anyone ever try weight watchers?

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hello all, just curious to know if anyone has ever tried weight watchers and how much success did you see while on the program? thanks!

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  • staceyb_2003
    staceyb_2003 Posts: 396 Member
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    I did years ago and had good results but you could do the same thing here for free really
  • kalebsmama07
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    i did it for 4 months and lost 25lbs with the old program in 2008
  • herwholejourney
    herwholejourney Posts: 86 Member
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    In High school I needed to lose 13 pounds. I did it with weight watchers over a summer break, and kept it off for years. Then had some stuff happen and gained a ton of weight.

    I then went back on it and lost 42 lbs on weight watchers - I've gained back 20 (100% my own fault though - eating crap 24/7).

    It works, you just have to make healthy decisions once you reach your goal - but that is the same with any lifestyle change.
  • ifeelsqueaky
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    I did it for about six months in 2005 and lost about 30 lbs but have put it all back on. I prefer MFP because it's free, you don't have to convert the calories into something else before entering them and there's masses of great support available 24/7, not just for an hour once a week.
  • redefiningmyself
    redefiningmyself Posts: 476 Member
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    I did the old old program - before the points system. I found it very helpful in learning how to eat a more balanced diet. I also found their recipes and meetings helpful.

    Now I prefer to be on this site as its cheaper. Plus i"m following a program my doctor has set out for me instead.
  • qtwells82
    qtwells82 Posts: 352
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    I tried it last year and lost 10 pounds in a month. But figuring out the points was time consuming and frustrating for me...so i quit.

    I like tracking my calories better. But still, Weight Watchers does work and is great! Just not for me :flowerforyou:
  • MalTru
    MalTru Posts: 37
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    I dropped Weight Watchers after finding this site.

    A) This site is free. Weight Watchers is most definitely NOT!
    B) This has the food tracker, exercise tracker, you can set your own goals, etc.- all the stuff you can do in WW.
    C) The online community here is one of the best I've ever seen. People are truly supportive, and have good advice.

    The only thing that makes me hesitate is that I don't know how much knowledge you already have on calories, diets, nutrients, good foods/bad foods, etc. I had been going to a nutrition class for a couple years before trying WW- it had started to get repetitive, so I tried WW which I found repetitive to the class, so I joined this site.

    If you think you need the education on good foods/bad foods, what nutrients you can get from certain foods, etc, than the educational side of WW might be beneficial for you.
  • bevpulse
    bevpulse Posts: 54 Member
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    Yes, I reached lifetime goal at least twice! Then I get lazy and slip back into my old habits. It is a great program and the weekly weigh-in keeps you accountable. It does cost and tracking your points takes some time and effort. If you will benefit from the face-to-face group support and the meetings in your area are convenient, I think you should consider it.
  • TaraMaria
    TaraMaria Posts: 1,975
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    Hey!

    I did WW before my wedding 2005. I lost about 7 pounds. I was fairly distracted by everything going on around me. This is how I see it. Right now my little sister is doing it and she is having success. She doesn't have time to log things or sit at a computer. If you can log things in and go to your phone/computer to do so: Do MFP. If you are on the go and need something you can keep track of in your head versus looking things up or keeping track online: Do WW. They are both very similar though I prefer MFP because of it being free and feeling like I have more control over the calories and exercise. But I did WW under the old WW system. :o)
  • Jacobsgal
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    thanks everyone!
  • brookalina
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    I was on Weight Watchers back in 2005-2006 and lost 120lbs. It is a great plan, but I agree with most others here that with MFP you can do the same thing and for free.
  • KSML1
    KSML1 Posts: 15 Member
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    I dropped Weight Watchers after finding this site.

    A) This site is free. Weight Watchers is most definitely NOT!
    B) This has the food tracker, exercise tracker, you can set your own goals, etc.- all the stuff you can do in WW.
    C) The online community here is one of the best I've ever seen. People are truly supportive, and have good advice.

    .

    Me, too. This site is much more straight forward about weight loss. It is calories in vs. calories out. WW is the same to some extenet but you think of food in points instead of calories, fat, etc. I think you get a better view of what foods are better choices on this site.
  • efcdcdb
    efcdcdb Posts: 392 Member
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    I did it in 2001 - 2002 for about a year and lost 65 pounds. I attribute most of my success to the fact the my sister and a friend joined at the same time and we went to meetings together, so there was that added accountability. After about 5 years, I had gained back a lot of the weight. I started going weekly again...I was by myself that time, and I wasn't successful at all. One of the problems for me was that it was the same old meetings, the same leader, the same stories, the same motivational "tips",,,and no accountability. Although there is a weekly weigh-in, the receptionists were always so nice, whether I gained or lost, it really didn't matter. What has worked for me over the past year is this: 1) on MFP, my two sisters joined and we keep track of each other. That accountability makes a difference. 2) I have a co-worker / friend who has lost about 50 pounds over the past year. We try to walk for 30 minutes, on most days (outside, or in the mall across the street from our office building). There is a bit of a competitive spirit there, that really helps.

    So, I would say that weight watchers might work, if you had a partner. Otherwise, I think it will only work if you are really motivated and determined to make a change.
  • dinareed
    dinareed Posts: 73 Member
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    I'm actually a member of weight watchers right now. However, I am finding that this site has a more intensive data base for foods and more support (I don't have time to attend meetings, I do it all online). I have been keeping both food logs trying to compare the two and I think I'm going to drop the weight watchers membership. I can use that money to buy more games that get me moving for the Wii!
  • kate1398
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    I did Weight Watchers and lost 25 pounds a few years ago and like others here have said, this site is basically the same except for free. You are keeping track of the same thing really but just a little differently. I think this place has more to offer with the the input of so many different people and tracking the nutrients better.
  • Jacobsgal
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    you all are such a great help! Im going to stick with this site instead of weight watchers! I started this site yesterday and im already in love with it. thank you all!
  • frogmama
    frogmama Posts: 404 Member
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    I did weight watchers a few years back and lost about 60 lbs. In fact, I am probably just about the same weight now as I was with weight watchers. When I joined WW, I was there with a friend and my sister. It gave us a bit of a competitive edge. Both of them reached goal and I still had some to go. I found I hit a plateau and couldn't get beyond it. They stopped going, I started gaining, and then I stopped going. I rejoined by myself a few months later but was not successful. I gradually gained back all that I lost. I had lap band surgery in June 2009 and lost about 25 pounds over the next 7 months. Once again I stalled. My sisters joined MFP last January and I couldn't let them leave me in the dust! So here I am, 1 year later, and another 33 pounds lighter. I think for me it is an accountability thing. I find that sticking to the daily logging of food and exercise helps.
  • Bstyles05
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    Yes! I did it from the end of August to the end of October and I lost 20 pounds! I got a little lazy and stopped doing it and I gained back about 7.5 pounds since November! I'm starting again tomorrow hopefully it'll stick! Good luck everyone!:)
  • jslmom1
    jslmom1 Posts: 21 Member
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    I am a WW online member but I'm canceling it because this site offers the same but its free. Plus I like the folks on these message boards, everyone has alot of great advice that's not geared towards one particular program.