Weight Watchers or Calorie Counting?

I was on Weight Watchers as well. I lost a lot of weight with the program, but I stopped going to the meetings because it became rather expensive. I have about 17 pounds left to lose so I am trying to be more strict with my dieting. Weight Watchers is a great program but their points system focuses only on calories, fiber, and fat, which leaves a lot of room for a high intake in sugar, carbs, and sodium. I continue to eat like a Weight Watchers member but I now take those other counts into consideration. I used to love the Weight Watchers bars or their mini cakes, but in one mini cake their is about 8 grams of sugar and the cake is only 1 point. That's a lot of sugar for a one point snack, when I still had about 21 points remaining for the day. On here, that's already about 1/3 of my daily sugar intake. I'll still eat the occasional Smart Ones or Lean Cuisine, which Weight Watchers approves of, but I buy the ones that have the least amounts of sodium and sugar. Weight Watchers can definitely help you lose weight, but there are other factors that I think are important that Weight Watchers doesn't focus too much on, as I said above.

Hope this helps & good luck!! :bigsmile:

Weight Watchers is a money driven machine. They are there to make money off of YOU!
I achieved my life time membership to WW. When someone is a life time member with WW they have to make sure they weigh in once a month or they will have to PAY WW’s high dollar enrollment fee AGAIN. They also offer NO support after you reach your goal weight. You are not worth any money to them unless you gain and have to start paying them again to attend the meetings. And we all know if you miss a meeting you have to pay for it anyway. Like I said they are a money driven machine. They are way too expensive for the average person.
When I reached my goal weight I got a pat on the back and was made to feel like see ya…wouldn’t want to be ya. I was not bringing in any money as long as I maintained my goal weight. WW wants us to fail. They want to make that money off of our failures.
I quit WW and I am now a member of TOPS. TOPS stands for Take Off Pounds Sensibly. The cost is so much less. There is a low fee (lower then WW) you pay once a year and our dues at my chapter is just $5.00 a month and that is it. We fallow the Exchange System which counts calories. It is plain and simple good balanced eating. No gimmicks no fancy little calculator to figure points of anything like that. It is the same diet doctors and hospitals give their heart patients, diabetics and people who need to lose weight.
TOPS is nonprofit, we have no celebrity spokes people. The yearly fee we pay goes to pay for the paper work that Head Quarters has to do and keep up with on us and we get the TOPS News magazine. Our magazine accepts no commercial advertising and we have no paid celebrity spokes people in our magazine. What you will find in our magazine are TOPS members and their weight loss success stories. In other words real people, real success stories.
I can also tell you the support I get at TOPS beats WW Hands down. My chapter is more like family. We love and respect each other and we all look forward to and enjoy our meetings. I never had any of that when I was in WW.
When I reached my goal weight with TOPS I became a KOPS. KOPS stands for Keep Off Pounds Sensibly. I have been a KOPS for over 3 years now.
You can find out more about TOPS at the link below.
In other words I have done both WW and TOPS. I have counted points and I have counted calories. I would rather count calories any day. I know what calories are and what the hell is a point anyway. They didn’t say anything in school about points when they were teaching us nutrition. A calorie, is a calorie, is a calorie. Always has been and always will be.

www.tops.org

My feeling...
Do what works for you. Once you find a healthy lifestyle that you're comfortable with (body, mind, and soul) stick to it. Honestly, you don't have to pay anyone money to teach you how to eat...there are plenty of people out there who will help you free of charge! For example...this website...I joined because I have never counted calories before - I'm just now finding out how quickly calories add up...but even something as simple as a carrot can put you over.
Listen to your body. Be strong. Live Healthy.
Diets don't work - the only way to get to where you want to be is changing your lifestyle.
Do you really want to be counting points and/or calories for the rest of your life?!?!
:noway:

My feeling...
Do what works for you. Once you find a healthy lifestyle that you're comfortable with (body, mind, and soul) stick to it. Honestly, you don't have to pay anyone money to teach you how to eat...there are plenty of people out there who will help you free of charge! For example...this website...I joined because I have never counted calories before - I'm just now finding out how quickly calories add up...but even something as simple as a carrot can put you over.
Listen to your body. Be strong. Live Healthy.
Diets don't work - the only way to get to where you want to be is changing your lifestyle.
Do you really want to be counting points and/or calories for the rest of your life?!?!
:noway:

I have found that if I want to keep the weight off I will have to continue to count my calories for the rest of my life. Yes, I still count them to this day.
I have lost 171 pounds counting calories. I have kept if off now for over 3 years by continuing to count calories. I have been at it so long now that it is second nature to me. I also STIL weigh and measure my food as well. I will never stop doing that either.
I am 54 years old, this is the second time I have lost this much weight. The first time I lost 174 pounds by counting calories. Then when I was down to the weight I wanted to be I quit counting calories and the weight came back. This time I am not going to quit counting calories. Like I said I have found if I want to keep the weight off I know I will have to continue to count my calories for the rest of my life. How else will I know just how much I am putting in my body.
I agree that everyone has to do what is right for them. For me this is what I have found works best.
When someone stops weighing and measuring their food and stops counting their calories that is when they get into trouble and gain weight back. I have seen others do it way too many times (including myself) Like I said before I have been at this a very long time and I know of what I speak.
Good luck to you when you stop counting your calories I hope it works for you.
I have done the weight loss thing alone and now I am doing it with the support group behind me. I know that every week I have to face the scales. I, like many others, like and need that accountability. Plus, I really like the time I spend with and the support I get from my chapter. We love and respect each other and we are there when someone falls off the wagon and is having a hard time getting back on. We are there for each other. Believe me it is much better for me this way then it was when I was doing it alone. I wish I had been with TOPS the first time around then I wouldn’t have to have had to lose the weight the second time. We live and we learn.
LoJo :flowerforyou:

I have heard a lot of good things about TOPS. Points is just having the calories counted for you. and for me its not enough protein. I like the S. Beach diet for those who like structured dieting. If you are just learning nutrition check out some websites, and different diets and choose the way that's best for your lifestyle. you can never have too much education.