my fitness pal v diet clubs

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lilymypetal
lilymypetal Posts: 15
in Health and Weight Loss
Was just wondering what the success rates were on my fitness pal compared with weightwatchers, and how calories compare with points or filling and healthy plan??? I love filling and healthy, but I seem to be eating too much. I haven't counted calories for years, and I am finding it difficult to weigh everything.

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  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    I have no idea what the success rates are. Anecdotally, I have my own experience. I have been successfully on maintenance for over three years here on MFP. It's a commitment, and it does take some level of effort, but I find that, at least for me personally, it's easy and totally worth it. But you've got to do what makes sense for you if it's going to be long-term sustainable. (In my experience, accurate and consistent weighing, measuring and logging is key to this working.) :flowerforyou:
  • lilymypetal
    lilymypetal Posts: 15
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    Thank you for your reply. I think I will give mfp a go for a while and see how I get on. Well done on getting to goal:smile:
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    , and I am finding it difficult to weigh everything.
    Wy is it difficult? You have some kitchen scales on the work top. When you prepare food or eat anything you weigh it. You can either put that directly into mfp (if you have a tablet or smart phone) or write it on a piece of paper and spend a few minutes entering it later. It really only takes a few minutes a day once you get going. It's even quicker when you have your favourite recipes pre entered and once you've done it a while your most used items are at the top of the list anyway. If you really want to lose weight you'll do it. Just start slowly get your weighing and measuring sorted and it'll work if you are consistent.

    Good Luck
  • lilymypetal
    lilymypetal Posts: 15
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    Thank you fatdoob. I suppose over the years, I have got lazy about weighing, because I am so used to the weightwatcher plan of eating filling and healthy foods until I am satisfied. I will get back into weighing and measuring again. My kitchen scales are now out of the box!!!!!! :laugh:
  • jsball319
    jsball319 Posts: 15 Member
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    I think after a while it will get easier. Most people i think end up eating the same foods over time and once you add to the diary you can just go back and find it for the next time.
  • pinkshiningstar
    pinkshiningstar Posts: 140 Member
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    Even on a plan like Weight Watchers, you should be weighing food to make sure you're taking the correct serving.

    I did Weight Watchers for a solid 2 years. Lost about 70 pounds on it. I stopped going, I was basically at goal. Guess what happened? I gained back 60 pounds. Staying on the Weight Watchers program wasn't sustainable if I wasn't willing to go to the meetings and drink the Kool-Aid.

    Weight Watchers is a decent enough program. It works, if you work it. However, I don't view it as a long-term solution. Counting points is a pain in the rear and you're really not teaching yourself about what exactly you're putting in your body. I'd rather have familiarity on how many calories are in item X than how many "points" or "points plus" or whatever the heck system they're on this quarter are in the item.

    Calories are calories and that doesn't change. Their points system is ALWAYS changing and I find it to be a lot more trouble than simply watching caloric intake.

    But that's just me. :smile:
  • andruszh
    andruszh Posts: 1 Member
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    I have to agree with MFP teaching you what you're eating rather than WW. I used to use WW and until they made fruits and veggies "Free" it worked as long as I kep to it. WW isn't bad, but MFP works much better for me especially once WW changed their points and methodology (I used their online tools mostly). If I ate filling and healthy foods until I'm "satisified" I'll never loose weight. I just love to eat food too much for that to work for me.

    I will say I used MFP a couple years ago, lost wieght, then stopped and guess what.. gained it back within a year. Used it on and off for a bit but just got back and serious about things on 3/5/14.

    I've been back on and this time I'm paying attention. I've found a series of foods and meals that I like, fill me up, and give me good nutrition. My library makes it quick to add stuff as it has built over the past two months.

    I've learned a few lessons as well. Not rocket science but more realization.
    - You can't weasel your way around calories.
    - There are good and bad times in everyone's schedules to eat and they vary by your lifestyle.
    - If I'm busy don't stop for a quick bite unless it's a healthy and in line with today's goals.
    - Discipline is one day at a time or even more frequent. Example: If having that big lunch now will not allow me to be satisfied after a small dinner later because I'll have a slow evening (ie - I'll be bored and probs watching TV), thne abstain from the bigger lunch. It's much easier (for me) to forget about the big lunch quickly as I return to work, then to not eat once at my calorie limit for hours in the evening.

    Sorry for the long post...
  • davidr730
    davidr730 Posts: 126 Member
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    As Far as the Weight watchers vs. calorie counter, they are essentially the same. Points have a caloric value for the most part. Weight watchers is the one diet plan that is listed in my nutrition textbook as having a good rate of long term success. Ultimately it's about the individual. The best thing I ever did to wade through the endless barrage of often conflicting information was to take a nutrition class at community college. I highly recommend others take a course as well, and then use that information to find what works for them. In my experience, it has been much more successful that trying to get educated via the net.

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