Myfitness Vs Weight Watchers
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Long ago I reached my WW goal and became a lifetime member. But the weight came back. When I went back to WW, 3 times, it did not work for me in the long run (at one point I had lost 40 pounds, which came back). When I would show a weight gain at weigh-in, they'd say "you're up 2 lb, $2.00 please." I'd stay after meetings to ask the instructor for some help, but she'd be out the door like a shot the minute the meeting was over. I was "on program" but gaining. Looking back on it, I think the free foods were defeating me.
All that said, I do love their cookbooks. Some great healthy, delicious recipes in those books. Just bought another one a few weeks ago, aimed at people cooking for one.
A diabetic friend of mine has been going to WW for the past 4 years and weighs the same now as 4 years ago. She hasn't changed her bad eating habits, just kept them within the point totals, when she's on program. WW does provide exercise information, but that part is easily ignored.0 -
OP - that is not at all how WW works. You have to get in all the good health guidelines, while staying within your daily and weekly points. The GHG's are just as important as tracking your food and practicing portion control.0
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To give my two cents, MFP is very similar to WW. MFP replaces the WW's Good Health Guidelines with focusing on macro content.
Both plans will work equally as well - you will get out of it what you put into it.
And yes, MFP's database is tons better than WW. I would switch so I'm not paying $18 a month for the online service, but I personally find it easier to count points.0 -
I've done both. WW was good, but a lot of times I'd use the MFP database because there were things missing from WW. I lost 75lbs from Feb. 23, 2012 to the end of March 2013 with WW, but since April-ish I've lost another 20 lbs with MFP. It's free. The database is pretty good. The forums are very informative and no worse than the general forum at WW. You'll also get a lot of strong opinions. If you can keep in mind that they are opinions and may or may not work for you I think you'll like it here.
Having said that, here's my opinion: You can eat whatever you want as long as it fits your calorie goals. Fruits and veggies aren't free they need to be logged. Ignore the sugar macro unless you have a medical reason to track it because an apple and a banana or handful of grapes will throw you into the red. Be realistic when you set up your food diary. If you don't have a lot to lose don't set it to 2lbs a week. Eat back your exercise calories. MFP expects you to. If you're worried that the database amount for the burn is too high try eating 3/4 or 1/2. The deficit to lose is already built in there so you don't even have to exercise if you aren't able or don't want to.
I do try to follow the good health guidelines, 2 servings of dairy, 5 of fruit/veggies, and 2 tsp of oil per day though. I just no longer count points.
Good luck with whichever you decide to do!0 -
To give my two cents, MFP is very similar to WW. MFP replaces the WW's Good Health Guidelines with focusing on macro content.
Both plans will work equally as well - you will get out of it what you put into it.
And yes, MFP's database is tons better than WW. I would switch so I'm not paying $18 a month for the online service, but I personally find it easier to count points.
I agree. WW and MFP are nearly identical, one just uses points, the other uses calories. You get to choose what kind of calories you fill your body with in both (I have seen some terrible food choices from food diaries here on MFP, some people will go days without a fruit or veggie... but they're within their calories, sooo...). I liked that WW took fiber into account, something that is high fiber is less points. I lost weight on it many times. Im only on MFP because it's free and I like the community here.
ETA: Oh, I also dont like how MFP automatically puts everyone so low with their daily calories and you have to visit these forums to figure out how many calories you actually should be eating (like with TDEE and all that). That part was frustrating at first. I like how WW just spits out how many points you should have. Easy.0 -
I did WW about 10 years ago (old plan) and lost a lot of weight with it. Unfortunately, I went through a relocation a few years later, and in the process, got off track and regained the weight I lost. I am losing weight once again, but this time with MFP (although I also use MPF to help me calculate how many WW points I've eaten for the day and put that number in my notes. I get my calories, fat and fiber info from MFP and then input it into one of the free WW point calculators online.)
Both plans have helped me lose weight, but I think that MFP has helped me track things that I really am also trying to keep an eye on--i.e., my sodium and sugar intake. Through MFP, I think I am learning to make better choices that will benefit me for a lifetime.0 -
Weight Watchers are a bunch of con artists. Use the "Eat Less Crap than normal" diet, sponsored by common sense.0
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I've done both and I like MFP better. I've lost more on it, and its free!0
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WW is a great program as long as you follow it.
You are under no obligation to buy WW products. I never do because it is the same crap as in the stores.
With WW you can not eat 20 bananas in a day and expect to lose as would be the same thing with MFP. Maximum is a combined total of 5 fruits and veg's a day.
With WW, as long as you eat food that is high in fibre and protein, filling foods than there is no need to log/count points.
Both WW and MFP are great programs. Their goals are for you to learn to eat more nutritional food and to get away from empty calories which is junk food and the foods that clog your arteries.
Both programmes are fantastic in their own different but similar ways.MFP is Free
WW causes you to part with cash to be told your weight and how much to eat.
With MFP you can eat what you want within your calorie goal.
WW pushes their own products on you to try to make you part with more cash.
WW allows fruit / veggies to be free food which can be very misleading. If I eat 20 bananas in a day those calories should definitely be counted.
MFP has a great database of foods. Logging is easy, no complicated points to calculate.
So MFP all the way!
oh by BTW, a standard McDonalds meal (in the Uk at least) is around 1000 cals. If that is more than your entire calorie goal for one day then your calorie goal is too low.0 -
I lost a lot of weight on WW in eighth grade and I got to my goal weight of 125 lb., which I now see as unrealistic (I was and am 5'6"). I immediately gained it all back in less than a year, and by senior year of high school, I was 168 lb. WW was effective for weight loss for me, but I wasn't able to maintain it. With MFP, I am losing weight more slowly but I am confident that I will be able to maintain my new goal weight of 140-145 lb. when I reach it.0
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I've never done Weight Watchers; although I looked at it seriously several times, I could never get over the fact that it was so expensive, plus food. I joined MFP for three reasons -- they had a BlackBerry app, they had nearly all the food I eat in the database already, and it's free. I did try another free online tool for a week or two some months before I found MFP, but the food database was so small I had to enter everything myself. It was just too much work. With MFP, it's already in the database. (Although some of the food entries are hard to match up with what I'm eating if I eat homemade foods, because there are so many choices, it still gets me "in the ballpark".)
With MFP, I only keep track of two things: calories and fiber. Other than a Fiber One bar in the morning, I get all my fiber from Fruits and Vegetables, and I usually eat 2 or 3 times the MFP recommended fiber intake. 30g of Fiber is a low-fiber day for me. Calories are calories.
Although I've never tried WW, I don't think it would work for me even if it were free, given what others have said about being able to eat unlimited amounts of some foods. Any system you can "game" and still be "on the program" just wouldn't work for me. You can "game" just about anything but calories. I used the Atkins Nutritional Approach for a long time years ago, and for quite a while it was very successful for me, but it quit working because I started gravitating to high-calorie foods that were low-carb, effectively "gaming" the system.
The thing I found most effective about Atkins was that the food was very satisfying, and I was rarely hungry, even when the system was working for me. With MFP, I still use that concept. I find that as long as I'm within my calorie and fiber goals, I can eat some foods that are very satisfying (high-fat and protein) and make it so I don't feel hungry all the time, even at a calorie deficit. That helps me stick with the system.
The bottom line for me is whatever works for you is the thing you should use. Although I would never join WW and I've been very successful with MFP, I would never look down on someone succeeding with Weight Watchers.0 -
"You can "game" just about anything but calories"
Oh, you can 'game' calories.0 -
Perhaps I should have clarified. I meant without cheating. Sure, you can cheat, but you can't game them.0
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I guess the major problem with Weight Watchers is people focus too much on the not-very-informative points total instead of focusing on why items are rated the way they are. You can lose weight on it without really learning any new habits other than some basic addition. When you go off the program, you may not have learned why WW approved brownies are X number of points and that all brownies aren't like that (an extreme example, but still relevant to less obvious swaps). That's not a problem with Weight Watchers itself, just the way people tend to misuse it.0
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Hi! Thanks for all your replies!
I do try and go for the healthy nutritious food 98% of the time, but I guess my reason for asking is simply because at times i just CRAVE certain foods especially at certain times of the month. So the days that I I'm salivating and looking like a woman possessed lusting after that bar of chocolate, or that plate of chips, would that be ok as long as I make sure i dont go over my allowance?
As somebody else already said, yes!
Vis a vis WW vs. MFP - I started this year using WW and lost my first 20 lbs on that. The rest I've dropped using MFP. I switched in June. What I like better about MFP is that it gives you better control over your macronutrients. WW does calculate the point value of foods by taking into account recommended macronutrient amounts, but it is non-transparent. On MFP, it is all fully transparent, so you understand what trade-offs you are making.
But you can lose weight using either. Depends on what works best for you.0 -
I've lost 100 lbs. on Weight Watchers and have maintained that loss, for the most part, since 2006. I have roughly 75 more pounds to go to be at "goal". I've been a long time WW meeting goer. When I did leave the meetings previously, for a year in 2009, I did gain some weight back, which I have since lost again.
I recently stopped meetings again, and I'm using myfitnesspal. I have a different support system in place and I am happy here for the time being. Now I am a member of a local fitness group and I am finding that its a better source of camaraderie for me now. That being said, I have an event in my calendar called "start WW?" and I will place that in 3-month increments just as a reminder for myself to reevaluate.
I have not read every one else's responses yet, but needless to say WW has worked for me. I find that mostly from what I see in other online discussion groups, that a lot of people don't really understand the plan, especially around fruit. Fruit is not free, if you follow the program as it is written. They do push their products from time to time and its probably my biggest complaint. They've gotten a bit better about this over the years.
Keeping a food diary and having some accountability is really the fundamental reason why WW works, and whether I do it here or do it there - my success with whatever program I choose is based upon what I put into it.
That being said, I am really digging MFP right now. I was getting burnt out on the program and meetings (I just needed a change), I needed to save money, and as I mentioned I belong to this great fitness group that meets 3-times per week which provides fitness with a source of camaraderie.
I will always support WW for their program. They've had long term staying power and at one time (before all of these online sources) there weren't many options out there. I feel a lot of gratitude for them, even that they are a business. I also think that WW can be a great place for someone just starting out and needs a helping hand. Just walking into the meeting room can be a powerful experience.0 -
Hi! Thanks for all your replies!
I do try and go for the healthy nutritious food 98% of the time, but I guess my reason for asking is simply because at times i just CRAVE certain foods especially at certain times of the month. So the days that I I'm salivating and looking like a woman possessed lusting after that bar of chocolate, or that plate of chips, would that be ok as long as I make sure i dont go over my allowance?
As somebody else already said, yes!
Vis a vis WW vs. MFP - I started this year using WW and lost my first 20 lbs on that. The rest I've dropped using MFP. I switched in June. What I like better about MFP is that it gives you better control over your macronutrients. WW does calculate the point value of foods by taking into account recommended macronutrient amounts, but it is non-transparent. On MFP, it is all fully transparent, so you understand what trade-offs you are making.
But you can lose weight using either. Depends on what works best for you.
This. I am a WW member but log most of my food here. I go to meetings with one of my friends and it helps me stay motivated and gives me some good ideas/practices. They do push exercise and at least my leader does not push WW products in fact she brings other brands in to show what is good. I think it varies by site and leaser. Overall, I think both are very similar and it comes down to what works best for you. Also some veggies do have points and my leader is very clear not to eat too much fruit. Really they are very similar, but what I like here is the larger DB and its easier to see all macronutrients. The plans are very similar.0 -
I have read all the posts about weight watchers vs myfitness and feel I need to "weigh in" on the matter, pun totally intended. Having a significant amount of weight to lose and not having tried either program in the past, I had seriously considered weight watchers because my brother-in-law and sister-in-law both lost quite a bit of weight on it in 2012 (50 and 30 pounds, respectively). But I was not willing to go to meetings, so I thought about doing it online, as they had. Quite by accident, I found the myfitnesspal website, and decided to try it first since it was free. That was at the end of August, and I gave lost 30 pounds so far. I see no reason whatsoever to start paying for something that I can get for free. That being said, I totally agree with others when they say that you get out of it what you put into it..... if you are not committed to becoming a smaller and fitter version of yourself, no program will work, free or not. I particularly like that I can get the chance to treat myself with a piece of chocolate ( or whatever floats your boat) just by upping my exercise for the day. Or not, if I just don't feel like getting on the treadmill that day. Going out to dinner is easy because you can work out a little more ahead of time so that you can feel satisfied later, yet not worry about killing the whole day just because you wanted the creamy salad dressing lol. Life is not about depriving yourself while you get healthy, and the more manageable the plan, the more likely you are to stick with it. I have not been this successful in years and with another 30 pounds to go (minimum), I feel like I can get to my goal once and for all. And if you are honest and track EVERYTHING you put in your mouth, you will quickly see that you don't always really want that extra helping of potatoes because you don't want to do another 20 minutes on the treadmill to make it go away : )0
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OP - that is not at all how WW works. You have to get in all the good health guidelines, while staying within your daily and weekly points. The GHG's are just as important as tracking your food and practicing portion control.
Exactly! I am surprised on these WW threads how many people don't read the material, and understand how it works. And the free fruit bashing drives me nuts. The materials clearly state to consume a reasonable amount of fruit. I don't know how people think the plan says eat as much as you want.
I lost 40 of my 65 pound weight loss on WW online. Never bought one of their products, or attended a meeting. It's a good program that encourages healthy food and relationships with food.
I switched to MFP because it is free, and I was getting bored. Also MFP does technology much better.
Ok, off my soapbox0 -
I eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, so the guidelines of 'being reasonable with you free point fruit and veggie intake' didn't really work for my life style. Now I count everything, stay within my allowance and the system doesn't care if I eat 5 bananas and about 600 cals in vegetables in one day (which I don't feel is an unreasonable amount, but others might disagree). I find MFP more transparent 0
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Reading this, as I am currently interested in using WW as opposed to MFP. I did lose weight on Weight Watchers after I had my son. However, with the official online app, I had to enter in a lot of foods, the database really wasn't that extensive, and I have had to cancel after I finished my first 3 months.
But, I have found an extensive app, called Point Plus Diary that is JUST like WW, but the app only cost me 1.99, instead of a monthly membership fee. The food database is as extensive as MFP and there is even a barcode scanner, like MFP.
So, if you don't want to do meetings, pay a monthly fee, but use WW, I highly suggest that app pointsplusdiary.com/0 -
So excited I came upon this thread. I just signed up for WW last night and cancelled this am. $18.95 vs 1.99? No brainer!!0
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If you think losing weight is just about calories, you're in for a big surprise. What you eat plays a big part in weight loss. Eating junk won't get you to your goal here or at WW.0
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If you think losing weight is just about calories, you're in for a big surprise. What you eat plays a big part in weight loss. Eating junk won't get you to your goal here or at WW.
"If you think losing weight is just about calories"
Yes it is
"What you eat plays a big part in weight loss. Eating junk won't get you to your goal here or at WW".
If you stay under your calorie intake, yes it will0 -
Ive done both..WW is points..you reach your points your done..but can still eat fruit & vegies...myfitnesspal is calories..they both track your fat.carbs.protien & fiber...fitnesspal will also track more too like your sugar.salt ect0
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I did WW an dstill did my food loging on fitness pal..dadanbase was much better i though0
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Actually, fruit is only "free" up to three servings a day. And really, fruits and veggies aren't actually free. Your daily points are assuming you are eating the recommended amount of fruit and veggies. If you calculate points into calories you'll notice that it seems low, that's because it's assuming the addition of fruits and veggies. The idea is that making them "free" encourages people to choose fruits and veggies as snacks.0
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On the tool bar between exercise and apps you have reports which gives oddles of your statistics on weight loss, calorie count etc from periods of one day to one year 0
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I am in the process of transitioning. I have been on WW since Jan 1, 2014 and I've lost 26lbs so far but I am not happy. I lose so crazy. One pound here, then nothing, then 5lbs there, then nothing. HATE IT. The activity points, flex points, zero fruits and veggies thing just feels funny. Please let me know if you continued or dropped one or the other. I'd like to know your progress and what you think of both.
I am finishing this month (June) with WW and tracking in MFP as well to compare.0 -
I considered WW, but I feel like the whole points system is way too complicated for me. Ironically, I think that the system is supposed to be the "easier" version. Plus, WW costs money. Among the free calorie counting sites, I like MFP more than others because I think the community is made up of more knowledgeable and diverse users with healthier goals. The food database is also excellent. I haven't found a better one.0
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