Weight Watchers vs. MFP

nichole325

Okay- I know there are a lot of topics on here about this but I wanted to start my own.

I have lost about 30lbs with MFP since I've started in October. For me- I work out a LOT. At least 5 days a week (mostly 6) and just started adding in heavy lifting, a program I got on bodybuilding.com.

About two weeks about I weighed in at 204.6. This morning. I weight 209. Yesterday I weighed 206. I know people are going to say to step away from the scale but for me, exercising daily and eating pretty good, the scale should be going DOWN. There is no reason why it should not be.

I had the thought of trying WW (again) for three months to see if it can at least help me get to onederland since the scale has been going up. For me it is very discouraging and irritating when the scale goes up it makes me just want to stop going to the gym and eating pizza and pasta for dinner all the time again.

It is hard for me to FEEL healthy when the scale is going UP!

Helpppppp!

mcarter99

Quit weighing and start measuring. You could be adding muscle or just retaining water in your muscles from the new lifting routine. It's GOOD. If you wait it out, you'll be rewarded.

mydeloo78

I like WW becuase it takes away the guesswork.. people on here say eat 1200,1500,2000 calories and I never know what's right for me. WW takes away the guess work and works for me if I follow the program.

wahmx3

I have heard that when you start with heavy weights, you will gain for a few weeks before the scale starts to drop again. I think it has something to do with small tears and water buildup in your muscles that takes some time to overcome. Once you get past that first month, you will tone up and lose weight, and muscles help you also burn more fat, so stick with it. Are you sure you are eating enough? Do you drink enough water? Is it that "time of the month" for you? Various factors come into play but I just think you need to give it time.

nichole325

I try to drink about 100oz a day...sometimes more, sometimes less.

RVfrog

did ww and MFP is the best. Don't weigh yourself all the time once a week is good. But if you have to weigh everyday take it with a grain of salt and don't focus so much. My dietitian has me weigh every morning and with my tracking it tells her what I'm doing wrong. That is a big help but if it bothers you about the gains then step away from the scales. YOU can do it. Also you stated eating pretty good...that could be your problem....it could be something you are eating that is doing that. Take a closer look at what you are eating. That is why the dietitian has me weighing every morning to see if the night before eating is affecting me. It's a good tool if you use it as that.

Emmabulliemum

your gaining muscle not fat that's why,drink lots of water and ONLKY weigh in once a week pref 1st thing.

as for ww v mfp, mfp all the way

EpiGaiaRepens

I found WW to be waaaaaaaaaaaay too complicated. MFP saved my life!

As for what you should do, follow MFP's guidelines. They have them for a reason. Anytime you do new exercises, your weight will go up. I started lifting heavy in February weighing in at 123. Now I am a lot stronger, I weighed 134 this morning (grumble grumble) but my measurements are the same.... so you can't let the scale tell you everything. I'm still a size 4. I weigh a whopping ten pounds more, but I'm a size 4. There has to be muscle being built, water being retained, good being done. .... even though when I look at that number on the scale, I feel like crying because i worked SO HARD to get to the low 120's.

And if you want GOOD advice on how to eat when lifting heavy, I suggest you friend request Zipnguyen. He's a decent kind hearted man, who KNOW HIS STUFF and he shares his knowledge.

Dimples1975

I feel your pain as I'm going through exactly the same thing. I gained 2.1 lbs this week and was completely shocked!!! I exercise 7 days a week and go to a personal trainer 3 times per week. I'm always under my calorie goal. So you could see how discouraging that was for me this morning. But as everyone is advicing us...we must continue and we will see the change we deserve. Some MFP friends have suggested uping my calories. I am afraid to do it. Right now Im at 1330. We'll see what happens.

2012asv

If you are doing heavy lifting than this is to be expected. Your body is balancing out from building muscle and burning fat- especially since you are working out so hard 5-6 days a week. That's a lot of stress on your body, it will take time for it to adjust.

However, I can understand how the number on the scale can be discouraging. If you need to get onto WW to stay focused, that's way better than quitting and binging on pizza.

nichole325

I also have upped a little bit. I was at 2lbs per week (1200) cals. I changed it to 1.5lbs per week so 1440 cals.

grrrrrr!

bethmillerwilson

I don't see how WW would be much different or why you would want to translate food that is already measured in the universal calorie standard into "points" that to me don't coincide with anything. This may just be me though.

Also, the previous posters are correct, when muscles grow, they tend to hold more water to prepare themselves for future workout, and water weight fluctuates based on so many different factors.

Stick it out for a month of heavy lifting and I would think that you will see the scale go the other way.

Which ever method you decide, remember it is not a race, there is no "finish" line until you leave this world.

You can do it!!!!

Newme012

Your muscles are retaining water! This happens to me every time I begin lifting weights again (and I get discouraged and mad, etc every time). Keep at it (I know it is hard) and eventually your body will shed the water. I did weight training while on WW and the same thing happened then!! And the WW leader talked to me about it. There is nothing magic about WW...it is about the weight training. In the longer run, you will be very glad that you lifted weights, but the scale is super annoying in the meantime. If your muscles are sore, even more evidence that you are retaining water. Water is going to the site of "injury" to repair your muscles.

nichole325

Your muscles are retaining water! This happens to me every time I begin lifting weights again (and I get discouraged and mad, etc every time). Keep at it (I know it is hard) and eventually your body will shed the water. I did weight training while on WW and the same thing happened then!! And the WW leader talked to me about it. There is nothing magic about WW...it is about the weight training. In the longer run, you will be very glad that you lifted weights, but the scale is super annoying in the meantime. If your muscles are sore, even more evidence that you are retaining water. Water is going to the site of "injury" to repair your muscles.

Very sore.

mcarter99

When I started weight training, I plateaued for a long time but I looked better and was getting stronger and when my body was ready I had a nice WHOOSH of pent-up weight loss. It's so tough to keep on when the scale isn't moving. If you can possibly ignore it for a month or two, that might be good. It literally took my body months, though I was struggling with the last 15 lbs.

nichole325

I feel a little better- I just splurged on some new clothes from Express.....feeling a little better about it now.

Florawanda

I agree with all the posters about gaining muscle.. you will be glad you did this, as even if losing weight gradually, you can get flaps of flab - the weight training helps to give you a good shape.

As for WW vs MFP, apart from the fact that MFP is free, there is so much instant online support and encouragement, WW with its once a week meeting cannot come close! And you are more in control of your own destiny with MFP letting you choose your weight loss rate. I lost 53 lbs with WW over a 20 month period in the late 90s, and never got down to 'goal and maintenance' - and within 2 years had put most of it back on again! With MFP I can decide when I want to pause or even that I have gone far enough, even if my BMI is not healthy!

So stick with it, the gain/plateau will eventually sort itself out if you are under goal every day... though the only other thing you might check is your portions... it is very easy to underestimate just how much you are eating! Might be worth getting a good pair of kitchen scales to check portions - once you have a better idea, you won't have to use the scales regularly.

Good luck!

nichole325

I agree with all the posters about gaining muscle.. you will be glad you did this, as even if losing weight gradually, you can get flaps of flab - the weight training helps to give you a good shape.

As for WW vs MFP, apart from the fact that MFP is free, there is so much instant online support and encouragement, WW with its once a week meeting cannot come close! And you are more in control of your own destiny with MFP letting you choose your weight loss rate. I lost 53 lbs with WW over a 20 month period in the late 90s, and never got down to 'goal and maintenance' - and within 2 years had put most of it back on again! With MFP I can decide when I want to pause or even that I have gone far enough, even if my BMI is not healthy!

So stick with it, the gain/plateau will eventually sort itself out if you are under goal every day... though the only other thing you might check is your portions... it is very easy to underestimate just how much you are eating! Might be worth getting a good pair of kitchen scales to check portions - once you have a better idea, you won't have to use the scales regularly.

Good luck!

Thanks! I have a scale and measure everything!

DPulidoo

what i do is a buy weight watchers meals and use mfp to track calories,exercise,etc..
I meassure and weight myself!