Thinking about joining weight watchers

IsMollyReallyHungry

First, the healthier you eat, the more you can eat on WW. That is because fruits and vegetables are free and food with lower fat content and higher fiver have lower points. On MFP these foods have calories and do not hold any special place on food intake scale. However, if you eat sweets and takeout foods, you can eat more on MFP because you are only counting calories.

I know, right?!

I come on here once a month a do a few days of diary, my calories swing between 1100 - 1600 per day but my macros are always around the same, which is what is helping me lose weight, it's not just all about the calories for me, but the stuff within them.

Yes there is a good calorie and a bad calorie for sure. 220 in a order of fries or 220 calories in almonds or fruits is not created equal.

FitMama2Three

I personally find WW and the whole point conversion thing to be a nuisance. Really the goal is the same- to eat a variety of foods, watch portions, and stay under a calorie goal. And you can do that here for free. You can lose motivation with WW too and be out $60 bucks a month doing it.

I agree with pps. Increase your water, switch up your workouts and try to eat cleanly- eliminate processed food, track religiously and the weight will come off.

jehavin

The question that sticks in my mind when I see these WW questions and everyone says, "But on WW, fruits and veggies are free points," is if ALL fruits and veggies are free points? Because I can see an insulin sensitive person (aka someone who thrives on a meat/veggies/rice diet) going haywire with bananas, strawberries, starchy veggies like peas/green beans. Then, because it's not logged, a person like me wouldn't realize that they have just put down 100g of carbs, which is HALF of what I eat daily, and would leave me wanting more sugar, even if it's from *healthy* sources. Thoughts? I'm just assuming since I've never done the program....

cici1028

WW worked well for me the first time I wanted to lose weight. I lost about 30 pounds. I gained it all back later, of course, but that was because I wasn't following the program. It's very sustainable and you already know a lot of the concepts... the difference is the accountability. Knowing you're getting weighed in every week really helps you stay on track! Good luck!

trogalicious

It seems like you're trying to change what you're doing too often for it to work. Carb cycling, then all clean, then etc... Give something more time before you decide that it isn't working in the first place.

allifantastical

From my experience I think WW is the same as mfp but I think mfp is better bc it's free.

This!!! Honestly when I did WW I was n a room full of people but I didn't get to know any of them. We weighed in, sat through the meeting, and left. I have built much stronger relationships on MFP with people that actually encourage me.

Maybe you could start a weekly weigh in with some friends on your MFP. I'd be down lol.

And I think WW is a great program and can teach people alot about eating better, but telling people there are foods you can eat as much of as you want is not teaching them about portion & self control.

vickyg1

WW is the same as any other weight loss plan. With that being said as with all other plans once you stop or not put any effort into it you will gain it back. It should be more of a life style change than just keeping track of points. Im sure youll lose with WW. I lost 28 lbs. super quick then quit WW and gained it all back. So basically all that money I spent ended up in the garbage. I say try WW for free but stick with MFP.

skinnyforcruise2013

I've done ww. That's why I'm here. It's free and it's basically the same thing...only free.

murphy612

You've been subsisting on fruit, yougurt & protein bars....have you thought about trying to eat some "real meals"? i.e. something that contains vegetables & meat? Is that the way you envision eating the rest of your life? It's little wonder that you've been obsessing over food. Start over again, eat well-balanced meals that you can maintain for the rest of your life.

After looking at your food diary I agree with this poster ^^^^^ . If you think WW will help you eat healthier than you should do it. If you're going to join and eat the same way see you just losing money. Best of luck!

cappri

The question that sticks in my mind when I see these WW questions and everyone says, "But on WW, fruits and veggies are free points," is if ALL fruits and veggies are free points? Because I can see an insulin sensitive person (aka someone who thrives on a meat/veggies/rice diet) going haywire with bananas, strawberries, starchy veggies like peas/green beans. Then, because it's not logged, a person like me wouldn't realize that they have just put down 100g of carbs, which is HALF of what I eat daily, and would leave me wanting more sugar, even if it's from *healthy* sources. Thoughts? I'm just assuming since I've never done the program....

Starchy veggies aren't free, they still have points. As for the insulin sensitive person they would need to know their own body and be responsible for themselves. Something everyone needs to learn. Part of what I like about WW or MFP for that matter is that it's flexible enough for everyone to find what works for them within their Point/Calorie needs.

Also even though fruits and veggies are "free" you still track them, one to make sure you are getting all the servings you need, but also so that you can adjust the program to your needs. If you aren't losing weight and you look at your tracker and see you are eating twice the amount of fruit servings a day, then you have a starting place to change something up.

cappri

This!!! Honestly when I did WW I was n a room full of people but I didn't get to know any of them. We weighed in, sat through the meeting, and left. I have built much stronger relationships on MFP with people that actually encourage me.

I've done the same thing with WW online, I've developed an online community of support for myself through blogging. I think the support system you create during your weight loss journey is essential. I've found it easier to do on the WW site than on MFP, but that is probably because I don't blog on MFP.

ChantiC

I really really like MFP personally. But I have done WW Point Plus last year. I like the program and I respect it because it has come a long way over the years. The new plan makes fruit 0 pts which is supposed to make you choose that over lets say junk. I found the program hard to stick with because you really had to plan out more of what you wanted to eat and if you tend to eat higher carb, even the healthier carbs, you will go through your pts very quick. But if thats not your issue, then you will have success on it. If you are going to do the Online version, honest save your money and do MFP. But some people need that accountability with having someone weigh you in. And I personally enjoyed the meetings because I found it motivating to be with people like myself and the leader was really good and funny. I just couldnt afford going every week and it was far from my home. But at commitment is a commitment. So you can go with no registration fee and buy the calculator etc. it might cost you a total of 25.00 your first visit. Or even before that you can ask them to sit in on a meeting for free, see if it sounds best for you. You do what is best for you. I have a few friends who are doing WW and are loving it. Just don't expect something so different from MFP is all best of luck!

Bizzeemamanj

I've done WW and recently switched to MFP because of one reason - sustainability.

I was always hungry on WW and my points didn't seem to go very far, especially after they revamped the WW plan a couple of years ago. I lost all my weight on WW doing the program prior to points plus and found it to be more about a "lifestyle" change than a diet. Once they changed the plan to make things like carbs (complex or simple) and alcohol very points prohibitive, I found it harder to make work in my real world. I want to have wine on occasion. I want a piece of cake sometimes. I even have been known to eat a bagel! All difficult to do within the WW model. It made me feel like I was on a diet. All. The. Time.

MFP allows for you to consume whatever you want, whenever you want and the calories all equal out. In other words, there is no punitive calories like there are points on WW. One calorie is one calorie is one calorie. Not true of points on WW. This was a big ta-da moment for me (as silly as it sounds). It reminded me that 3500 more calories out than in = losing weight. This for me equated to long term sustainability and a very nice shift in lifestyle. I've been LOVING MFP.

One hugely positive thing I will say about WW - boy are those member meetings nice to have. If you get into a good group, they become your support system, your sounding board, your inspiration. I had a great meeting leader and a good group when I first started and looked forward to those meetings each week.

reasnableblonde

I lost over 20 pounds with Weight Watchers.

I learned that working out caused gains, so I stopped going to the gym. I learned that you should eat your flex points, so I binged on pizza and soda (I'm talking 2 large pizzas gone in less than 2 days) after weigh-in. I learned not to roll my eyes out of my head when women complain about no self-control and having their husbands HIDE the cookies so they would not eat them. I learned you can manipulate their numbers by upping your fiber intake but not actually eating anything good for you.

I lost over 20 pounds... of lean mass. I was still obese according to my body fat, even though my BMI was healthy. I had no energy. I was dizzy walking up stairs. My cellulite got worse.

WW works for some people. It did not work for me. I became a master cheater, and my health declined because of it. MFP taught me about macros. I learned to strength train. I found friends that don't whine about their husbands wanting cookies. Without paying a dime, I've learned more than I ever did with WW. And I did it without pressure to buy books, artificial food, and a new scale.

*WW has since changed their system, I believe. I still prefer MFP.

acs4162

From my experience I think WW is the same as mfp but I think mfp is better bc it's free.

this

I think you're looking for someone/thing to help keep you accountable? Do you have a good support team in your life? Family/friends/coworkers/gym buddies? Those people seem to help me the most. I rely a great deal on my husband and coworkers that also have a healthy mindset. Weight watchers worked for me right after I had my 2nd child, it gave me some great ideas and helped to reinforce healthy eating habits that I already knew I should be doing. Before you shell out the $15/week, maybe try making a good plan and try sticking with it for a month. I've heard some trainers/dietians tell me that you have to give a diet/exercise plan a good 30 days to really see it's benefits. I found this was true when I started eating Paleo. It took 30 days to really see/feel the difference. If you've already successfully lost 30 pounds, then you have a good idea of what you're body responds to. Good luck!

melissagcarr16

The biggest thing with any weight loss program that I have had the experience of working with is that you have to be brutally honest with yourself. If you increase your activity and water you will continue to lose weight. Keep in mind that women tend to lose inches rather than pounds!! Have you taken your measurements, or seen any changes in your clothes? You need to find a good support group that will keep you accountable. I started this program instead of weight watchers because first it wwas free, and second because my boss at work was doing it. Now we both keep each other accountable, and with her help I have lost 15 pounds in just over a month! Since starting the program my three teenage daughters have seen my progress and they all decided to join too, I never could have afforded to pay for 4 people on Weight Watchers! Feel free to add me as a friend, and maybe we can continue to help each other.

Hazel2005

I know a couple of people on WW. I used to find it odd if we were going out they would barely eat during the day and "save up" their points so they could go all out that night. They aren't doing any better than me AND I'm not spending that extra money on ??? A couple of times I have calculated what the points equal in calories. Sometimes not so bad, but mostly really low. I couldn't do it. If you have the willpower to do that then you should just push through and stay. :flowerforyou:

msleanlegs

Can you go to a meeting for free to check it out? I was able to do that and was so glad I didn't waste money on membership. The meeting I went to focused on low calorie processed foods rather than whole foods, which was a big turnoff. When the group leader handed me a WW brownie bar as a reward for coming to the meeting, I knew it wasn't the place for me. See if you can try out a meeting first.

Faye_Anderson

Your diary says your goal is 1200 per week, this along with keep changing tactics is what is wrong. Go to http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ and work out your BMR/TDEE and chose "lose fat - 15%" depending on your weight now and follow the calorie advice this gives you. Give it 4-8 weeks and you'll definitely see a change. Most people in your situation either under eat, underestimate or don't give themselves time to adjust to their new healthy lifestyle and are forever switching things up. Paying someone to weigh you and sell you their products isn't going to be a miracle cure :flowerforyou:

trogalicious

If the OP is jumping all over new ways of eating, it won't matter if she's doing MFP or WW. She said she had tried clean eating, then carb cycling, and then IF... all since october.

Until she sticks to one method for at least 6 weeks, and then adjusts, what difference is it going to make if she's here or there.

Pick one method, stick to it for longer than 6-8 weeks, adjust if necessary. It isn't that MFP/WW won't work, but nothing will if you don't stick to it long enough.

cappri

It isn't that MFP/WW won't work, but nothing will if you don't stick to it long enough.

Truth!

richh963

I was on WW for just over a Year and half, I lost 50ibs, the last six months on it i kinda plateaued then started gaining weight, I,m diabetic my sugar went out of control I was following my points, but when i started gaining my points went up, and it just sprialed out of control.My doctor wass trying all kinds of medicine to keep my blood sugar down, but nothing was working.On Jan 4th i ran across MFP started following it instantly and in 2 days my sugars stablized.Ive also lost 10lbs and my blood sugar in 45 days are better now than they were at my very best times on WW. Im also not paying that cash out every month, so part of the money I saved I joined a Gym. also knowing your marcos really helped me. fruit & veggies are not Free dont fall into that trap.eat your calories on this plan & work out give it time. I have met alot people on here that have done just that, If you dont have a digital weight scale I suggest you get one and weight every morsel of food that goes in your mouth. I even weight my bananas & oranges with out the skin. to get the exact calories.If you feel you dont have time for that, then you wont have time for WW meetings, I wish you the best of luck, in what ever you choose.

mahanaibu

I think Boatsie is right on and did you a good turn by actually looking at your food diaries. You deserve all kinds of compliments on your accomplishments, but now you have new steps to take--straightening our your diet so that you're eating a more rounded, more satisfying diet. I only joined MFP 7 weeks ago, and had the benefit of learning from a nutritionist before that. As wonderful as I think MFP is, it doesn't really encourage people to eat healthfully and ultimately that's an important secret to losing weight and keeping it off. I see so many people who subsist on protein bars, which are a nice treat once in awhile or good to have out on a hike or in the gym, but these are very processed foods which means they're not good for your blood sugar. They're usually filled with processed soy protein. How much satisfaction can you be getting from that, some yogurt and some fruit?

Just introducing more vegetables could make a big difference in how your day goes because you can eat so much of them for so little calories. Kale chips? a salad? some cut-up veggies, roasted till they're browned? add some chicken or seafood or an egg or two. Soup with a broth base, plus a bit of meat and some veggies thrown in?

My initial reaction to your question was, why leave MFP for WW? MFP actually offers more, from the point of view of daily accountability and daily friends support. You also get to pick your friends, an important advantage. But I'm thinking that WW might be a boon to you for just a few months so that you're learning sustainable, healthy eating with enough variety for you to continue losing weight. Then once you've got that down, I see no reason to pay the extra money for WW. But I'd be glad to help you if you want.

pplf2001

I am having a hard time lately. I love MFP. I lost thirty pounds last year. Since October I have been struggling. I keep trying different things.. Clean eating, carb cycling, IF.
I lost direction. I feel I need to be accountable for my weight.
I am thinking Weight Watchers might be good for me right now. There is no sign up fee but it is fifteen dollars a week.
I have been obsessing about food a lot and this past month I put on about four pounds.
What are your thoughts about joining the program?

I did WW - Before they changed their points program (twice) I liked it better - I had a hard time losing after the changes to the points calculations. They value food a bit oddly and its not very transparent with the points system. Their online tracking program and MFPs are very similar - but I like MFPs better.

Given that MFP is free, more transparent, and has a more supportive online community, I much prefer it. That being said, if you need somewhere to go and weigh in with others, I can see the benefit in going to the meetings. Try sticking with MFP and track your measurements as well as your weight. After all, is the goal really a lower number on the scale or a better healthier you?

Naomi0222

What are you going to do afterwards?

If you want to pay someone to tell you what to eat I have a paypal account.

Hazel2005

I found a TOPS once and found it was more of a social club than being really serious about weight loss. I was not looking for social friends when I joined and I felt pressure to be friends outside of the program. But even it was OK for price. You get what you pay for. You can check around and see if you fit in with the groups. It is cheaper than WW for sure.

Hahahaha - I thought I was the only one who thought that! I know, like WW, TOPS has worked for a lot of people, but my particular group basically got together for coffee every week, moaned about how bad they did and everyone just said "oh it's okay", better job next week, etc. only it was exactly the same the next week.

akdollie

I tried WW before did realyl well for awhile. After I stopped I gained about half of the weight back but had lost 52 pounds in about 6 months. The main problem I had with them was the focus on the scale- If I lost "too much" in a week they would kind of chastise me that I was losing too fast and then during the weeks where the scale held steady but my measurements were going down they made me feel like I wasn't following the program even though my journals were completely done. Its all a matter of what works for each individual I think. I found this and really like it much better as it focuses on whole nutrition where as a lot of WW people were using thir points for processed "junk" foods. If you can follow the points and make sure you track actual nutrition you will do great on the program!

sgreene_0812

I think WW is great and it's how I lost most of my weight. I did plateau on WW because, I believe, their target audience is sedentary high carb eaters which I was when I started. WW got me on the path to watching what I eat and living a more health conscious lifestyle and it has stuck so far. I jumped to MFP because I outgrew their model; I run a half marathon several times a month, do 60 minutes or more of cardio 5 times per week and lift 3 times per week while watching what and how much I eat. WW put me on that path. Now I'm fine with maintaining with MFP. BUT, if I start to gain or backslide I will go back to WW in a heartbeat!

roxxie25

First, I agree that you should definitely go to the Scooby website and figure out your TDEE. 1200 calories is not sustaianble, and even WW allows the points equivalent of something like 1400-1600 per day.

Second, I have paid for WW online twice, only to discover each time that their database of foods contains almost nothing. And this is a crucial deficiency because of the proprietary point system. I mean, who has the time to be manually entering all of the nutritional information for everything they eat into the online points calculator, and at least when I am grocery shopping I can see the calories on the label, whereas most stuff in the grocery store does not list points value (except for that processed stuff made by WW). The MFP database is FAR superior.

nornas42

This!

I've been a part of weight watchers. Accountability is great, but if you aren't accountable here, it really won't be any different at the meetings except you say it to people's faces. I joined for 6 months and lost..... 8 pounds. It just didn't help because I wasn't motivated enough.

Counting calories or counting points -- it's pretty much the same thing. I find MFP better because calories are consistent. The WW points system keeps changing and you have to relearn the point value of everything.