Weight gain switching from WW to MFP?

just4me123456
just4me123456 Posts: 35 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've lost about 23 pounds, 9 of which I've lost on WW. I'm close to my goal, and wanted to transition to MFP, which seems to me to be a better tool for longterm maintenance. However, I'm wondering about gaining weight.

Background: I had been steadily losing about 1.4 pounds a week on WW. This week I tracked only on MFP as an experiment. I had MFP set to sedentary (I work a desk job) and it gave me about 1200 calories a day for a pound a week weight loss. I've also attached my fitbit to it and discovered that I probably am not as sedentary as I thought since on an average day I get an additional 200-600 extra calories from exercise. That has worked out well since there have been a few celebrations this week and I'm happy to have that extra.

But what I realize now is that at 26-29 points average per day and not accounting for exercise, I was eating WAY too little calories on WW. No wonder I was losing weight; I was probably eating around 1200-1300 calories a day and burning around 1700-1900.

I record my weight once a week, but do get on the scale for a check in each morning. Right now, I'm about three pounds heavier than I usually am. This could be something I ate (we did have pizza last night) but it isn't the first morning I've noticed it. Also, I'm technically at my "lightest" time of my cycle right now. I did also just start adding more cardio in (at this point I mostly walked for exercise) so I'm wondering if it could be muscle soreness (I know that muscles retain more water as you start an exercise program).

So my questions (and maybe I'm also needing just a bit of assurance):

--For those of you who switched from WW to MFP, did you find that your weight loss progress continued? Did it slow, remain steady or was there a period of adjustment?
--Do most of you eat your fitbit calories back and still lose weight if you didn't eat them back before?
--Could the gain of a few pounds simply be inflamation from sore muscles?


I know I probably shouldn't worry about those few pounds but, being close to goal weight, and losing just a pound or so a week, I want to catch something if I'm doing something wrong here. I do weigh and measure all my food at home and try to overestimate calories a bit when we eat out and I am unsure of the nutritional composition of the food.

Replies

  • karenfallison
    karenfallison Posts: 30 Member
    You are probably retaining water right now. I was on ww also. I converted to mfp and started losing more weight. I'm T2 Diabetic and ww had me eating way too many fruits. I found I've lost the most weight with low carbs and high protein diet. I do not eat my calories back from exercise. Hope this helps, my diary is open feel free to add me.
  • just4me123456
    just4me123456 Posts: 35 Member
    Thanks, Karen, and thank you for letting me look at your diary. It is useful to see how others are eating! I might experiment with not eating back some of my exercise calories. My impression, however, was that we were supposed to since our calorie goal is already set to lose weight.
  • Shirley61
    Shirley61 Posts: 7,758 Member
    Hello

    I just read your post and I am a lifetime WW member. I have tried going back to it twice but just
    couldn't get into the points program anymore. I joined MFP 3 years ago and as you can see I am still here.
    I just lost 21 pounds and am slowly trying to meet my goal. I like calorie counting much better.

    When I eat out, now I check out the restaurant menu on line and pick out my foods a head of time so I know
    exactly what to order. That has helped me a lot. I also eat less fruit now and I am also T2 diabetic
    with high blood pressure. I am here for a healthier me. I will add you as a friend and you can
    check out my diary also, which is open to the public.

    At the present time I am doing the South Beach Diet but I am incorporating those foods into my diary
    which gives me the calorie count. I also exercise 6 days a week with Sunday off.

    If you need more help just let me know, but it seems you are on the right track.

    Good Luck:flowerforyou:
  • maryann46106
    maryann46106 Posts: 13
    I am doing both mfp and ww right now. At first, I was doing only ww and the weight was just not coming off much at all. The system they have there now is not working for me. For one thing, I get fruit free. Not working for me.
    In logging here AND there I am comparing the sites. This is more accurate because the calories count. Period. There are times I have used my calories up here but still have many points to go on ww. Once I started logging here I was able to keep better track of the calories and to be honest, that is what works for me.
    WW also gives me too many extra points for the week and even when I didn't use them all (which I never really did) I still gained.
    Once my time is up on ww I am going to quit that site. It costs a good little amount and does not work as well as mfp.

    The two bad things about mfp are that I can't keep a favorites food save. And I can't add 'steps' in terms of earning fitness calories. There is no 'steps' option. Those are things I can live with.

    When I log and stick to the cals mfp gives me, I lose. Maybe it's slow going, but it's a steady pace.
  • karenfallison
    karenfallison Posts: 30 Member
    maryann...you can save your fav foods on my foods or my meals. You can also create new receipes and save them. FYI
  • just4me123456
    just4me123456 Posts: 35 Member
    Thank you for all your replies. I still am a little confused about whether I should be eating all my calories back or not. I'm set at sedentary, and my fitbit is adding, on average, around 300-500 calories or so per day. Maybe I'm not as sedentary as I thought! Perhaps this is a question for a separate thread (and I'll search to see if there are threads--I'm sure there are) but should I be eating those calories back?
  • TiLo0905
    TiLo0905 Posts: 34
    I have been on WW forever but had to stop due to finances. Leaving my job to go back to school full time meant my budget didn't allow for it, so here I am! There are a few things I would do on WW that im not sure is okay here, but im getting used to it I guess. Anyway im no help for your question but just wanted to wish you good luck on your journey! :flowerforyou:
  • tgordon88
    tgordon88 Posts: 7 Member
    Omg today I have decided to give MFP a trail run while keeping my WW subscription active for the next month and I must admit I'm feeling a little anxious.... So far I've lost about 3 lbs on WW but do to recently losing my job I'm not able to afford WW anymore... Has anyone transitioned smoothly from WW to MFP??
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    To eat your exercise calories back or not...That is the question...

    Really it depends on which way you are counting calories. MFP (NEAT) way or by your TDEE-%.

    If you are doing it the MFP way then yes, you do eat back some of your calories back.

    If you do it the TDEE way then no.

    What does Fitbit say you should be eating?

    I'd also change your settings on MFP to lightly active.

    Read these:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

    TL:DR the link above then ->http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal
  • maryann46106
    maryann46106 Posts: 13
    Thank you!
  • maryann46106
    maryann46106 Posts: 13
    I think this site is much easier to use and far more accurate in terms of calorie logging.
  • maryann46106
    maryann46106 Posts: 13
    I still don't see how you save a food to 'my foods'
  • TiLo0905
    TiLo0905 Posts: 34
    I am and loving it!
  • TiLo0905
    TiLo0905 Posts: 34
    Omg today I have decided to give MFP a trail run while keeping my WW subscription active for the next month and I must admit I'm feeling a little anxious.... So far I've lost about 3 lbs on WW but do to recently losing my job I'm not able to afford WW anymore... Has anyone transitioned smoothly from WW to MFP??


    I am and loving it! Weight Watchers has been my lifeline for years and its great...but when I decided to go back to school I just couldn't afford it. ITs been so long since I came back to mfp I had to start a new account and I have to say I am really enjoying it, I didn't take advantage of it like I should have the last time. Feel free to friend me, the more the merrier! flowerforyou
  • just4me123456
    just4me123456 Posts: 35 Member
    Edited to add:

    Grace, Right now, I'm set to lose about a pound a week and MFP has me at about 1200 calories. On days I don't exercise, fitbit is adding about 200 calories or so to my total and on days I get more exercise, about 500 calories.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Edited to add:

    Grace, Right now, I'm set to lose about a pound a week and MFP has me at about 1200 calories. On days I don't exercise, fitbit is adding about 200 calories or so to my total and on days I get more exercise, about 500 calories.

    Which way would you like to track?
    TDEE (which your fitbit will give you) - % and you eat that amount every day and only that amount.
    MFP 1200 base, whatever you burn you eat back some, each day it could be a different amount.

    Personally, I nerded it up and created a spreadsheet for my fitbit, then my friend enhanced it...and my TDEE-15% is 1940. So with the exception of a couple days this week...I've eaten 1940 a day. I like knowing that one number.
  • RabbitLost
    RabbitLost Posts: 333 Member
    I have not done WW, but my wife just started and it looks like a sensible approach and the coaching has got to help. Personally, I can count my calories, monitor my macros and all that with no assistance. Where I need coaching and motivation is with exercise. So, to each his/her own if it works and you get healthier from it. I'm here for a comment on the FitBit. I love my FitBit. But, I've connected and disconnected my FitBit from MFP twice now. This time I am leaving it disconnected.

    I think the calories burned estimates are off, as in high. I was usingMFP for my calories goals at the time (see graceisjinxed's response above). I believe the FitBit calorie adjustments were causing me to eat too much on active days and not enough on slow days. The first time I disconnected, I change my activity level to slightly active and lost about 5 pounds in 5 weeks (in about a year or so, I lost 40 pounds in total and I am near my goal weight). I'm not really sure why I put them back together, but I stalled again recently. So I disconnected, hopefully for the last time. (I also moved to TDEE, but that's a whole other decision process and I do not feel comfortable enough about what I have learned to share it at this time. Grace's links, on the other hand, are pure gold.)

    Based on your steps, you probably do want to go to slightly active using MFP's approach. I still use my FitBit to monitor my steps to make sure I am staying active and moving. I find it very motivating.

    I hope some of this helps. Best of luck!
  • just4me123456
    just4me123456 Posts: 35 Member
    Super helpful, Grace and Rabbit. My weigh in day is Wed. I might switch then to slightly active and then go from there. It is a process! Thanks again!

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