die hard weight watcher considering converting...

anawhatsme

i have been counting points on and off for many years.
i really love the points system, but...
i'm considering dropping the points and just counting calories.
then i can have all my weight loss tools in one place (here).
i'm a bit nervous about switching because with points plus, i get fruits and veggies for 'free'.
i will REALLY miss that perk.

any feed back, pros/cons on making the switch would be greatly appreciated.

michellekicks

Do it. I converted. This is way better. You get a much clearer picture of what you're eating. You can eat the same things using MFP...

MirandaAB

hii anawhatsme;
i am a weight watcher too but i enjoy doing both actually....After many years of trying out virtually every diet out there/ I decided to go back to weight Watchers again....... to the meetings just for the sake of ' Accountability' ..

but i found having such a ' diet mentality'? i find myself in an almost sense of panic at times..... figuring out points, concerned that i am not counting 'enough' or that my daily totals aren't accurate enough

I have also used and really enjoyed this website...... entering absolutely every bite i have in the day very upfront and honestly and then i can actually see as well what the Calorie count comes out to........ and then i find i can relax and feel good about the points tallies as well.

somewhat on the anal side but yes, that is how i like to do things..... and it helps me...... so to sum it up/ I don't see any reason for you to convert really...... if you don't mind entering the food into this chart, it's a good double 'check' for us.

000WhiteRose000

Don’t be nervous, it makes much more sense to move on to calories. I wouldn’t eat Weight Watchers stuff anyway, they are way too processed and filled with additives and stuff that is not good for you. You don’t need that to lose weight, you can make low calorie meals or eat natural low calorie snacks without eating all the extra crap.

skbarton

Think of it this way - while most veggies and fruits are "free", the point system rounds up and down with the calculator. A point is approximately 40 calories so a 200 calorie item is usually about 5 pointsplus. A 180 calorie item will probably end up being 5 points. Do enough rounding up and that covers the fruits and veggies.......

Moving back to the basics of calories (while keeping an eye on macros) is simpler since you don't have to do the conversion process. And yes, I had PP numbers written on boxes and had many items memorized, but now I don't have to figure out the items I don't eat often......

nturner612

do it, this is sooo much better! and its FREE!!!! and u have a great community of crazy ppl to answer all ur questions! u can also track on ur phone which is great and FREE!1

supplemama

I don't mean to be unkind, but if you've been doing WW for years, it's not working. Right? MFP is free and actually works. Make the switch, you won't regret it!

jwcomputergirl

I, too, am a convert. Although I am a lifetime member of WW, because I am over my goal weight I would have to pay weekly. I needed something FREE. And, what a bonus - I found a FABULOUS supportive community and a tracking tool that was way easier and way more robust than the WW online tool. And guess what? MFP WORKS! Come join the fun!

Kellyeee2013

Whatever works for you. I did the points system and was able to KEEP off the weight I loss, no matter what. THAT I enjoyed. Whether it is with the points system or calories through MFP, I find it makes me more conscious of what I am eating. I like this way (calorie counting) more because I am able to be mindful of everything I am putting into my mouth and it allows me to be more aware of small things such as salad dressing, candy, and mints. Weight watchers factors everything in... fat, calories, exercise etc... which then results in an overall "point" which I like... so be mindful of the fat and carbs (I forget the exact things weight watchers used to ask you to calculate, sorry) etc. as well. Not JUST calories.

I am not sure any is better than the other... I just find it easier to keep track using this method.

dbutorac

I did weight watchers off/on for years, even a life time member, but gained it all back. Started MFP last January, lost 30 lbs. so far have kept it off. I think it works fabulous & think of all the cute clothes you can buy with the money you can save.

Sherbog

If Weight Watchers is working for you then why change. How about doing both.

murphey05

I did weight watchers and had some success, but the one thing I didn't like was having to convert all your foods to points. After a while, it got old and there was no online support like there is here. I love counting calories and I love MFP even better!

laserturkey

I think you will find that veggies are generally so low in calories that you won't miss having them "free" if you have set your calories at a goal at or above your BMR. Of course, you can always choose how to manage your logging here, and I think some people make it a habit not to record raw veggies.

agesab621

I've done Weight Watchers in the past too, but I prefer MFP. It's free, you can "meet" with people every day when it's convenient for you and I like doing the tracking on line or on my phone, (so I have no excuses)! Good Luck!

kristen6022

There is no proof that following MFP long term (forever) works better than WW Points, but if you've been doing WW "on and off" I'm thinking it's not working as well as it could be. My mom is a "lifetime" WW and she's been up and down her entire life. I'd prefer to find a system that I can follow always so I don't have to do something "on and off". That's why I think MFP is better, I can see myself relying on this system forever and never having to worry about my weight again!

SideSteel

i have been counting points on and off for many years.
i really love the points system, but...
i'm considering dropping the points and just counting calories.
then i can have all my weight loss tools in one place (here).
i'm a bit nervous about switching because with points plus, i get fruits and veggies for 'free'.
i will REALLY miss that perk.

any feed back, pros/cons on making the switch would be greatly appreciated.

On Weight Watchers, how much progress have you made in terms of total weight lost and over what course of time?

rml_16

i have been counting points on and off for many years.
i really love the points system, but...
i'm considering dropping the points and just counting calories.
then i can have all my weight loss tools in one place (here).
i'm a bit nervous about switching because with points plus, i get fruits and veggies for 'free'.
i will REALLY miss that perk.

any feed back, pros/cons on making the switch would be greatly appreciated.

You never got tthose things "free." The calories are accounted for in the WW formula. Calorie-counting is pretty much exactly the same as WW.

Momma_Grizz

I converted. It took a while to wrap my brain around not having to recalculate to points and live real life, but once I did, I'm glad and have not looked back.

It's great and bonus - it's free!

rml_16

I don't mean to be unkind, but if you've been doing WW for years, it's not working. Right? MFP is free and actually works. Make the switch, you won't regret it!

I can pretty much guarantee that people have the same level of success here as on WW. It's all about personal accountability and following the program. Some people do, some don't. I did WW, lost 34 pounds and kept up off until a change in birth control caused a regain. I still do WW, but I don't pay for it anymore and I track here instead.

travelbug002

I would convert--I did. I liked WW and was successful at first; however, when the points system changed, I found I wasn't as successful as before. I also like being able to track my sodium and other components rather than just points or calories. I find myself continually astonished at the sodium count of some of my foods (this definitely explains why I have trouble with water retention). There is more to losing weight than counting points or calories and I find this site provides that. It's also free which is a great bonus.

fit4lifeUcan2

I do both. It helps to see the calories as well as the points. When i started I started out with MFP but didn't lose any weight. Joined WW and lost weight right away. Then kept track on MFP with WW and saw that I was eating so much on WW but lost weight and realized where I was going wrong for me when I did just MFP. I wasn't eating enough! I'll drop the ww some day mainly because it cost me 18.99 per month for the online but for now I want to stick with it. I'm pretty close to my goal weight and don't want to change anything at the moment.

Eat all those fruits and veggies. They are not high in calories and don't use up much of your daily calories as you would think. You can switch over easily. Just keep tracking and eating healthy and you'll do just fine.

mymonty

I was a WW member for years and even still think of point values. It got a bit expensive and I wasn't seeing the results, but I felt like I was a sole person on an island. I paid my weekly dues, sat and listened and then left. Then I joined TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly) and relied a lot on my WW materials. The difference there was I felt connected to the group. I still wasn't seeing the results I wanted, but knew that was because I wasn't putting my effort into it. I started seeing a dietician in July and am down 16 pounds since then and they used MFP as a way of monitoring what I"m doing. Now I'm addicted to MFP. I refer to it as "Diet Facebook" to my friends. And speaking of friends, I've met some really amazing, inspiring and motiviating people here.

If you're thinking of converting YOU WON'T BE SORRY, but do reach out to get some friends who will be on every day to inspire and motivate you. I'm always up to meeting and accepting new friends, but I want them to be as motivating and inspiring as myself who will encourage and support each other through our journey. If you feel you'd like to be my friend, please feel free to invite me. I wish you great success and the best of luck!

allifantastical

I was nervous too about switching. WW is so expensive and I decided I would rather spend the money on a gym membership than weekly meetings. MFP gives way more support and I don't have to try to plug meeting times into my schedule.

I still call my calories points though.

I went to a seminar and they explained that WW is a great program, but the fact that they tell you you can eat all the fruits & veggies you want as zero points is ridiculous.

In the seminar he held up a bag of peanut M&M's and a vine of grapes and said that each one of these have the same amount of calories in them! I think that telling someone they are allowed to eat as much of something as they want doesn't get to the root of the problem which is over-eating.

Good luck on your decision!

Jenny775

Convert!!! Just do it! I used to follow WW too -- stumbled upon this app on my phone...I absolutely love it AND it's free! You'll get tons of support here.

Tebbspcad

Do it!
I did weight watchers then slimming world...I use the recipes from both to make low fat choices and use this site to log. And as an added bonus this site has lots of people for morale support, a log which adds everything up for you as well as being totally free!
It's a win win situation

amymichelle1226

I did WW two years ago (and spent a lot of money wasted on the monthly fees) and gained weight back. I've been doing MFP for 5 months now, I love it more for so many reasons. You never have to figure out/think about how many points things are (counting calories is MUCH easier), the database is much bigger than WW, fruits and veggies are not free (some fruits/veggies are high in calories! And you're doing your weight loss a disservice if you are eating too much and counting them as 0, because they're not), the community here is awesome and easier to interact with...the support/accountability of friends is super helpful, and above all else...it's FREE! You could be spending your money on zumba classes or other healthy things instead of paying WW.

sherrirb

WW vs MFP

1. WW is an expensive 20 min pep talk with a scale, MFP is free
2. The "pep talk" is designed to make you feel better about spending the money for the pep talk and the "feel good" only lasts until you walk out the door back into reality. MFP is reality.
3. WW requires you to calculate points.. why? Calories are listed on each and every item you consume, so much easier!
4. Points... points... where is that STUPID calculator!? MFP helps you focus on proper nutrition, not points. Calories, yes, but also carbs, fats, proteins, sodium.. important stuff that your body needs and doesnt need.
5. I never really made any connections with anyone else attending WW unless it was friends that were attending with me and they were already friends before WW. On MFP I have connected with dozens of people that encourage me pretty much on a daily basis, not once a week on the way out of the door after the expensive pep talk.
6. Did I say FREE?!?!?!?!
7. People attend WW for years... for years? If you are attending for years (3 or more) and still trying to lose weight, then it isn't working for you. MFP is designed to help you get to your goal weight and then you go to maintenance. By the time you get there you should understand nutrition and how foods affect your weight and be able, for the most part to maintain without the use of MFP. If you really had to, you could live without MFP during maintenance but you can always come back and not have to pay a fee to use it to get back on track.
8. Its FREEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!
9. WW is all about points... I dont remember them ever really talking about exercise much, it is mentioned in one of the little booklets but its all about the points. MFP encourages you to exercise. Your MFP friends will praise you when you exercise. You get to eat more when you exercise!

anawhatsme

oh you guys make converting sound so tempting!
thanks a lot for all your great input.
i am going to do calories for the rest of this week and see how it goes.
it's going to be an adjustment, but maybe i need things shaken up a bit.

thanks again!!

KristyJoy123

I have followed both, and I go back and forth between the two based on what my goals are. This might get a bit long-winded, I apologize, but I feel like my experience might help you

I went on WW when I weighed 217 lbs. It was a great, INVALUABLE tool to my initial weight loss. I lost 50-60 lbs with it, doing just a little bit of exercise. However, once I got pretty close to my goal weight, Weight Watchers became more of a struggle for me. I wasn't seeing the losses I once did. Long story short, I think WW is a terrific tool to learn portion control, but counting calories is great for learning how to control your macros, which is much more important for weight loss when you are closer to your goal weight, working out more, etc.

I still periodically go back to WW, because it's close to my heart as the program that helped me lose a significant portion of weight. I know a lot of people are very down on the program here, but I think everyone has different needs, and I'm adamant in the fact that if you have a significant amount of weight to lose, Weight Watchers is an excellent program that, if followed properly, guarantees weight loss.

Guamybear

I counted for a period but I actually prefer this better..

rml_16

One thing I love about WW is the GHGs. While MFP certainly shows you a better idea of macro and micro nutrients, it doesn't tell you WHAT to eat. The GHGs were an invaulable tool for me in revamping my diet.

Now I've learned it, though. I feel like I outgrew WW and while the free veggies are so few calories, they're not really a big deal, I did not agree with the free fruit. I understand the logic (you'll choose an apple over a candy bar for a snack), fruit calories add up. A banana is 80-120 calories, depending on size.

I did the old Momentum plan and I contonue doing that plan to this day. I never made the switch and I know a lot of people who struggled with the new plan, especially those with less to lose.