MyFitnessPal

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  • smilebhappy
    smilebhappy Posts: 811 Member
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    I've never done WW but curious to read discussion......bump to read later :)
  • seanrgallagher
    seanrgallagher Posts: 6 Member
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    love it, good post
  • kwest_4_fitness
    kwest_4_fitness Posts: 819 Member
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    I love WW. However, I'm on the old points (Flex) plan, using MFP to log food and exercise and for the sweet peeps. I've lost 73 lbs so far, but I don't pay for meetings any more. I use the free online calculators and the books I bought the first time around. I quit WW previously because I wasn't committed to weight loss or getting fit and I refused to quit smoking. Quitting smoking and getting focused allowed the plan to work for me. But it certainly may not be a good fit for everyone that tries it. Do what works for you and be happy! :)
  • family_girl2626
    family_girl2626 Posts: 46
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    I have seen people who take part in WW and it can work for them. I feel that anything that is going to motivate another person to lose weight so they can become healthier isn't a waste of time, however I didn't do WW for the same reasons. I don't want to spend the money that they ask us to pay. I don't want to have to buy their food (although I do know that isn't all it is about unlike other diet plans). MFP is not a diet plan but it is a life plan. Last but not least I don't want to go weigh in with a group of people to be told I have or haven't lost weight. I can do that in the privacy of my own home. I have been taking on this challenge with some wonderful people here on MFP and I have access to them everyday, anytime I want to say hello. Awesome work to all of you and keep up the great success.
  • jsapninz
    jsapninz Posts: 909 Member
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    First of all, just because WW doesn't work for your mother doesn't mean it doesn't work for ALOT of people. Actually, I have read articles saying that WW is the MOST effective popular weight loss program for long term weight loss because it focuses on educated its people (just like MFP). My heart goes out to you know because I know you are mostly just frustrated that your momma is having such a hard time.

    That being said, you hit my one big beef with WW on the head:
    2. One difference is they don't want you to count fruits and vegetables as points. Okay, that can make up the deficit in points. I just thought you were supposed to track everything that you eat. Heck, 2 bananas is 300 calories! Fruit or not, its calories and calories is the weight loss factor...am I wrong?

    My girlfriend says now that she is on WW she "eats fruits like they are going out of style because they are NO points." Translation: she is ingesting HUNDREDS of "free" calories a day (mostly sugars, no less) and sabatoging her own weight loss, all with the blessing of WW.

    While WW will probably teach people to eat healthier, I don't think it is the most scientific approach to weight loss, especially fo those that aren't really overweight and are more trying to lose vanity pounds.

    However, it is all about what works for you. Some people NEED the meetings and group weigh ins and stuff at WW to stay motivated. I personally don't think it is worth paying money for something you can get for free....but it's all about what works for you.

    But I think MFP IS THE BEST!!! :flowerforyou:
  • cassblue21
    cassblue21 Posts: 207
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    I skimmed through a lot of this topic and a lot of people do have success with WW... BUT it does get expensive. I have done it myself a couple of times and I had success. But it does get tedious and repetitive since every I think its 11 weeks you start over with the books? Anyways, I really need to push of having to go and weigh in with a group and since I cannot afford WW I found something even better! I am in TOPS(TAKE OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY) It is a weekly weigh in, but no specific plan. Just a support group and you get great programs and tons of support. I am doing MFP as well as TOPS since I need the extra push to have a specific weigh in. It is a whopping $28 A.YEAR. I have been doing MFP for a year and TOPS for 17 months. I love it. The combination of the two is what works for me. :)
  • icarol71
    icarol71 Posts: 8
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    I tried weight watchers as well. Spent roughly $112 to join(group discount through work) i had a lot of points that i could never meet due to wieght, height, exercise. I lost 5 pounds. I know others who have lost more but once they quit counting points they put it right back on. Since starting MFP I have lost a total of 22 pounds. Keeping a diary of the calories and exercise seems to make me more accountable for what i eat and when i eat. I also have started looking at the healthier choices in foods, doesnt mean i completely give up my ice cream or my pizza i just eat a smaller portion of it. But for the record MFP works well for me right now.
  • 164pounds
    164pounds Posts: 2
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    thank you so much for your opinon .i discovered mfp about a week ago .and i love it.i'm only just looking into losing weight as it was never an issue before i had my little girl.my best friend has just started going to weight watchers so i've researched it a bit but she has lost 9 ilb in a week! i need some surport as i end up eating to much and think i can't put all that in .i never usually reply or get into community group so hope to find some moral surport this way:indifferent:
  • hatrammell
    hatrammell Posts: 36
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    Very true. I have had friends of weight watchers. It is expensive and myfitnesspal is amazing! It's great for motivation too! WW is a huge waste of money! =)
  • BAtobe
    BAtobe Posts: 93 Member
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    I totally agree!! WW is a waste of money. I want to call Jennifer Hudson and tell her to try MFP. She will be singing then!!!

    Jennifer Hudson looks fantastic - she does not need MFP - everyone should use whatever program works for them and do not go knocking anyone that uses something other than what you think works.

    This! I have done WW. Lost 43lbs and then 65lbs. I actually really like it. But I hit a plateau and I got sick of the points and the diary and all the extra work I was putting in. And looking back, I think I was eating too little as well. I LOVE MFP and wouldn't go back to WW either but I still think it's a great starting place for many people. BTW I never paid a dime, I bought my material on Ebay and did it free by myself.
    Edit: I did not switch to points plus, I lost that weight following Momentum.
  • jmatney79
    jmatney79 Posts: 80
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    Jennifer Hudson does look amazing!! Certainly and inspiration for all of us!! I am not, by any means, saying that she didn't work hard and battled every day like we all do, but lets keep in mind that she is a celebrity and has a lot of money to spend on what ever she needs (perhaps a personal chef that can make tofu taste great...lol), and a personal trainer.
    Truth be told, even if we were to use any diet, have personal trainers, personal chefs, and other people to help us it would make it a lot easier. Us “regular” folks don’t have that advantage.
  • NELSAL
    NELSAL Posts: 60 Member
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    I have tried WW and also Nutrisystem and had some success but guess what... the weight came back! This time I am doing MFP and also trying the Beyond diet where I am slowly eliminating all processed foods and sugar. I feel so much better it is unbelievable. I don't have stomach or gastric problems like I did with Nutrisystem.
  • jmatney79
    jmatney79 Posts: 80
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    I have tried WW and also Nutrisystem and had some success but guess what... the weight came back! This time I am doing MFP and also trying the Beyond diet where I am slowly eliminating all processed foods and sugar. I feel so much better it is unbelievable. I don't have stomach or gastric problems like I did with Nutrisystem.

    Beyond diet? Never hear of it! Sounds interesting!! Processed foods are so not good for you. I think I'll look into it!
  • Bearb2532
    Bearb2532 Posts: 8 Member
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    I did WW for over a year.... online. I did lose about 20 lbs but it was a hard struggle. I prefer MFP because I can use it on my phone... at the time WW only had the app for Apple users. Logging everything I ate at the end of the day when I got home just wasn't working. For a long while I only kept my subscription for the recipes :-p
    Now, my Husband has health issues' and desperately needs to lose weight, although he doesn't want to admit it, his Dr.'s are just about SCREAMING at him about it, but instead he just keeps gaining. I think WW could be helpful for him... the accountability of the meetings and weigh in's, the encouragement of real people. The advice and recipe swaps (he's the cook in our house), but unless HE wants to loose weight, nothing I can do, say or pay for will help. I pray every day The Lord will motivate my Husband to finally WANT to loose the weight and LIVE!!! Until then, I'll focus on what I can control... myself and I'll keep going with MFP :-)
  • daddiod
    daddiod Posts: 37
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    We left WW also. Worked well for about 3 months then pretty much nothing. Our leader got very boring and keep telling us the number meant nothing but how the clothes fit. Well to me it was the number.. Also the points do not show the surgar and salt you are eating. Fruit is not 0 points to my body. It began to be to commercialized too. We were not allowed to talk about any products but theirs too. Lost 11 lbs here in about 6 weeks and saving 40.00 a month.
  • LTGPSA
    LTGPSA Posts: 633 Member
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    I totally agree!! WW is a waste of money. I want to call Jennifer Hudson and tell her to try MFP. She will be singing then!!!

    Love this ^^
  • JanetLM73
    JanetLM73 Posts: 1,277 Member
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    I've done both and lost more on here and it's free!
  • KitchenKutie78
    KitchenKutie78 Posts: 1 Member
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    I think some of you are a little harsh on Weight Watchers. Like many of you I have done both. I lost 70 lbs on Weight Watchers and found it quite easy to do. I found the support great and loved the meetings.

    There was a statement that someone was only eating 800-900 calories a day (not including fruit). Fruit /veggies were only 'free' for your needed servings (example 3-5 day) and all starchy vegetables were counted, then you counted everything after in your tracker. Also, the reader did not mention the large amount of 'extra' points you got to help you out.

    I have switched to myfitnesspal.com because I have not been working and can't not afford WW. FREE is obviously a great feature. I feel that both program are great.

    The point: be responsible. Document your foods, make good choices, exercise.
  • InnerFatGirl
    InnerFatGirl Posts: 2,687 Member
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    I don't think I'd ever join WW simply because I don't wanna waste £10 per week. £40 per month, wtf? Why does it cost so much?! Then there's the points and having to get to weekly meetings and blah blah blah. I'll just enjoy their food when I see it in the supermarket, enjoy the freeness of MFP, and enjoy the simplicity of calories ;)
  • alp1990
    alp1990 Posts: 56
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    Weight watchers is a good program. My mother lost around 6 stone in a year with it.

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