Weightwatchers, slimming world or rosemary conley?

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Hollyhocks89
Hollyhocks89 Posts: 92 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi Guys
Firstly i hope this is ok to post here!

I'v been thinking about joining one of these groups for ages and i mentioned this to my GP when i went about something else and she weighed me and my BMI is over 28 now so she gave me a GP referal which is for 12 weeks free to help me lose the 2-3 stone i put on but i'm not sure which one? I'v never been to any before i'v read the books for SW as my friend lent me them to look through!

whats you opinion on them?

Are the classes really good, helpful, motivational or a bit of a waste?

I'v not really heard much about RC so I have no idea about that one at all!

Any help would be appriciated

Thanks

Replies

  • framingsammie
    framingsammie Posts: 144 Member
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    I'd say Weight Watchers only because my mum and nan are on Weight Watchers. My nan has lost 50+lbs and my mum has lost about 3 stone (she started a couple of months ago!) They aren't depriving themselves but still losing. It's fantastic to see how far they've both come. I think that classes are helpful to begin with being weighed in and having group talks can motivate you more but it's whether you personally find it helpful which you won't know until you try. I tried Weight Watchers before and had good results too but I personally prefer MFP now. Good luck! :)
  • chinatbag
    chinatbag Posts: 249 Member
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    I've been in the Weight Watchers classes purely as an observer and I can tell you that the things they are teaching you are lifestyle changes. They also make it easier for some people to understand more about nutrition, as their system is all based upon points per meal/snack. What it does is it helps people eat at a caloric restriction, subsequently, making it so that they won't overeat.

    It's great for people who don't want to learn a ton about nutrition and adopt a lifestyle change that's simple where all the guess work on food is already done. I would recommend it to someone that really needs the help. They have a lot of people who have been very successful using their system and when they get to their goal, they get a lifetime membership for free.
  • Hollyhocks89
    Hollyhocks89 Posts: 92 Member
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    Thanks
    Its good to hear others views specially as iv never been to any at all!
  • jenine4366
    jenine4366 Posts: 11
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    I did weight watchers in the past and got down to 135. They changed their point model since then and I don't like the newer version as much since it required a calculator I had to carry around and enter the fat, protein and fiber for everything I ate. I find MFP much easier to use now than WW. The biggest benefit of weight watchers (in my opinion) is the support. Everyone in the meetings is super supportive and everyone shares their tricks and gives each other kudos on improvements. I've never heard of the other two so I don't have any opinions there.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    None of them, just use MFP and get your doctor to get you a 12 week gym pass instead!
  • ferrier2010
    ferrier2010 Posts: 13
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    I used to go to a Rosemary Conley class and I loved it!! The main differance is that with a RC class - you get exercise along with your weigh in etc. As I would go on a Tuesday, get weighed then join in the aerobics class (that is included in your weekly/mothly fee) and then I would go again on a Thursday for another fitness class. I think I paid around £20 a month and that allowed me to attend as many fitness classes as I wanted to.

    In the space on about 2/3 months I had lost just under 2.5 stone and I felt great.

    The only reason I stopped going was I dislocated me knee (old dancing injury) and piled the weight back on due to overeating and not being able to exercise. My old class has now moved to another location that isnt convient for me to attend otherwise I would be going there to help with the weight loss again x
  • Hollyhocks89
    Hollyhocks89 Posts: 92 Member
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    None of them, just use MFP and get your doctor to get you a 12 week gym pass instead!

    I asked about a gym pass but she said that it would be much cheaper to go to the gym and i cant afford it right now due to changes jobs and not having the overtime im used to at the moment but i would have prefered that!
  • LittleMissDover
    LittleMissDover Posts: 820 Member
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    I always liked the idea of Rosemary Conley until my friend went and was put on 1000 cals a day.

    As you have a free pass for 12 weeks I would do Rosemary Conley for the exercise class, recipes etc you'll get but I'd take their calorie recommendations and throw them out!
  • Swallows_And_Stars
    Swallows_And_Stars Posts: 6
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    Iv done both, I did slimming world for 2 years successfully and lost over 2st (i regained it and lost it again a couple of times) but iv got to admit I do think weight watchers is better.

    Slimming world is great in the sense it teaches to to cook everything from scratch & eat lots of fruit veg and lean meat but it doesnt teach you about portion control - you find yourself eating huge portions of spag bol beacuse its all 'free' ... and the other thing is i struggled with is theres no room for 'naughty' so id find on a weekend id just have a full on blow out - because yes you do get 15 'syns' to spend on things like crisps/sweets/alcohol... but it doesnt go very far and you end up think well ill just have a day off.


    Whereas when I switched to weight watchers I found it started to teach me about portion control, and I got back to eating normal appropriate sized meals instead of huuuuge portions (and seconds!). They also have those 'weekly points' that you can save to have a meal out or alcohol etc on a weekend so you dont feel like you're having a blow out & i think that helps your mindset when dieting. Also it teaches you to earn points through exercise - So i would quite often hit the gym or do some swimming to 'earn' my weekend treats whereas you cant really do that on Slimming world. The other thing is you can find out points for a lot of mainstream resteraunts. So you start to realise what your 'better options' are. So when your friends invite you out for coffee/or food you dont have to say 'no sorry im on a diet' you can have a quick look up in your books/on the online database and get an idea of what to order. I found weight watchers suited my life much better and had great effects!

    It depends what you want - if you love cooking and like the idea of big hearty healthy meals Slimming World is your one (Plus the groups are always good fun and supportive). But If you want the option to be able to buy ready meals/sandwiches (for work convienience) and you want to be able to eat and drink out with friends without feeling that you're ruining your diet, Id suggest WW.

    Im just using MFP to calorie count now but its pretty much the same principle as WW and works :)

    Good Luck

    :)
  • babybl00310
    babybl00310 Posts: 75 Member
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    I follow Weight Watchers as well as logging my calories on here. The system is simple- you are allocated a number of points per day, 49 additional points which are optional to use over the week (I find I get better losses when I use at least half of them) and you can also earn more points via exercise. I cook a lot from scratch and find my points go further that way but you can basically eat what you want as long as it fits into your points (feel free to add me to see my diary). I no longer go to class as my leader had to leave through ill health so I've continued by doing it on my phone using an android app.I find I have steady weight losses of around 0.5 to 2lbs per week and I'm happy with that.

    In the past I followed Slimming World which again suited me when I was cooking from scratch but I found much harder on days when you were eating out or just couldn't be bothered. I tended to find my losses were all over the place too- I would drop a big number, gain a pound, lose a half then drop a big number again. Once I saw the pattern I was okay with that but it could be demoralising at times.

    I believe however that different plans work for different people and you need to try it to see how you find it.
  • LittleMissDover
    LittleMissDover Posts: 820 Member
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    Yeah, what 'Swallows' said is worth noting, I gained weight on Slimming World because it allows you to eat 'until you are satisfied' with things like pasta, eggs, rice and potatoes which is easy to abuse when you're used to an overweight lifestyle.

    I like calorie counting, it eliminates nothing and teaches me portion control.
  • kathryn01539
    kathryn01539 Posts: 1
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    I would advise you to do a search on line and find out what is available in your area, and the times locations that best suit you. I personally would say Rosemary Conley backed up by MFP to keep track of your calories, it is a sensible calorie counted way of losing weight and increasing exercise and you get the class support. WW is in my view is just designed as a way of selling as much of their produce and products as possible, the actual points system is really calorie counting disguised and if you use up all the points plus the extra ones it seems to take ages to loose weight. Good luck.
  • Hollyhocks89
    Hollyhocks89 Posts: 92 Member
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    Thanks everyone its helpful hearing everyones expreiences and prefrences!
    I think it may be between WW and RC i think that your right with the overeating part on SW i could see myself thinking its ok to overeat and then not losing!
    x
  • MrsDangerousCurves
    MrsDangerousCurves Posts: 85 Member
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    I lost 20+ lbs on WW and found that it definitely helped with eating better and eating smaller portions. I started using MFP in conjuntion with WW on that last 10 lbs I had to lose. Lost those last 10 lbs and am now using MFP exclusively. I wanted to lose 10 more lbs further and I've lost 4.2 thus far.
    You really can't go wrong with either MFP or WW. Just depends on your preference really.
  • RubiMcDonald
    RubiMcDonald Posts: 1
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    Yes - just use MFP and you do not need a gym just get a pedometer and walk more.
    None of them, just use MFP and get your doctor to get you a 12 week gym pass instead!

    I asked about a gym pass but she said that it would be much cheaper to go to the gym and i cant afford it right now due to changes jobs and not having the overtime im used to at the moment but i would have prefered that!
  • traveller7
    traveller7 Posts: 11 Member
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    I am thinking of joining RC to get rid of the stone I need to lose I have hit a plateau after losing 20lbs and I know my body needs to adjust but I havent lost any weight for over a month now and want to mix it up a bit and I like the idea of getting the aerobics class with the weighing in.
    It costs £6.95 in my area per week and my old Zumba class was £6 so I figure its worth the investment
    Im going on holiday next week and will start the classes hopefully the day after I come back.
    I have tried WW and didnt lose anything really and I dont like the new points system. But its different for everyone, my mum lost half a stone and I know others have lost weight with it.I like the fact that RC is just continuing what I am already doing really, counting calories and exercise.
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
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    Or you could use MFP?
    Calorie deficit=weight loss
  • lewcompton
    lewcompton Posts: 881 Member
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    I lost one hundred pounds on weight watchers, went off the plan and gained back 120... Went back on weight watchers and lost 60, went off the plan and gained back 120... This site provides a free tool to use in your weight loss efforts. I "plan" to log here for the next fifty years...
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    Since it's free, I'd try to use the program as a learning experience. I've been to a few weight watcher's meetings, and they can vary greatly (some leaders push the pre-packaged foods, others don't). Try and get as much as you can from which ever program you choose, but keep in mind that their goal will to be to keep you enrolled. You can do this on your own though, so don't feel obligated at the end to extend your membership if you don't want to.

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