Switching from Weight Watchers to Calorie Counting?

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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