Why pay for Weight Watchers Online?!

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  • cshulga
    cshulga Posts: 17
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    Same! At one point, Fibre One bars were only 2 points, so I ate like 4 of them lol I know that was irresponsible on my part, but still. I mostly ate empty calorie foods, 100 cal foods. It can be pretty unhealthy.
  • nicolemontagna22
    nicolemontagna22 Posts: 229 Member
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    Me too. She needs to learn to say "because" correctly. It's pronounced bee-cause NOT buh -cuz
  • zanne54
    zanne54 Posts: 336 Member
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    Another thumbs up for MFP. WW helped a bit with portion control, etc, but MFP allows so much more flexibility. And I've gotten better results here because fruits and vegetables are NOT free of calories. I am very confident that this time will be the end of the yo-yo, that MFP will give me the tools and the support to learn how to maintain once I hit goal. Because MFP helped me change my lifestyle where WW was more of a diet.
  • nicolemontagna22
    nicolemontagna22 Posts: 229 Member
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    My fear is......how long will my fitness pal be around? Will they close up shop in like 1,5,10 years then we all need to find another tracking system? I know we can still count calories but we will have to do keg work to search foods without labels
  • TLCEsq
    TLCEsq Posts: 413 Member
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    I was just thinking the same thing yesterday! I felt Weight Watchers was more about making sure to stay within my allotted points which caused me to eat foods which were low in points but not necessarily healthy.

    ^^ This annoyed me the most about Weight Watchers, it was low fat this, low fat that, processed this, what can I buy that's similar for fewer points, etc. Some people end up spending so much time trying to figure out how to cheat the system and make their points stretch further, it's BS. I did lose 30 lbs but then needed more protein and my goals changed so I lost another 20 tracking on my own. After two kids, law school and the Bar exam I have gained it back but this time I am sticking with MFP.
  • catsandtats
    catsandtats Posts: 29 Member
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    My fear is......how long will my fitness pal be around? Will they close up shop in like 1,5,10 years then we all need to find another tracking system? I know we can still count calories but we will have to do keg work to search foods without labels

    I had a similar thought this morning. I was wondering how MFP makes money to keep doing all the (great!) software upgrades and stuff because there aren't any ads on my mobile app.

    On the WW thing: I did WW at first and I basically did it for free because I just did a patent search and found the formula for calculating points on things. After doing it for about 8 months (and I had "success" in terms of pounds lost although no fitness was gained), I noticed two things: 1) I wasn't eating a lot of nutrient dense foods because I was so into getting the right number of points and 2) It was, in essence, glorified calorie counting (in my opinion) plus a "community" component (which, as an introvert, I didn't want anyway)...so then I just joined up here!
  • cj2change
    cj2change Posts: 2
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    I went to WW meetings, ate fruit per old point system and didn't loose any weight. When I was weighed in by their associate, she looked at me in disgust...that was the last meeting I went to. I am so glad that mfp is here , I rejoined again this last February and thank you creators for giving us a useful tool. I have lost 13 pounds so far and feel very content with both the progress and the fact that I am learning good lifestyle habits. :)
  • SummerOBX8
    SummerOBX8 Posts: 28
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    I have been on and off WW for years. Don't want to know how much money I have spent with them!

    What always bugged me is no one cared about nutrition only about "how many points is that?".

    I actually had a leader say not to eat banana's or peanut butter? I wondered why? They both have healthy aspects about them.
  • kyrannosaurus
    kyrannosaurus Posts: 350 Member
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    I went to weight watchers for about 4 months and lost 33lbs. That being said I didn't count points I just made a point of eating nutritious food. I was eating a vegan diet at the time which the weight watchers leader thought was stupid and I was always told off for not counting points even though I was losing weight consistently. Eventually I got sick of it (other members were asking me why I was even there because I "didn't look overweight" - which I still was I just wasn't obese anymore like most of the members).

    I quit WW, gave up being vegan. Didn't gain anymore weight but didn't lose it either. Then I joined MFP. And it's so much better. It's made me so much more aware of my nutrition (I was lacking in protein). And I've lost another 20lbs.
  • SPeffer1
    SPeffer1 Posts: 74 Member
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    I actually love WW and this site both. For different reasons. WW works for me - I lost my weigh with them, and maintained for two years. Actually longer, but it was interrupted by a pregnancy.

    I do think WW can teach you how to eat - it did for me anyway. And I never once bought their products b/c they are typically over processed and don't look that good to me.

    That being said - I'm free. I'm not sure I'd pay to do WW with a site like this around. I like this website better as far as tracking because it gives more information.

    But I do think both programs work, and can work long term if they are done correctly. If you are "cheating the system" and eating 1000 calories a day of free food - that's just not good common sense, and I haven't had one leader encourage that kind of eating. It's to satisfaction - not full/stuffed. Though I do think they need some work on their education about what really is healthy because I'm in complete agreement that some of their power foods aren't the healthiest. They need to do a better job of teaching members to read labels, follow the good health guidelines, etc.

    Regardless, I have to say - this site is fantastic! And I love coming on to see where I'm falling on my goals for fat, protein, carbs. That is something I wish WW WOULD incorporate.

    And I also agree I think they charge too much for those who pay.
  • Cyclingbonnie
    Cyclingbonnie Posts: 413 Member
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    To each their own, myself personally will never pay for WW again, this site is the bomb!
  • dancer2u
    dancer2u Posts: 35 Member
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    I have done the WW classes & online. I did okay, but it was hard to go to the classes every week (once a week), because of my work schedule, & their time you had to be there....also sometimes I would show up & they had called the class off, & didn't bother to let anyone know.....so I got tired of it quickly. I have stuck with MFP, & doing so well. I think people just have to find what works for them, & go with that. I just think about all the money I lost in things like that. =(
  • sodakat
    sodakat Posts: 1,126 Member
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    I used WW before they came up with the points system, back in the late 70s/early80s. I have to give them credit for teaching me about macros, although they didn't call them that then. They also taught portion sizes because their diet was based on eating "X" amount of each food group every day, such as 2 proteins, 4 grains, 3 vegs, 3 fruits, 3 T of fat, etc. I cannot remember the exact numbers. The understanding that eggs/meat/fish/cheese/legumes were protein, that some proteins contain more fat (like peanut butter) and how to cook without deep frying were informative.

    But, realistically I did not gain enough real life knowledge because so many foods were forbidden, at least until you got to maintenance, and when I hit goal weight after losing 50 pounds, I thought I knew what I was doing and didn't want to continue going to WW meetings. Obviously there were no online meetings at that time.

    There was one really good "treat" recipe I made while on WW that used Alba, ice cubes, plain Knox gelatin, frozen strawberries and water that I've been trying to remember. It made a hUUUge portion of a mousse-like dessert that was super filling.
  • Cynner2007
    Cynner2007 Posts: 46 Member
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    I will remain forever grateful for the friend who recommended MFP to me. I have tried WW online and just never felt the connection. Mad love for MFP..
  • Deb_622
    Deb_622 Posts: 694
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    I just recently came to MFP from WW - I have had a lot of success with WW...in the last ~9 months I've lost 60 pounds. However, I agree with some of the people on this thread, WW doesn't necessarily give you a good picture of how healthy you are actually eating. I was working hard to stay under (or at) my daily points value and not using my weekly or activity points, but when I actually figured out how many calories that added up to - I was about 500+ calories short of what I needed to be eating.

    WW can work for a lot of people - especially just getting their portions under control - which was a huge thing for me. But, I am most likely going to cancel my online membership (I have never gone to meetings) and stick with MFP because it gives me a better idea of how balanced my diet is and where my calories are coming from.

    And - MFP definitely has a MUCH bigger database of foods - and how can you beat FREE! :happy:
  • sfbaumgarten
    sfbaumgarten Posts: 912 Member
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    I lost my weight with WW online and I loved the program. What I didn't love was how poorly the site and mobile apps functioned. I used both WW and MFP for a while in maintenance until I felt comfortable enough to make the switch to MFP alone. I really didn't mind paying for the program as long as it worked for me, but I didn't like the idea of paying for it forever because you can't achieve "lifetime" status if you're an online only member. Can't say how things would've turned out if I'd tried losing with MFP, but it definitely works for me in maintenance!
  • 515513_sissie
    515513_sissie Posts: 3
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    Its probably why WW is losing money!!! I tried weight watchers and I was not losing weight - however I am consistently losing 1lb per week of MFP!!! and its free!!
  • zaellany
    zaellany Posts: 57 Member
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    I have done Weight Watchers three, count 'em, three times. Never did lose much weight any of the times, but kept going back trying to make it work. The last time I was on it, only sheer willpower kept me going as I was starving, cranky and miserable all.the.time...Now I realize, of course, that I was consistently eating WAY below even my BMR, forget my TDEE. I also didn't like the WW emphasis on eating weird, chemically foods - I feel better when I eat clean.

    Some people just LOVE WW, I am glad it works for them. It did not work for me because I couldn't stay on it long enough to really see serious results - I hated life when I was on WW. MFP is proving to be MUCH easier so far, and I think will be more sustainable in the end.
  • JenniTheVeggie
    JenniTheVeggie Posts: 2,474 Member
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    I've said/thought the same thing so many times. BUT different things work for different people.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,082 Member
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    Hmmm, I know this site loves to bag WW - but I do see many people being successful on WW too.

    I wouldn't pay for WW online when there are free programs like this available - but what works for many people with WW is the meetings, the support of other people IRl and the social aspect of a group with other members with the same goals.
    They have people going for maintenance too , not just in the losing phase.

    Just like online education doesn't work for everyone - some people need the social connections to make things work.

    If I was going to WW meetings, I might use the online applications too.

    MFP is a great program, I agree - but there are other good programs which are also great for many people.

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