Convert from Weight Watchers

I too am a WW Convert- I actually reached goal weight with WW but was then put on some medications that made me gain weight- I then got married and gained the newly wed 9 and my eating got out of control so i ended up gaining everything I lost back plus some - however, I continued to attend WW. I stopped attending over the past year because I could not fit it in with my schedule and i wasn't seeing results. I had been doing the plan for so long that I too, figured out how to cheat and still fall into my points. I loved my leader, but after going for so many years, i had heard all of her stories and tips so many times, that I could teach the class. In my last few years of going, i was actually gaining weight- I can honestly blame some of it on chronic medical issues, but when it comes down to it, I have to take responsibility. I like MFP because it does show me all of the things WW does not-with points plus you do calculate the points based on protein, calories, fat, and fiber, but you do not see them staring you in the face, nor do you see the sodium and sugar. I can now see that maybe part of why I was gaining was because I was going over in sugar and sodium but under in calories and fat. Now I am trying to get a more balanced approach. I am still skeptical about some of the nutrition info that I find on here- some of it seems a little low, while others seem high (especially in the fruit and vegetable categories), as well as the amount of calories burned for some activities, but I have seen more success in a shorter amount of time. I have resumed my journey this week and have already lost weight in the past 3 days. I think sometimes we get in a rut and need a change of pace which is why I am liking this site so much.I wish all my WW converts much success and know we can do this!

I converted over 2 years ago, it def maskes the calories. My doctor told me to track my calories and stay away from weight watchers. Im 5.5 and need to lose 30lb also. Feel free to friend me I will help support you in your efforts

Also a convert, I made life time. I have gained weight back plus some. The hardest thing for me is to log in veggie and fruits because in WW they have zero points. Veggies and fruits have calories so I log them in. Welcome and" If you bit it write!" WW saying.

I tried a 12 week challenge with WW. I put on 2kgs. I know I only control what I put in my mouth and what exercises I choose to do. However when I did it, they did not give you the tools you need to count the "points" in food, that was extra money. Also, I found it all too soft for me. If I had a bad week, I don't want someone patting me on theback. I want someone to say, 'dah, you did bad, you know what you did, lets start again this week'. So I rebelled... so yeah, I put on 2kgs and WW got a couple of hundred dollars out of me. Seems fair :grumble:

I am from Ww too, but had a very difficult time with the new points. In six months I lost 18pounds then my mom told me she saw this TV show up thingie on mothers day. I am the only one with a smart phone and downloaded it at the table. What this up was saying my lunch was half of what I should eat, my points was only a third. I have been more focused here and gave lost 14 pounds a lot quicker. The last Ww meeting I went to the leader thought the program finally clicked for me. I didn't have the heart to tell her it wasn't the program that clicked, it was another program. So...welcome and good luck with your weight loss!

Welcome, I just cancelled my WW too, I didn't lose anything on it and I felt like I was eating way too much especially all the free fruit and vegetables. Good Luck and feel free to add me

I started and started over on WW many times myself. I'm 51 and after the years of yo-yos and frustration, came to the conclusion my motives were all messed up - I needed a lifestyle change for my health. I don't want to end up diabetic with all its complications, have osteoporosis, or have hypertension like my mom. I do have a congenital heart condition that is not weight related. My kids are age 20- and 17 and I'm quite simply too young in that sense to not take care of myself. So -- while I've done MFP on and off for a couple years, I've made it part of my lifestyle for 6 months now. I use the calorie recommendation it sets for me, and exercise almost daily. I like the reports feature that lets me see a week at a time how I'm doing nutritionally. I don't let one day or one meal derail me -- words and phrases like "cheating" "off the wagon" "starting over" "messed up" -- etc. -- are not in my vocabulary anymore. I eat pretty much what I want, aiming for nutritious choices, portion controlled, and try to stay "in the green" nutritionally each day. If I want a serving of Oreos, I have them and track it. If I want pizza, I have it and track it. My goals aren't based on number, but on persistence and focusing on the big picture.

What I realized about WW is that the only measure of success that was "official" was the number on the scale. They talked about and "celebrated" other measures of success (measurements, how clothes fit, etc.) but those weren't recorded. My weight also fluctuates - I go down and up for awhile, then drop, down and up, then drop ... this doesn't look too pretty on WW charts. In 6 months on MFP, I've lost 16 lbs and counting, which doesn't sound like much, but I've also been working out with a trainer and going to the gym at least 5 days a week (whether I want to or not), and have lost 32 inches -- which has amounted to 1-2 pants sizes and 1 shirt size. I feel better than I have in years, I'm stronger, sleep better, have more energy.

Good luck and feel free to add me as a friend. :-)

Hang in there Kimberly....you can do it.
I quit WW for the same reasons.

Have patience, and trust in yourself.

Judy

I go to meetings and I have never been encouraged to use artificial sweeteners and fillers. Some people choose to do it, but that is their prerogative. I think the WW approach is portion control, so you can eat whatever you want in a reasonable portion. Also they new points plus system doesn't even factor in calories, it's based on carbs/fiber/fat/protein so healthier foods are generally lower in points.

I was generally referring to the Weight Watchers brands of foods that are full of fillers so you can have cheese for one point or crackers for 2. I realize they are in it to make money; they just don't need any more of mine. I am glad you find support at the meetings. I am not denigrating any method that helps you; I was merely explaining why it didn't help me.

So yes there are people on WW and even MFP who make terrible choices, but that is not because they are following the plan. It is because they do what they want to do. Many MFP members only consider their total calories for the day and not the nutrition. That doesn't make MFP bad, just as it doesn't make WW bad, they both have bad members.

I agree with you here, too. I know my efforts are, right now, to eat what's right for my body. I am not an all-organic-or-nothing kind of gal. I can't afford that! However, I do know that getting rid of the fake stuff and the fillers has helped heal some of my relationship with food. I'm ready to fix a lifelong love-hate relationship with myself and food. I just don't think WW worked for me in that regard.

This thread makes me happy. I felt guilty for leaving WW because it was such a big part of my life. Well, if it was so great, then why wasn't it working? I agree. Too many ways to cheat. Zero points on fruits meant that I was eating an extra 500 calories a day in "free" fruit.

Heather in KS

The first time I joined weight watchers was in 1987 or 88 I can't quite remember and back then it was very similar to here. You had to fill out a diary of your breakfast, lunch and dinner on a diary sheet. You counted calories and you learned a lot about fats, carbohydrates, protein etc. I lost 50 lbs and kept it off for years. It was the best program and it taught you independence and to be able to walk away when you reached your goal weight and just come back periodically if you needed to because you earned your lifetime and your gold key. When I gained weight again I went back then I went back again totaling 7 times. When I returned the first time they had changed the program from calorie counting and weighing and actually teaching you how to make a lifestyle change so you can be independent to the point system. I didn't learn as much I didn't feel like I was in control, I kept gaining then losing then gaining then losing ending up no where. It was a program that had changed too much to work for me MFP is the old way combined with new friends and support and I like it. I can weigh myself when I want instead of standing in line waiting to face that scale that almost caused me an anxiety attack every week. Where I went our leader had changed from a wonderful woman who had been through everything we went through and truly understanding what it was like to lose a large amount of weight to a tiny cute lady who barely lost 10 lbs and was just reading from a script and had no clue what it was like to be in our situation. That also turned me off from that particular site for WW meetings. WW controls your weight loss and you don't become independent you become a lifetime member and if you don't continue with their program chances are great that you will regain the weight plus some. Of course it does work for some people and I commend those people for sticking with it and who are successful. Its just not ever going to be a program for me again. I want to control everything I want to know what is going in my body and I don't want anyone to tell me when I need to weigh myself. I will also say this many people's experiences are different because their meetings and leaders are different. WW was once a great program but for me that is a thing of the past but I will give them this the original program was the absolute best and taught me a lot. The meetings use to be so packed that if you didn't get there really early then you would be standing. Think of this does real food sell in points is it made it points no in calories, fat grams, sugar, etc. etc. I love it here and for those who feel they need to defend WW do so because it works for you not because you think it will work for everyone because it doesn't I'm living proof and so are many others on here. Besides its free here WW has become expensive from when I use to go. For someone on a fixed income like me its a no brainer.

I too have had great success in the past with WW but always seemed to gain the weight back. This time (and hopefully my last time) I'm choosing to focus on eating clean and increasing my protein intake as well as staying within a certain amount of daily calories. MFP is perfect for this! I can't believe all the food items in the database, and I LOVE the barcode scan feature for those things like yogurt and protein powder!!

I, too am a WW convert. I did lose and get fit (following the "core" plan), but gained it back when I stopped tracking and exercising (go figure!). Tried adapting to the new points, but they always seem to come up with a new points system. I decided that since my metabolism has slowed down, that perhaps I should track calories and am thinking of a fitbit as well. Logging food is key for me; when you see what your goal is and what you've eaten plus your exercise in black and white it makes a difference! The basic factors and premise are good; setting goals, rewards, etc.

Joined MFP a while ago, but just started using after gaining 3 more pounds; on day 3 of tracking and exercising! My first goal is 10%. I'm 5'2", 49 years old (on HRT also - of which I'm not sure how it affects the metabolism) and have 50-70 lbs to lose. After my 10% I'll set another to get to a healthy weight.

I feel very inspired by one of the success stories - the woman who weighted 300 lbs and is now 130! You go girl!

Good luck to everyone. Feel free to add me!

Hi Everyone,

I am a lifetime WW member and have plateaud for so long since they changed to Pro Points and made fruit 0 points. I found on the old system I lost my 45 lbs and was very successful, and then when they changed the plan I failed myself miserable. I am now 15 lbs over my goal weight. I still go to the meetings but can't bare to get on their scale and pay $18 every time I do. So I absically go to the meetings and thats about it.

My husband introduced me to MFP and I am loving it!!!!!! Is anyone else FLOORED by the amount of calories and sugar in fruit? I mean, I knew fruit was high in calories, but didn't think I was eating 400 calories a day in "free" fruit, and exceeding my daily sugars by DOUBLE the amount I was supposed to. I had told my Leader for the longest time that I knew the free fruit was sabotaging me. Even 3-1/2 cup servings per day I still wasn't losing the weight and my belly became flabbier and flabbier. I am now down to one fruit a day with MFP because I am trying not to exceed my daily sugar limit.

Searching for foods on here is WAY easier than calculating WW points values, and to be honest I love that everything is here all in one forum. Looking to lose my 15 lbs and get back to my goal weight of 140lbs.

Glad there are support groups and message boards!

Juliana

Hello. I just joined this site as well! I am 22 years old and very over weight! I have always struggled with weight my whole life.. But never gained this much. I have 75 pounds to lose. And I have soo many times just quit trying, because it seems soo impossible for me! But I need to get motivated again, and do this!