MFP vs. WW Points Plus... opinion and feedback

buckeyemomma

Ok, I am new to MFP, but not new to WW's and the one thing I loved about WW's is the point system and flex points and swaping workout points if you went over your daily intake... anyone out there who did WW's Points Plus and are now doing this?! My husband is doing this, he has lost some weight since starting about 2 months ago. so I stopped WW's and started up with MFP so we could encourage and motivate each other, and it is FREE. I miss the online WW community that was available to members as well.

tpfoodie

I loved WW when I did it, but I just couldn't afford it after a while! MFP is more simple than WW in that it just tracks your calories and exercise daily, and doesn't give you flex points. It DOES adjust your daily calories when you workout, so that is there! I just remember to "use my flex points" once every one or two weeks on a nice meal. MFP will tell you that you've gone over your calories for the day, but keep it in the back of your mind!

I've also found the MFP community to be very encouraging. Add some friends, and soon you'll have people cheering you on when you complete a workout, eat fewer calories than your daily limit and lose some weight!

Welcome to MFP.

determined136

I used WW a few years ago and even attended meetings....I was very successful but the meetings seemed to me to be a waste of time. One subject was fabulous finds and they would bring in wrappers from items and say .... I found 2 points cookies.

It wasn't for me and I decided that I shouldn't have to pay to lose weight. I needed to learn to LIVE! MFP does that for me and I love my friends. They are the most supportive kind people and I don't know where I would be without them. Strike that I would still be 52 pounds heavier and depressed!

Find what works for you and Go baby Go! You can do and you are worth it!:bigsmile:

LottiAnn

I did WW for awhile but I couldn't afford it anymore. MFP is very similar but I do miss the flex points. I like the advice earlier of just using some "flex" points every so often and ignoring the red "over your calrories for the day " thing. For me - it's important to indulge sometimes so that I don't overeat and give up later.

SJKirk51912

I have done both WW and MFP in the past. Both worked when I used them. (And I gained the weight back when I didn't.) But I came back to MFP because it's free and I got tired of calculating points. Calories is so much simpler to me and since it has worked in the past I trust it.

Good luck on your journey. If you do it right it will work!

jmuys01

Hello,

I just joined MFP today for many of the same reasons that others have indicated - great database of food (especially for Canadians) and FREE.

I lost quite a bit of weight (75 lbs) on WW about 12 years ago and have kept most of it off aside from a little blip of about 30 pounds (which I entirely blame on menopause and not chips and nachos :happy: ). I cannot fault WW for it's program and I certainly gave them quite a bit of money over the years. I stopped going to meetings since as soon as I fluctuated over my goal weight it was getting very expensive. My financial advisor once looked at my budget and said, "do you realize how much you are spending on weight loss and fitness?". I narrowed things down to one fabulous gym membership and moved my WW to online.

I am still on WW online and will give MFP a bit of time before I completely move off of WW but even after a day, I am leaning toward MFP. it just seems more in tune with today's times - better community forums, an app that doesn't crash all the time and a huge "wiki" type database of food. In fact, the Android app is amazing. So much better than the WW one.

Today I bought a baguette at WalMart and VOILA - there it was in the database. Good stuff - thank you, My Fitness Pal.

luvcookie707

I've used WW multiple times including points plus. I prefer MFP because it's so much more convenient, I downloaded the ap on my phone and I love it!

RobynMWilson

I've never done WW but am familiar with it and it's just too much math for me. Too complicated for me to just nourish myself lol. That's why I never joined!

Here, you log everything and it tells you in one glance how you're doing with the macros you've set. And you can customize your macros to suit your fitness goals.

phyllio77

I think using the tools of MFP and WW will give you success. The community on MFP is wonderful and supportive.

I think using MFP's calorie counter and excercise logging with WW portion control and smarter choices will have you and your hubby achieving your goal asap!

Welcome!

CarmenTMiller

I used WW last year and lost 25 lbs. Like all others, the cost was getting high and my weight wasn't moving. So I've decided to try MFP. I like it. Great database and the tracking seems much easier, I'm not sure why. But I'll keep working with this and I'm down by 2lbs since Jan 2nd. I'm encouraged. So between the wii, daily morning walks and being conscience of what I eat, it's working...as long as I work it!

td718

I was on WWP for 3 months and did not sign back up because I heard about this website and liked it better! I have actually had more luck finding foods and calories on this site! I would not pay for WW again, and love MFP. It is just as easy to use I also found that I was losing weight slower because of the flex points. This seems to keep me more accountable, but that's probably just me. I also find it easier to count calories than figure out what foods have certain points.

Do what ever works best for you, but try this one because its free. The community support is there for you. Good luck on your journey. We are all in this together!

scarlet_afire

I'm actually using both simultaneously and I've discovered that you can be over your calories and under your points, or over your points and way under on your calories. Using them both together is personally helping me to control quantity and quality and make better choices overall. I don't know if I'll renew my subscription to WW online because now I know how the points system works and I also found a free app that will calculate the points. I've tested the online tools as well as the WWDiary app (the free one) and they match up.

dnscottmsw

I did WW online and I was successful. I tracked my food on MFP at the same time, and found that MFP actually allows me to eat more than WW. When I logged my WW food, I was constantly under my calories. I'm sure there is a logical reason for that.

I like just tracking what I'm eating. As I reach my calorie limits I make better choices without adding up points. I also like working out and being able to 'gain' points very easily.

Good Luck!

mtaiken2

Hello out there everyone looking for friends to keep me motivated. I am normally alone most of the week (my hubby works out of town, but he tried what he can over the phone) Just looking for some freinds that are looking to go through this journey together. Please anyone that would like to be my friend send me a request. I have about 74 pounds to lose total and I just joined 2 days ago so I am new to this site. I had never heard of it before and kinda stumbled upon it and so far I love it. My husband even said when I talked to him he could hear the excitement. This is what I have been searching for. Thank you everyone for your support and everyone that is further along in your journey YOU ROCK AND LOOK WONDERFUL!!!

bwyatt62

I have been doing weight watchers and decided to stop going to meetings so I only do online now. I joined MFP a little while ago but haven't been keeping track. I decided today to start again and track my calories. Right now I'm doing both. I like them both. I'll have to see how I do with MFP before I quit weight watchers also. I gained alot of my 25 pounds back over the holidays and I'm really upset with myself. Good Luck to you all. We are all trying to do the same thing.

aud085

I have done WW several times, I knew all the point values for my favorite foods. Then they changed the way they calculate the points and I just felt like I didnt want to start over learning the values. It is alot of work, even with their app point calculator. I found this app and its is so simple to scan most of your foods in and the best part of the scanner is it knows exactly how many carbs, protein, etc..

Also I find searching for foods that I cant scan is so easy.

I used to use the WW message boards even when I was not subscribing at the time, so I think you can still use that part of the site even if you are not paying.

They do have a good program and if you need the meetings for motivation then that would be a reason to stick with them, otherwise I think this program being free is the better and easier way to go.

I am still figuring out the msg boards and would like to add more friends for motivation on the App.

cking824

I like MFP better than WW. The new plan for WW seems more complicated than the points plus program. With the WW 360 program you need to purchase one of their calculators in order to calculate points. MFP has a bigger database to keep an accurate check of your caloric intake and it's free! Good luck on your journey!

kdgirard

I am Canadian too, and I am looking at and trying different things, and I love that most of the things (including using brand names) have already been entered so I can just look up Yoplait or Activia, and there it is. I was out to dinner with a friend at Joey Tomatoes, and we chose our meals by using the mobile app that she had - love that I can take it with me - hopefully it will make me more accountable