What is the difference between this site and Wt Watchers???

Cindysreachingout

I am trying to decide what to do. I need support and accountability but Wt. Watchers can be costly. Anyone have any ideas???

CDMAGS

IMO this site is much better than weight watchers, because there are no "meetings" no pay and the people here are great motivaters! plus you don't have to convert everything to points...you just use the calories.

prawnie1975

IMO this site is much better than weight watchers, because there are no "meetings" no pay and the people here are great motivaters! plus you don't have to convert everything to points...you just use the calories.

well said , i have heard both good and bad reports about WW

amonroe1343

There isn't a whole lot of difference especially if you're just doing the online program for weight watchers. I think there are definite benefits to doing the meetings since there you have some accountability. Also, if you are paying for it then you might have more of an incentive to follow program. I think it all depends on how motivated you are and how much accountability you need in order to lose the weight. I've done both programs before.

armyvettech

I have only been using this site for 9 days, but it has done wonders for me. Lots of valuable information and great people too.

tara_seay

I am currently following the weight watchers plan, because it's realistic and easy for me to keep track of, but I use this site, and I do log my food, etc.

I love the social aspect of this site, and just the support.

m16shane

What is the difference between this site and Wt Watcher?


The weight watchers site has a funny smell!

robinhardysmall

I did WW for years and when they changed the program it did not work for me~ I can count every calorie on here and know how many calories I'm using for fruits and vegetables- the support is great and IT'S FREE!!!

Momjogger

I thought about food WAY to much on weight watchers and it drove me CRAZY. SO much easier to do calories for me.

TrinaTW

I was doing WW off and on for the last 2 years but I agree, it gets costly. The meetings are very helpful but the food plan is very similar to this (I logged both pts plus points and calories on here and they came out very close). I do like that WW encourages healthy eating with the points and free fruits/veggies but I aim for at least 5 fruits/veggies per day anyway and nutritional foods. As long as you are making sensible food choices, which is necessary for good health and lasting weight loss, you are good either way. I find people here on MFP are very friendly and supportive so it doesn't take much time to build up a support system. Good luck with whatever you choose!

sunkistmommy

Since weight watchers changed the program I quit losing weight! So I switched to this, I have only just begun but hopefully I will continue on my journey!

nuttyfamily

Both programs work if you work the program as laid out.

I did WW to lose my initial 50 pounds. I could estimate the points of foods when shopping but that was on their old system.

On the new one, I couldn't estimate and hated that. Also, I don't like that fruits are free. Fruits can add up fast if you eat too many.

I switched to MFP and love it so much better. Easier to use and I love phone app.

taralc1

I have been doing WW since Jan, and have lost 37.8 since then. A friend suggested this, so I am trying it out, and they do seem to be very close. The new ww points plus system is good, I do like how fresh fruits are free, but you still need to be mindfull, due to they still have calories. Which is why I like this site, I can see where I am and see all the nutritional information for the foods. It helps me keep and eye on my sodium. I have also noticed this site has more foods in their database than weight watchers.

Edit: WW also has what they call the good healthy guidelines, you need 2 tsp of healthy oils (olive, flaxseed..etc) daily to aid in digestion, 2 servings of dairy daily as well as 5 servings of fruits and veggies. Also included are your protiens and whole grains.

sthrnchick

Agree with all the other comments...but have to add...WW doesnt have the AMAZING creepers like MFP!:laugh:

seal57

I tried WW a couple of years ago and couldn't get the hang of the points....I found MFP last August and is so much easier to count calories then points......Plus this is free......

rooster70460

Same here. Did WW for years. Wasn't as successful as I have been here. Converting points was a pain. EVERYONE here had been super nice and its free!

tdooley59

I used Weight Watcher's on line for about a year and lost 40 pounds. However, after gaining and losing the same 2-3 pounds over a 3 month period after the program changed, I decided to end my membership because I could not justify the cost. A friend reminded me of MFP and I started using it almost a month ago. I find it is much easier to track calories than points (and fruits and veggies do have calories), and MFP also allows you to track additional items (fiber, sodium, etc.). As someone else has already stated, the food database on MFP is much larger than the one used by WW. I have never entered a food on the MFP site that has not been found. And, best of all, it is free!

Jen_Jennings

I am trying to decide what to do. I need support and accountability but Wt. Watchers can be costly. Anyone have any ideas???

I didn't read what the others posted in response but after doing WW online and meetings I've found that this site is 100 times better because you KNOW what you are eating here. You can track important numbers like cholesterol, sodium, fat and sugar intake. for some of us those are crucial numbers.

WW (in meetings especially and they sell them) pushes too many processed foods which are high in sodium. Now that I know my numbers I eat differently. I still have days I go over on all my numbers but I am very aware that having a simple 1/2 C serving of cottage cheese at the end of the night can push me over a healthy sodium allowance for the day when paired with the sodium I've already had. I ate more processed foods on WW than I do now and it's all thanks to THIS site.

Until this site, I didn't know what I was putting in my mouth other than points. I dont want to know how many points something is, I want to know it's break down and then determine on whether or not I should eat it

tara_seay

I totally never bought the processed foods at the meetings, most of them taste like cardboard, basically.

I am doing a weird hybrid of the two...

the only success I ever had was on weight watchers in the past, so obviously I am going to what i know.

LydsVille77

I am trying to decide what to do. I need support and accountability but Wt. Watchers can be costly. Anyone have any ideas???

I did weight watchers for about a year and a half. Lost my first 45ish pounds there... and then came here. Basically the unspoken lesson in weight watchers is portion control. From the program i learned how to be accountable for and mindful of what I eat, and the consequences when I stray. I personally got bored with the same meeting topics every week and sick of paying monthly fees just to get on a scale when i already knew i was losing weight. So this site is helping me to keep tracking my food and im losing the same, if not more than i was on the WW program!!!

The points system is fairly close to calorie counting. It used to be exact, 50 cals to one point, but the new points plus program is a little different, have yet to figure out the formula. And... i felt the "free fruit" was hindering me and my sugar levels. All in all, VERY similar programs, but this is FREE.

Jalyst79

WW is great, but I feel like after so long, all the meetings are repetitive after being there so long. Try MSP, save some money and get more ideas!