Weight Watchers, anyone?

veracruz

I've heard wonderful things about Weight Watchers and am tempted to try it. Anyone out there use it - either past or present? Would love to hear some feedback!

Thanks!

Sarah_LM

I tried it and lost a stone and a half. It didn't teach me anything about healthy eating though, I would just use my points to eat junk. I quickly put it back on afterwards because I didn't really make a lasting change. At the meetings all the leaders do is try to get you to buy their foods, which is why I didn't learn anything - I thought "why should I use a point and a half on a banana when I can have some weight watchers cookies for the same amount of points" etc. I've learnt my lesson now though and I think if you do it properly it's great and you can lose a lot of weight on it. My mum lost 2 stone on it as she did it properly and she is still 8 1/2 stone 6 years later!

weaklink109

If you have the motivation to lose, and "stick to it tive ness" to carry on, this site will do more for you than going to a WW meeting, and messing with their "point" system, which I always found to make not much sense, but that could be just me. The thought of going to a meeting and having to "weigh in" and having to pay for the privilege to boot just didn't appeal to me.

I found this site a year ago and it has changed my life, and I have developed new and improved eating habits and activity patterns that are enabling me to maintain my weight. I still have more to lose, but this is not a footrace, and slow and steady wins the race when it comes to taking it off and keeping it off.

I know there are some people that have to have the person to person contact, and if that is you, I am not putting you down for trying WW. I just felt more in control of my own destiny using this site and have learned more than I could ever say, and met some good friends in the process--and the money I didn't spend on WW meetings has helped offset the new clothes I have had to buy, since everything I had bought in the last 10 years is now a minimum of two sizes too big!!! That is a problem I don't mind having!!:bigsmile: :bigsmile:

Rachel1Kim

I lost 20 pounds last year and my husband 30. Gained back 10 only because I quit. Didn't go to the WW meeting, but had a friend who did. She helped me with the formula. bought the desserts and meals. Maybe not the healthiest way, but a person can cook their quantities very easily.
Taught quantities. Have to eat a balanced diet as well. Good Luck!

sassydot

Hate WW. hate hate hate it.

What decent weight loss system likens (i.e equal points value) a glass of milk to 20 teaspoons of sugar? Admittedly, the milk is whole milk, I'm not buying two different milks and I have kids, so whole it is, but still! It's way whacked. At least the milk has nutritional value, and is under half the calories!

It doesn't teach you any lasting habits. I initially lost weight, but stopped losing because I didn't know about starvation mode and I was certainly in it under their plan! (a peanut butter sandwich and a glass of milk, for example, was 10 points out of my 18, but only 440 calories, I was effectively only eating about 7-800 cal a day) Then I piled it all back on again.

ron2282

I did WW in 2005 and lost 40 pounds. Unfortunately, I put it all back on once I stopped. I never went to meetings, I did the online version. Now I use WW as a guide to make healthier choices, but I don't track every single thing that goes into by mouth.

pelelovesme1011

Weight watchers is fine if you are too lazy to count calories because that's all it is. It's just a fancy way to count calories... about 2 points per 100 calories I figured. I've done it a few times but I found I was better off being exact and counting the full calories of everything. So, I don't think it's worth it. It's especially not worth the 13 or so bucks they charge weekly to go to "meetings" about topics that you could easily research online or discuss here with fellow MFPers. Plus, they weigh you on their scale and I personally like to weigh naked... I don't think they would like that :P

toots99

I follow the WW program though I don't go to the meetings. I do find that they should allot more points because as someone mentioned, it means you're calories are pretty low for the day...that's why I don't mind when I go over by a few points.

You just need to find what works for you.

pdxmomof2

I am currently doing weight watchers. Just joined this weekend as a matter of fact. I dont have bad things to say about it. I think , just like counting calories.....if you use your points (or calories) for junk, then its not going to work for you. I think that there are some really good things about it. For me, the accountability is key. I tried it before but was not ready to commit. This go around I hope to make it work.

Do what works for you! They will let you visit a meeting for free. Might be worth going and seeing if its for you!

Good luck!

weaklink109

Pdxmom--

Good luck with your WW membership. Perhaps you can come back to this thread and post in a few weeks how it is going. I know of one person who was on a thread I post on and although she has some success on MFP, she did end up joining WW and no longer is active on MFP. The last I heard, she had lost 13 lbs. since joining them to go along with about 15 she had lost on MFP.

kiffypooh

I've done WW off and on and love it. I did it before I got married and wasn't ready to change my lifestyle so I gained it back and then some. I did a half butt version of it about a year later but wasn't really ready to commit to getting healthy or even losing weight, then did it right before I got pregnant with my daughter and had to stop (they don't let you do it pregnant). I went back when my daughter was 6 weeks old (Aug 07) and has been doing it since. I have great weight loss, then I float for awhile, then I start losing again. As long as I'm going to the meetings every week I only gain a pound or two and then lose it, rather then just quitting all together. I really love the program, but most of all I love the support from the group and the weigh in each week. I guess I could join over eaters anonymous, but this works for me. I go to the same meeting where most of the same people (about 6 are at goal and have been for years) are and sit for 30 min and reset my mind. It's 30 min to remind myself why I'm doing this, to help others and to have others help me. It's great now because I apparently inspire everyone and people actually want to hear what I have to say :laugh: In Dec I got tired of counting points so I started on here, since my friend was raving about how amazing everyone is on this site (which is true). I still go to the meetings for the support and accountability, but I just count calories rather then points right now. I think it all comes down to where you are in your journey. This time around my weight loss will stick because I've realized how fragile life is and that I want to be around to see my daughter grow up and most of all, I don't want my daughter growing up eating like I did. I can tell because when I go out for a "cheat" meal, I still make healthier choices. Any program is "easy" when you've made the mental shift. One of the biggest factors in that shift was what someone said at a WW meeting, among other things.
Best of luck!

sarahdob

I've done W.W. many times and never got to my goal. The problem with w.w. is you never really learn how much of what to eat. They say to eat within your pts. but they don't tell you to eat 12 oz. of protein in a day, and try to limit to 3 carbs a day. I lost 50lbs on w.w. but when my body needed something different, and the pts. weren't working anymore, all the "leaders" kept saying, "keep doing what you're doing." They have absolutely no knowledge on anything with how things work, I was such a solid believer in it, till I quit and went with a local company. Which has taught me, to eat enough protein ( I was majorly lacking on w.w.) and not as many carbs, and limit the fruit to 3 a day, and count calories...which is where My Fitness Pal comes in....Keep it simple, eat enough protein, keep the carbs in check, and you'll lose.

kiffypooh

I wanted to add that they do tell you, in the week 1 book, how many calories should be used for what type of food. 2-5 points for veggies, etc. I think it comes down to the leader on what they know. Our leader is very knowledgeable and I've learned a lot there. There are some leaders out there that are there just to sell you stuff, so keep that in mind. Their scale isn't much different then another, cheaper scale. I also wanted to add that this years plan (each year they come out with a new plan) is focusing more on healthy, whole foods, and filling foods. I guess they finally listened to the complaint of being able to eat 3 snickers bars on the program, if that's all you eat.

mhotch

I successfully lost 45 lbs on WW. It has been over a year since I reached and maintained my goal. WW does encourage a healthy lifestyle, with the proper diet and exercise. The meeting topics usually cover the emotional side of overeating. The healthy eating part is up to us. We are all adults. If we want to survive on a couple of chocolate bars a day, than so be it. I taught myself the healthy eating habits that I follow, with some help from meetings, what I have learned here on MFP, and on WW forums.

I like to attend meetings and weigh in. I need to be accountable to someone else. It has helped me keep my weight 2 lbs less than my goal.

veracruz

Thank you to everyone for their advice! I've been in nursing school for the past 4 years and I have one semester left. (I put on wayyyy more than the "nursing school 20") I am using this summer to re-focus on myself since it's been a VERY long time since I've done so. I'm thinking about doing WW thru the summer - get the materials I need to learn new eating habits and hope I learn enough to turn into a life-style change of good eating habits!! Thanks again!

tiggertiffin87

I've been using WW for a month now and have lost 8.5 pounds total. I find it's a great starting point on learning good/bad stuff to eat. I use the online program, so I don't go to meetings. Their online tools tell you a point range to eat for the day. They also give you a number of points to eat for extras. Plus you earn more points for exercising. Also a part of the tools is a tracking system for healthy foods online. I think they're still having a special where if you sign up for 3 months of their online service ($55) they waive the sign up fee ($9) so it's $55 for 3 months. A much better deal (I think) than attending meetings in person. Their e-Tools help you track the points you eat through the day, you also track something called Healthy Checks. You get smiley faces when you earn the minimum recommendation. If you use the healthy checks, you get a healthy range of foods for the day and won't be under your calorie intake. Minimums: glasses water, servings of low/non-fat milk products, servings of fruit & veggies, multivitamin, healthy oil, activity, servings of lean protein, 1 serving whole grains. I found on days where I got the max for each of these I earned either equal or slightly above the min calorie intake that this site says I should.

veracruz

Thanks for addressing the online program - I actually had questions about which would be more beneficial to me. I'd love to hear some comparisons of people who have done both programs! Will I get as much support with the online program? Do I still get the tools (like the point counter) to take with me when I don't have access to my computer?

toots99

I've never done the online program, so I wouldn't be of much help to you there.

tiggertiffin87

Thanks for addressing the online program - I actually had questions about which would be more beneficial to me. I'd love to hear some comparisons of people who have done both programs! Will I get as much support with the online program? Do I still get the tools (like the point counter) to take with me when I don't have access to my computer?

I haven't done both, but for online you get the support of message boards. Apart from that you're on you're own. Point Calculator you can access through a smart phone, otherwise you can buy one through their site. OR you can sign up for meetings and you can still have access to eTools online (and message boards).

lilyrose53

If you have the motivation to lose, and "stick to it tive ness" to carry on, this site will do more for you than going to a WW meeting, and messing with their "point" system, which I always found to make not much sense, but that could be just me. The thought of going to a meeting and having to "weigh in" and having to pay for the privilege to boot just didn't appeal to me.

I found this site a year ago and it has changed my life, and I have developed new and improved eating habits and activity patterns that are enabling me to maintain my weight. I still have more to lose, but this is not a footrace, and slow and steady wins the race when it comes to taking it off and keeping it off.

I know there are some people that have to have the person to person contact, and if that is you, I am not putting you down for trying WW. I just felt more in control of my own destiny using this site and have learned more than I could ever say, and met some good friends in the process--and the money I didn't spend on WW meetings has helped offset the new clothes I have had to buy, since everything I had bought in the last 10 years is now a minimum of two sizes too big!!! That is a problem I don't mind having!!:bigsmile: :bigsmile:

I have also been using WW online since early 2008, but find that this site actually teaches you how to eat wisely because it tracks very important nutrients such as sodium, cholesteral (sp?), fibre, etc. that I need to know. That is why I switched to using MFP for tracking my foods. The $$ is also an issue with me since sites like MFP charge nothing ~ I agree with weaklink109!!

kiffypooh

I've played with the online tools with WW but haven't signed up for just online. However, I think that if you are going to do just online you should just not spend money and use MFP. They have message boards, groups, articles, recipes, etc all the same stuff they have here for free. You would just be counting calories rather then points.