Slimming world or Weight Watchers?

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I'm thinking of joining one of them but i'm unsure of which to join. I'm finding it hard with food.. and getting fed up of constantly worrying about it. It feels like food is never off my mind and is depressing me more and more. :(

Which one do you think is better?

Replies

  • tricksee
    tricksee Posts: 835 Member
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    Paying to lose weight is totally asinine in my opinion.

    All weight watchers or slimming world do is charge to you money to do something anybody with half a brain, some willpower and patience can do for free.

    EAT AT A CALORIC DEFICIT.

    Use a calorie calculator to figure out your TDEE and eat -300 to -500 calls under that number.
  • LarDoucheLar
    LarDoucheLar Posts: 171 Member
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    I've just figured out my tdee which is 1922 calories whereas i've only been eating 1200 calories a day when my bmr is 1485 calories.

    So i'm going to raise my calorie intake to 20% of my tdee meaning i'll eat 1537 calories a day.

    Hopefully thing makes a difference for the better :)
  • crystalflame
    crystalflame Posts: 1,049 Member
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    Hopefully. Definitely try that first, because neither of those programs is worth paying for IMO. I've never done either, but here's what I understand about them:

    WW is similar to MFP, only you deal with a points budget instead of a calorie budget. The problem with points is that things like fruit are point-free, but a banana or mango is 100+ calories. A lot of converts to MFP say they struggled on WW and didn't lose (or gained).

    Slimming World is even worse. It discourages tracking calories, and it gives you "free" and "super free" foods that you're allowed to eat as much of as you want, and some of the free foods are things like rice and pasta. Not really sure how allowing people to gorge on calorie-loaded foods while actively discouraging them from knowing how much they're taking in will result in weight loss...


    Obviously you're hungry. More calories should help with that, and hopefully it takes care of your issues. However, sometimes you need structure when you're just starting out. It might be a good idea to give yourself some until you develop healthy habits and feel comfortable branching out to a wider range of foods. How about picking a well-known diet plan and developing your meals around it? There's a lot of free resources and recipes regarding the Mediterranean diet, for example. You'll get a better feel for calorie content, portion sizes, and the types of food that fill you up. Once you've got that down, you can add other foods back in as you see fit. Just a suggestion if that's an area you're having a hard time with. Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • fatsnacker
    fatsnacker Posts: 209 Member
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    Rosemary Conley offer diet and exercise classes.
  • MelanieHodgkiss1962
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    If you have a Rosemary Conley class nearby, that would be the better option. I find the other two clubs diets systems too confusing!
  • sunshineblue1
    sunshineblue1 Posts: 60 Member
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    I have joined every weight loss clinic and every fad diet known....

    I have joined gyms and taken weight loss pills which never seemed to work

    After 10 years of being very overweight....I found MFP and Runkeeper :)

    By tracking calories and running i have managed to loose more weight than I have at these clinics and havent spent a single penny in doing so.

    Like someone said...change your lifestyle, this can be done without giving money to weight loss programs, they can offer u nothing u cannot do yourself.

    If u need a network to support you...come on here, i was venting about over indulging in chinese yesterday. The support is here....just use it
  • ElliieMental
    ElliieMental Posts: 189
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    I go to slimming world because there is an element of listening to your body and tuning in to when to eat and when not to eat.

    I find that calorie counting leads me to think I can eat crap all day so long as I stick within my cal limit - slimming world encourages you to fill up on free (healthy ) food and only count and moderate the unhealthy food.

    Having said that - a lot of conveniance food is not free on slimming world so on days when i can't do SW 100% instead of just eating what i want all day i will calorie count.

    Weight watchers i found annoying because i had to look in my little bible every time i wanted to eat something!

    I do find it a little bit of a shame that i have to pay money to go to these meetings but in the end it is a support group that you are paying for, and i know that if i don't have to "deadline" of weigh in at group i will talk myself into all sorts of bad eating choices.

    Each to their own but i know a lot of people who would never have lost the weight without the support of a slimming club - and having tried all of them going i personally recommend slimming world over the rest!

    Add me if you like x
  • missybct
    missybct Posts: 321 Member
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    Unless I have missed something monumental regarding Rosemary Conley, doesn't she work at a ridiculous low deficit? I seem to recall it's something like 1200-1500 no matter what. Also, you have to pay for it.

    Personally, I'd never go back to a diet programme that requires me to pay to be weighed. I know some people like the discipline and some people like the social side of it, but it just seems a bit - I don't know. I did WW for five months and the only reason I screwed up was entirely my own doing. I just resented paying £20 in the end, not to mention all the other add on's that come as part of the system - you end up becoming a bit of a slave to it, or at least I did.

    That said, I think diet clubs CAN be a very good starting point for someone who hasn't dieted before or is a bit hesitant. Some of the advice is very good, and some of it is geared unsurprisingly for more money to the company. The social side can be good, and there is a sense of community if you get a good group.

    Maybe wait until there is a promotion, go along and see how you get on. I'd never diss WW because it was helpful for me and so many other people, but I much prefer my own control.
  • silkcat
    silkcat Posts: 4
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    With Rosemary Conley you at least get an exercise class with your weekly fee. I did SW for a while but couldn't keep the weight off because I hadn't reduced my portion sizes. Calorie control is the key for me. If you need more support you should be able to weigh in at your GP surgery with a nurse. That might give you the weekly or fortnightly accountability you need. I've only being on MFP for a week but I feel in control of my own eating habits and I'm loving the fact that it isn't costing me any money! Good Luck!
  • missybct
    missybct Posts: 321 Member
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    Also - there are decent, calibrated scales in most pharmacies - we have them in Boots (UK) and they measure weight and body fat. I normally check in with them once a week just to make sure my home scales are on the dot.
  • sandieecakes
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    The only thing weight watchers ever did was introduce me to starvation.
  • srob98
    srob98 Posts: 41 Member
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    I loved Weight Watchers. I lost 76 pounds over about 6-7 months. I lost every week, usually close to 2 pounds...sometimes more, sometimes less. I am amazed at how many people are bashing it - it's not that expensive.

    I do agree you pretty much do the same thing here, but I think it is the group effect that really helps! I enjoyed the meetings and the celebrations. Your weight was never announced, but you could share your loss or some other type of victory. As nice as MFP is, it's still not face to face, and there is a lot of research behind the psychological effects of face to face interaction.

    Saying it made you learn to starve is confusing, too. It taught me to eat MUCH healthier! You know how many points you have, so you budget them. You can eat more food if you choose low point value foods, which are usually the healthier foods - fruits, veggies, and high fiber foods. I ate healthier on WW that I do on here - especially high fiber foods.

    They were wonderfully supportive....sure, they were making money, but as I said, it was not that much, and to me, it was worth every penny. Plus, it is free when you get to maintenance. I got a little cocky at the end of my journey and stopped going...which meant I stopped logging...which meant I started gaining....just like people do if they stop logging here.

    I don't know anything about the other program you mentioned, so I can't comment on it. It seems most people that have commented negatively have not tried either...so take that advice lightly.

    All in all, I think WW works well, is very affordable, has a sense of community, and helped me make much healthier choices in food. Oh...and the best part for me was you could "save up" some of your points for a special meal. So, if I was going to go to eat Mexican on the weekend, I could save up some extra points to "spend" on that meal. It didn't mean I could just pig out, but I could enjoy a meal I would not normally eat. It was more realistic for the way I live my life. Nothing crazy....eat what you want, but if you eat more unhealthy food, you are going to have a lot less to eat.

    Oh...and they usually have "specials", so you could try it for a few months to see if you like it.

    Hope that is helpful!
  • cherries1971
    cherries1971 Posts: 15 Member
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    Hi! If you feel you need the support of a slimming club then go for it. I have been to slimming clubs and lost the weight, then as soon as i stop going the weight creeps up again.
    We all know what to do to lose weight, that's the easy part having the knowledge, but sometimes we just need a bit of support from a group or the fear of stepping on the scales and not losing (thats what it was for me) :D But i joined Rosemary Conley. I cannot comment on slimming world as i have never done it but weight watchers for me was a bit of a pain as counting points in everything was a nightmare, but with RC you just count the calories, which is on nearly every food pack or if not can be found on sites like this one, and it also has an exercise class (optional) as well as the support of a group of people who are all going through the same as you.
    Basically to start your weight loss, you just cut out alcohol and stick to 1200 calories a day, then after 2 weeks up it to 1400 calories. the other golden rule is to stick to the 'less than 5% fat rule' per 100g of any product, except for oily fish. Thats all you need to do, i know this but i cannot do it as i just cheat, but now im back i know that i am going to be weighed so think twice before i sneak that extra roasty on my plate :D
    Hope this helps and i havemt rambled too much :D xx
  • m0jk
    m0jk Posts: 133
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    id always say exercise is the best way to lose weight, but i cant atm sooo piled it on, but my sisters where at weight watchers for a long time and never got the results they did at slimming world. it never worked for me because i couldnt exercise ... i started diet chef and they recommended myfitnesspal , its working for me now! 9lb in the first week :)
  • susiepet
    susiepet Posts: 68
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    I've been on mfp for a while. In the past I've lost weight well with mfp, WW, SW and RC - and put it back on.

    My take on it? I find I eat much the same on SW and mfp - but I do eat less junk with SW. I also find that the very element of not counting calories on SW - which is often criticised on here - provides an environment that makes the whole process less stressful. And as far as portion size goes - well, there are rules at SW - for example, at least a third of your plate (at every meal) should be veg and or fruit - the rest is protein and carbs as you'd expect. It's low fat as you'd expect. And there is the "moderation in all things" rule that never gets mentioned, and the "fill up on super free (ie the veg) first, then free, then healthy extras, then syns guidance! And although not compulsory exercise is definitely encouraged.
    I'm losing a pound a week on average with SW - much the same as with other systems I've used, but with what feels like much more freedom. A word of warning though - SW is probably best suited to people who love to cook as it's much easier if you prepare stuff from scratch

    RC? That's based on calorie counting and low fat. Well, I lost a lot of weight with that system and I definitely like the exercise being built in - but I did eat the same (albeit healthy) stuff all the time...

    WW? To be honest I struggled with the points thing as it just seemed to be another step on top of calories counting.

    I completely get the cals in cals out argument and it seems to me that all of these systems help with that - so you should find what works for you. I don't choose to go to a class at the moment because that's where my head is at - but I don't underestimate the camaraderie you can find in them. I just get that motivation elsewhere these days.

    I hope that's helpful rather than confusing

    S:smile:
  • VeganCoco
    VeganCoco Posts: 104 Member
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    Hopefully. Definitely try that first, because neither of those programs is worth paying for IMO. I've never done either, but here's what I understand about them:

    WW is similar to MFP, only you deal with a points budget instead of a calorie budget. The problem with points is that things like fruit are point-free, but a banana or mango is 100+ calories. A lot of converts to MFP say they struggled on WW and didn't lose (or gained).

    Slimming World is even worse. It discourages tracking calories, and it gives you "free" and "super free" foods that you're allowed to eat as much of as you want, and some of the free foods are things like rice and pasta. Not really sure how allowing people to gorge on calorie-loaded foods while actively discouraging them from knowing how much they're taking in will result in weight loss...


    Obviously you're hungry. More calories should help with that, and hopefully it takes care of your issues. However, sometimes you need structure when you're just starting out. It might be a good idea to give yourself some until you develop healthy habits and feel comfortable branching out to a wider range of foods. How about picking a well-known diet plan and developing your meals around it? There's a lot of free resources and recipes regarding the Mediterranean diet, for example. You'll get a better feel for calorie content, portion sizes, and the types of food that fill you up. Once you've got that down, you can add other foods back in as you see fit. Just a suggestion if that's an area you're having a hard time with. Good luck :flowerforyou:

    Bananas and mangos are not point free, only water based fruit and veg (cucumbers/watermelon etc) are.

    I did slimming world for a few weeks and hated it, I just ate loads of pasta, it did nothing for me.

    Weight watchers was actually very good, the meetings are motivational and while people on here will try to bring you down it is very effective when you're first starting out and you need serious structure.

    I lost a couple of stone on it, but being 18 at the time I promptly gained it back, did it again as an adult and kept it off, it is NOT something I think people can do for the rest of their lives but it's a fast and calorie healthy way to get the weight off and it makes you re-evaluate your portion sizes.

    Plus having a weekly weigh in does make you feel more determined, if you think the structure would help you then I advise WW.
  • belfastbiker
    belfastbiker Posts: 44 Member
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    Joined SW tonight, gonna take a week to get my head around rice, potatoes and indeed pasta being free as long as it's dried (fresh pasta is a syn), and fruit free unless you use it in a smoothie, in which case it becomes a syn...

    Also tinned fruit is a syn, but fresh or frozen fruit isn't, It doesn't mention draining. I'e a feeling I'm gonna go in on the second week with 50 syns a day to confuse them with my 3lbs weight loss.
  • mollyW2012
    mollyW2012 Posts: 94 Member
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    Hopefully. Definitely try that first, because neither of those programs is worth paying for IMO. I've never done either, but here's what I understand about them:

    WW is similar to MFP, only you deal with a points budget instead of a calorie budget. The problem with points is that things like fruit are point-free, but a banana or mango is 100+ calories. A lot of converts to MFP say they struggled on WW and didn't lose (or gained).

    Slimming World is even worse. It discourages tracking calories, and it gives you "free" and "super free" foods that you're allowed to eat as much of as you want, and some of the free foods are things like rice and pasta. Not really sure how allowing people to gorge on calorie-loaded foods while actively discouraging them from knowing how much they're taking in will result in weight loss...


    Obviously you're hungry. More calories should help with that, and hopefully it takes care of your issues. However, sometimes you need structure when you're just starting out. It might be a good idea to give yourself some until you develop healthy habits and feel comfortable branching out to a wider range of foods. How about picking a well-known diet plan and developing your meals around it? There's a lot of free resources and recipes regarding the Mediterranean diet, for example. You'll get a better feel for calorie content, portion sizes, and the types of food that fill you up. Once you've got that down, you can add other foods back in as you see fit. Just a suggestion if that's an area you're having a hard time with. Good luck :flowerforyou:

    Bananas and mangos are not point free, only water based fruit and veg (cucumbers/watermelon etc) are.

    I did slimming world for a few weeks and hated it, I just ate loads of pasta, it did nothing for me.

    Weight watchers was actually very good, the meetings are motivational and while people on here will try to bring you down it is very effective when you're first starting out and you need serious structure.

    I lost a couple of stone on it, but being 18 at the time I promptly gained it back, did it again as an adult and kept it off, it is NOT something I think people can do for the rest of their lives but it's a fast and calorie healthy way to get the weight off and it makes you re-evaluate your portion sizes.

    Plus having a weekly weigh in does make you feel more determined, if you think the structure would help you then I advise WW.

    I have had great results with WW, prior to having kids. I just rejoined. For me, I like the meetings and the weigh in. I actually don't follow their point program, I follow MFP. I use MFP for tracking my food and exercise. I go to WW, because it's encouraging to talk with other people and sharing ideas. It's hard to do it by yourself, online. I find that with WW, there are more people like me. Average people, who have tried losing weight before, and were unsuccessful. And, those same people tend to have food issues. I also like the accountability of weighing in each week infront of someone. I have to go in tomorrow and weigh! Keeps me focused.

    Good luck to you!
  • nmuwildcat
    nmuwildcat Posts: 32 Member
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    Hi! I've done Weight Watchers in the past and it was a huge success for me. Due to personal reasons I had gained all the weight back, but in April I started WW again, and so far so good! :D