Anyone have tried W.w ??

I did Weight Watchers and lost 20 lbs in probably about 3 months. This was February-April/May of this year, so it was with the newest Points Plus system. They set a limit for how many points you can eat each day, and all fruits and most vegetables are worth 0 points, so you get those for "free", even though they suggest you track them anyway. You also get 49 extra points you can use throughout the week- you can save them all for one big event, or spread them out a few every day, or not use them at all. You also can earn exercise points, and you can choose to use/not use those towards food.

They calculate your points per day based on your height and weight, and the lowest you'll ever be at is 26 points/day. As a 5'4" woman who came in weighing 180 lbs, I started with 32 or 31 points per day, and by the time I had lost the 20 lbs, I was down to 26. Points Plus values of food are calculated based on fat, carbs, fiber, and protein. The more fiber something has, the less points, but the more fat/carbs/protein, the more points it has.

Positives: I liked that you got 'rewarded' for eating fruit, and for adding more fiber to your diet. But, the points calculation can make you try to cut weird corners to try to save points. Points don't round, so when I was calculating the points for a meal, and a tiny difference in ingredients or portion size (which would usually mean a small caloric difference) would change the points value, I'd sometimes do stupid things to make the points work in my favor. Sometimes (like light Laughing Cow cheese, for example) doubling the amount of food means the same points plus value; doubling things with a lot of fiber (which is still doubling the calories) usually *doesn't* double the points plus value. Other times, like if something has a lot of fat, doubling the amount of food will more than double the points plus value. These quirks of the system are unintuitive, frustrating, and make you do stupid things to try and make sure you get the most food for your points- at least, that's what I did! Exercise points were frustrating, too- I'm a runner, and so I would always see how many minutes I could run to bump myself up another exercise point, instead of just listening to my body and sticking to a number of miles I wanted to run. If you ran, say, 30 minutes, you'd get about 5-6 points (I'm pretty sure, depending on your weight), but if you ran 32 minutes instead, you'd get an extra point, and then not get another point after that until probably 38 minutes.

Basically, I didn't like that things weren't incremental the way calories are. If I run 35 minutes, instead of 32, I want the units I burned (calories, points) to reflect that in my diary. If I eat double the serving size of something, it makes more sense and seems more fair if the amount of points/calories I record to reflect that. I like counting calories better because it's more straightforward, and feels more honest. It's intuitive, it's something you can easily do for the rest of your life, and you don't need to constantly whip out your phone when you're in the grocery store to figure out how many points something has. Plus, counting calories is free!

I think WW helps you make good choices in terms of food, and encourages you to lose weight at a healthy rate, but these are things you can get from counting calories, too. Usually healthier foods are lower in calories, and most people who are watching their caloric intake know that they should eat fruits & veggies. The sense of community and encouragement I felt at WW meetings and at WW online is about the same that I feel here, so I don't think you'll really be gaining anything in that regard. I liked WW, and I am glad I did it because it helped me lose weight, but I am getting what I think is a better system with MFP for free.

Hope that helps!

I think WW is a good program... like most diets, I do well a couple weeks and then give up. My Dr seems to think calorie counting & exercise is the best way to lose weight.

I lost all 90 lbs on WW in the span of just over a year, back in 2011. I made goal last December, and have drifted down about 10 lbs past my initial goal weight.

I'm an Online member only, and am looking to make the change over to MFP to save myself $18 per month. Tracking is key, and I already know how to get my fruits and veggies in - those are crucial in keeping hunger at bay.

I figure it may take a month or two while i double track to figure what what works for me on this site - i already know WW like the back of my hand so I need to figure out what my daily amount here will be in order to maintain.

The only thing I wish MFP had was "weekly calories" like WW has "weekly points" for splurges and what not. Those tend to occur on the weekend and they keep me from feeling deprived.

Each weight watchers 'point' is about fifty calories. that's the Only difference with their system.

I did - twice. Both times I lost 40 pounds, and eventually gained it all back. I couldn't afford it anymore. MFP is much easier, and it's FREE. Works for me!


edited to add: My sister is a permanent member of WW - she's lost over 80 pounds. Unfortunately, she's lost TOO much; her face is sagging terribly and she has no breasts at all now.

I know people that have had great success with weight watchers. When I investigated it I thought it was too much work and figuring. MFP has worked out great for me. It is quick and efficient and I find if I stick to it and exercise it is dead on and the weight comes off. Just be honest and don't drink your calories. Also exercise will make the weight come off faster and you will feel better.

I have done WW and had some results. I feel there is no better program to teach you healthly eating and balance. Teaches you a lot about portion control and balance eating. I like the thought that no food is off limit in moderation. The weight comes off slow about 1 pound a week (which they say is good) and they push WW products. I like MyFitnessPal because the weight is coming off faster but I also know I would not be making the healthy choices I am now making with out the skills I learned at WW, One thing I am seeing is tracking calories and eating right is harder than counting points with WW.

I had success with WW but it was a lot more restrictive than straight calorie counting. I feel like the unnecessary focus on fat grams is kind of pointless and the science doesn't support it. I'm a big fan of just straight calorie counting, its a lot less complicated (and free)...

I have, and I saw results while I stuck to it. Everyone I know who stayed with it had great results. WW WORKS!!

I have been a member of WW both online and going to a class. I had good results with the class but found that there wasn't enough support online.