Switching from Weight Watchers to Calorie Counting?

honeylissabee · May 2013

I hastily decided to sign up for Weight Watchers without really considering the financial aspects of it, as I have been unemployed for the past 2.5 months. However, things are going surprisingly well with the plan, and I'm down 7 pounds in the past 3 weeks (I maintained this past week).

However, my online subscription will run out in about six short weeks, and I am not sure if I will have the finances to afford a renewal, so I need to prepare a back-up plan so I don't completely undo my progress.

I would love to start using MFP again, but I do have some concerns. I understand that in WW, fruit isn't "free." It's simply worked into the formula. So, while my daily target may be 31 points, it's really probably 40 or something points when you add in the 0 point foods. Still, I love being able to go grab a banana or a handful of grapes when I'm at an event where I don't want to spend too many points. I've been known to make gigantic salads on days I'm hungry, but with few points to spend.

I know fruits and veggies have calories, but do you know of any way to possibly adjust my calorie target so I don't necessarily have to track them? I figure that, in theory at least, if I set my calorie target to something that's a bit lower than what it SHOULD be, I can make up the difference in "free" produce. Any tips on that? I understand I won't be tracking all my macros correctly, but since my plan is to focus on higher protein and moderate fat- not necessarily worrying about carbs- I'm not all too concerned.

Any tips? Having the freedom to play around with fruit/veggies like I do on Weight Watchers is one of the reasons I'm so successful, and I really try not to overdo it on the fruit.

goodtimezzzz · May 2013

wait?? whatttt....ask one simple question

goodtimezzzz · May 2013

Confused....

GormanGhaste · May 2013

The easiest thing to do would be to add up the calories from all the fruits and veggies you typically consume in a day, and then subtract those from your current calorie goal for your new target.

gayle4882 · May 2013

My daughter was using MFP and wasn't losing at all. Then she started weight watchers and lost 25lbs. Some people just do better on WW. There are plenty of Points Plus calculators on line and they are free. I would let your WW membership laps. Use MFP as a guide but still do your points. Also, could go to a meeting and get the book and the calculator. Once you have the WW tools you don't really need the membership. That's my 2 cents for what it's worth. Good luck!!

kirk_clawson · May 2013

You likely won't blow your calorie goal on salads - an entire head of lettuce is only 100 calories.

clarkeje1 · May 2013

why not just log everything? that way you can make sure its accurate and will be more likely to get the results you want.

surfrgrl1 · May 2013

It's been a few years since I was on weightwatchers, but from what I recall, one point was equal to about 50-75 calories. I have always been a calorie counter, so I was pretty anal about tracking both points and calories. Don't know if that helps.

baileybiddles · May 2013

I, too, used Weight Watchers when I started my journey and it was a great catalyst for my weight loss, it really was. However, when I came over to MFP I felt I was more successful. I did not find myself eating less because of the fact that fruits and veg were free on WW and they aren't here. I continued to eat the same amount of fruit and veg and just factor it into my calorie goal.

I don't think you'll have a hard time switching. I don't have any tips, per say, but I would recommend switching. Weight watchers is definitely expensive and I feel that you can do the same thing here and follow a less complicated process.

ckeatonrn · May 2013

Track Weight Watchers AND MFP calories for a week and get an idea of how many calories you are really eating of fruits and vegetables. Then subtract that number from your daily calorie count and you'll have your number to shoot for.

That said...why do things the hard way? On MFP you track everything you eat, just like WW, but instead of PointsPlus you'll get calories. The benefit of using MFP (other than being free) is that you can figure out many of your nutrients too. You can adjust your diet if you are lacking in any area and WW doesn't help you so much with that.

You can still eat as many fruits and veg as you want. The more veg the better! You find out that veg have few calories and fruits can add up pretty fast.

If you're doing will on WW, you'll do well here too. It's about accountability and if you need that getting on a scale every week in front of someone else.

I've been WW for 2 years and lost over 60 lbs. I started MFP about 2 months ago and found that the added dimension of MFP has helped me hone my diet towards those areas I was lacking such as calcium and iron.

krisjohnson121 · May 2013

I have done weight watchers many times. I completely agree with the person who wrote that you do not need to be a member to follow the plan. There is an app that you can download that will give you all the points.

But talking about switching - I thought that not having 'free' foods would be a hard transition but here is what I learned. Veggies truely are basically free so record them! Not all fruits are created equal. A banana is about 100 calories - so is 3 cups of watermelon! I will take the watermelon. Tracking all my food has really helped me to learn the difference between the foods.

Also I find that MFP puts more emphasis on working out which I think it crucial in developing a healthier lifestyle.n With MFP you still get the comradierie that you would get from a WW meeting but you get it every day.

It sounds like you have been doing great - keep up the hard work and save the money to buy a new outfit!

kprengaman · May 2013

I recently made the switch from WW to MFP. For a month or so I tracked in BOTH WW and MFP to get a good idea what my average daily calorie count was on WW. I logged the fruits and veggies in MFP to get an accurate count. Each WW point seem to average out to about 40 calories. I read somewhere here that those 40 calories per WW point factor in the fruits and veggies.

I really wanted to continue having the fruits and veggies be "free", but I just wasn't losing. I was more likely to grab a piece of fruit for an afternoon snack when it was 0 points. Now I am tracking the fruit and making a point to eat some every day.

03221961 · May 2013

As a life time member of weight watchers I can tell you my fitness pal is much easier and better to follow then weight watchers. Yes the fruit will not be free any more but just incorporate it in your daily calories and you will still be able to enjoy them. I have been on weight watchers twice and i did not want to pay the money to go back so I decided in january to join mfp and i am down 14 pounds and if i lose more ok but i am happy here. I will never stop logging my food because it keeps you accountable for what you eat. Can't wait to have you as a member in 6 weeks.

honeylissabee · May 2013

Right now, I am just tracking my non-fruit/veggie intake on both sites to see where th eat gets me, but I know that right now I probably eat a few hundred calories worth of produce. My brussels sprouts for lunch yesterday were over 100 calories, and I certainly had more than just that for lunch.

I've seen, so far, that when sticking to my daily target I seem to be averaging around 1,200 calories per day without counting produce, but that could change as I continue to track. If this is the case, I may transition to MFP by sticking to that 1,200 calorie goal plus free produce and then reevaluate as time goes on. If I start weighing/measuring/tracking produce, I'll start small by focusing on fruit first and still keep veggies free.

For the record, I am SPECIFICALLY referring to the 0 point fruits and veggies- not starchy ones like potatoes and plantains.

plynn54 · May 2013

You can still count your points and just not pay to attend the meetings,

Warchortle · May 2013

WW is calorie counting FYI ---> Macro ratios are something completely different especially if you exercise.

BonaFideUK · May 2013

WW is calorie counting FYI ---> Macro ratios are something completely different especially if you exercise.

WW moved away from calorie counting quite a while ago. They have a points based system where food and members are assigned points per day to allocate to food. No member calorie counts anything.

honeylissabee · May 2013

You can still count your points and just not pay to attend the meetings,

I've tried doing it on my own before, and it just didn't work. I need the online tools to stay on track, and I honestly don't know if I'll be able to afford them when my subscription is supposed to renew.

Bernadette60614 · May 2013

I'd say:

Do both WW and MFP for a couple of weeks and see how the calories work out. It may be that even with zero point fruits/veggies you are eating within your MFP recommended range.

You've got a couple of weeks to make a transition and I think you'll find that what you've learned doing WW will help you to adhere to MFP.

WRXymama · May 2013

I'll just keep this simple. Did WW, lost weight...got tired for figuring out the points, quickly gained back. Started using MFP, stuck with it longer than anything, lost, and able to maintain what I lost. Easier to log/figure out calories than figure out points. I just got to lazy trying to cacluate what each point value was. Calories...plain and simple. Free, awesome support, FREE.

foleyshirley · May 2013

You have time to track both ways and get an idea of what you are eating on WW. You can use that info later. I did this. I found I was not eating enough on WW. But I am not a big vege and fruit eater

.

Warchortle · May 2013

WW is calorie counting FYI ---> Macro ratios are something completely different especially if you exercise.

WW moved away from calorie counting quite a while ago. They have a points based system where food and members are assigned points per day to allocate to food. No member calorie counts anything.

How do you think those points exist? They add values of proteins fats carbs and fiber to get a number... strip all the macro nutrient breakdown away and package it into a number they can sell.

It's still calorie counting.

Kestrel45 · May 2013

I was on and off WW for the past 5 years, and when I was actually trying and counting my points consistently, I was losing weight. So now that I'm actually serious about it, I find it's a habit to count points. I can't stop, I find it's such a good system as it takes into account fat and fiber and everything. So now I count WW points AND calories in MFP

) It's working so far.

jacatkins · May 2013

My daughter was using MFP and wasn't losing at all. Then she started weight watchers and lost 25lbs. Some people just do better on WW. There are plenty of Points Plus calculators on line and they are free. I would let your WW membership laps. Use MFP as a guide but still do your points. Also, could go to a meeting and get the book and the calculator. Once you have the WW tools you don't really need the membership. That's my 2 cents for what it's worth. Good luck!!

I agree totally! You dont need to be a member at WW to do WW. I used to work there, so i got alot for Free. Honestly, it didn't work for me, so if it does for you.. Good Luck with it!! WW is all about will power and the willingness to change what you usually do... its the same with any weight loss program... If you want to make it happen, you will. Whether it be WW or MFP... they are both counting objectives....

)

ecw3780 · May 2013

You will need to eat back your exercise calories on MFP. Use those calories to track your fruit. Fruit is never free, regardless of what their plan is. However, if you go over by a little bit in one area, it's better to be in fruit than in cookies. But, since you said you maintained this past week, and you haven't been doing the program that long, I suspect the fruit might be catching up with you.

Kestrel45 · May 2013

You can still count your points and just not pay to attend the meetings,

I've tried doing it on my own before, and it just didn't work. I need the online tools to stay on track, and I honestly don't know if I'll be able to afford them when my subscription is supposed to renew.

Personally I find the tools aren't so helpful, you for sure don't need them to lose weight on WW. All you need is a points calculator and you can find it online for free. Also, I find their meals and merchandise and whatnot is very unhealthy if you look at the ingredients, a lot of their tools can be a rip off. That's what I've noticed anyway.

lsipe09 · May 2013

Whatever you do, just keep tracking. That knowledge is power and will keep you on track. WW now focuses on eating more whole foods and getting the nutritional bang for each point so keep up those principles. MFP can help you figure out your calorie goal depending on how fast and how much weight you want to lose and your activity level, so use that tool or do like suggested previously - track both ways and see what your calorie level is currently. It seems to me a WW pt was 50 calories, but that was before the points plus program. I did WW for a while with the meetings and on-line tools, then like you, found the cost to be too much and just did points on my own. I have found for me, I need the online tracking tool to stay on track. I love the scanner and the app on my phone so I can track as the calories are consumed rather than waiting. I think the most important thing is to JUST KEEP TRACKING!! Good luck with whatever you decide! :flowerforyou:

wordena · May 2013

I'll just keep this simple. Did WW, lost weight...got tired for figuring out the points, quickly gained back. Started using MFP, stuck with it longer than anything, lost, and able to maintain what I lost. Easier to log/figure out calories than figure out points. I just got to lazy trying to caluate what each point value was. Calories...plain and simple. Free, awesome support, FREE.

^ This
And frankly I know you disagree with the idea that WW isn't calorie counting, but it is. I've been on the two older WW and newest WW, as of a year ago. Both website and the meetings. The point of points, is to limit calories, its just done with a more complex equation, as all calories are not equal, which the new system recognizes, like veg and fruit being free.
I found I felt I had much more control over my diet, with simple calorie counting on mfp, than WW over the long run. Especially because my diet is very varied.
Counting calories is important, but at a certain point, the veggies and fruit are not what are going to make you fat in the long run. I've really learned to appreciate mfp. For me it's less about free points now and more about conscious healthy choices.

ekmanning50 · May 2013

I am also a former weight watcher and face similar struggles with not having the free fruits and vegetables. Anytime I was hungry, I could grab a piece of fruit. I did get tired of calculating point values, though and grew tired of paying for weight watchers online. I know it is easier to calculate calories and this is free and also has an app for my smartphone that works well. I was a little disheartened that it set me up for 1200 calories. This was too low to even get in essentials like milk and grains. I increased my daily goal to 1500 to have a cushion and then when I worked out and earned 465 calories, it also increased my goal, again. I guess it adjusts according to your exercise? I am hopeful tht I can get this weight off and keep it off, this time!

honeylissabee · May 2013

Right now, I'm just tracking my intake not including free fruit/veggies here on MFP, but I'll start adding in fruit/veggies to my calculations with a focus on root veggies and other higher-calorie veggies. I may continue to not worry about the large majority of veggies though.

I don't plan on being too strict with myself. If I put a handful of cherries in the 3/4 cup sized compartment of my lunch container, I'll just track it as 3/4 a cup of cherries. I'm not going to nitpick over the calories in my banana. I figure one of my "medium" bananas will actually have 90 calories instead of 100, but the next will have 110 so it'll even out.

jran3 · May 2013

You can still count your points and just not pay to attend the meetings,

I've tried doing it on my own before, and it just didn't work. I need the online tools to stay on track, and I honestly don't know if I'll be able to afford them when my subscription is supposed to renew.

If WW works for you, then don't quit. That said, and I'm sure others in this thread have already said it. WW IS calorie counting. Nothing more. 1pt is roughly 50cal. All the "tools" one needs, except the in person weigh in and meeting are here on MFP, but you can create the same amount of "accountability" through a friends list, and regular weight ins on your own. I mean you don't HAVE to go to meetings or to weigh in...you go for accountability. You can do the same things WW does here. The only difference is that EVERYTHING must be accounted for. You can still "bank" calories each week, or set it up any way that works for you. But, if it ain't broke, then don't fix it. Stay with WW if it works.

Switching from Weight Watchers to Calorie Counting?

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