Weight watchers Online

Anweena
Anweena Posts: 45 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone had any success with this? Considering that its a pay site, I want to know if the tools are valuable (and are they more than I'd find here, for example). I don't think I can afford to go to meetings, although I think that might be more helpful for me.

Opinions?
«1

Replies

  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
    I did it for a long time, I lost, I gained back, etc etc.

    Honestly, it does NOTHING MFP doesn't do. The online program is basically MFP with "points" instead of calories. And there's more math and if you don't have the site or app handy, you can be left in the dark when making a choice. I like MFP better.
  • elis_mama
    elis_mama Posts: 308 Member
    Truly? I did it, and I'm having way more success using MFP. I have lost more weight and kept it off using this site, rather than WW. AND, MFP is free. It's ultimately up to you, but this site is more user friendly and does everything that WW's paid site does.
  • Stargazer158
    Stargazer158 Posts: 7
    I have done Weight Watchers, on and off, for over 10 years. I think initially it would be hard to start with Online if you have never done the program before. I always liked the meetings and group support, but I live two hours from a center now.

    And just I would rather be in MFP for free than pay for WW Online.
  • independant2406
    independant2406 Posts: 447 Member
    I enjoy a lot of the recipes the WW community shares. Its also a much more supportive and positive thinking community than MFP ;)

    The only complaint I have about WW is they tend to push pre-processed foods and sweets which are oh so yummy but stop me from losing weight. So if you join take all the pre-packaged stuff in tiny doses. Whole foods and protein/veggies are the way to go!

    Note: I did WW about 4 years ago. I think the program has changed now to a focus on more "real food" items so they may have improved this. :)
  • Nijelako
    Nijelako Posts: 28 Member
    I agree with Alatariel75. I too did it for a long time (just WW online). I tried the meetings, but for me that was not a great option. I think if you found a good leader and group, it may be a better experience. I did lose 60 lbs in almost 2 years, but it was not sustainable for me. WW did point me in the right direction, it just was not sustainable for me. I started to think about food all day trying to figure out points. So far with MFP I have not obsessed, I'm feeling like this really is sustainable. Another happy note, it's free to be on MFP : )
  • SelfHelpJunky
    SelfHelpJunky Posts: 205 Member
    I agree with Alatariel75. I too did it for a long time (just WW online). I tried the meetings, but for me that was not a great option. I think if you found a good leader and group, it may be a better experience. I did lose 60 lbs in almost 2 years, but it was not sustainable for me. WW did point me in the right direction, it just was not sustainable for me. I started to think about food all day trying to figure out points. So far with MFP I have not obsessed, I'm feeling like this really is sustainable. Another happy note, it's free to be on MFP : )

    I wasn't too keen on the meetings, either. I didn't like having to live or die by weigh-ins and sit down with a bunch of women confessing their food sins over the week. It just felt too "AA" to me. (No offense to anyone who has been through AA or similar programs; I know people who have turned their lives around with them. They're just not for me).

    I know so many people who are serial WW re-joiners it's not even funny. How do you think they stay in business?
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    WW is a good program but their pay site isn't worth money, if you ask me. If you want to count points here free at MFP, there is a way to make MFP do it in a column of your diary here. The link is at the end of my profile. Just counting points won't teach you their plan, though. It's probably easier if you don't want to join and learn the plan even to just follow MFP's free plan.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
    I agree with Alatariel75. I too did it for a long time (just WW online). I tried the meetings, but for me that was not a great option. I think if you found a good leader and group, it may be a better experience. I did lose 60 lbs in almost 2 years, but it was not sustainable for me. WW did point me in the right direction, it just was not sustainable for me. I started to think about food all day trying to figure out points. So far with MFP I have not obsessed, I'm feeling like this really is sustainable. Another happy note, it's free to be on MFP : )

    I wasn't too keen on the meetings, either. I didn't like having to live or die by weigh-ins and sit down with a bunch of women confessing their food sins over the week. It just felt too "AA" to me. (No offense to anyone who has been through AA or similar programs; I know people who have turned their lives around with them. They're just not for me).

    I know so many people who are serial WW re-joiners it's not even funny. How do you think they stay in business?

    I did the meetings early on but went to Online after they just. never. changed. It was like every meeting was for the newbies (which is fair enough I suppose) but after going for a while it was just the same stuff over and over. Cheer for the person who lost the most. Share your latest point-free monstrosity. Plug for the latest hideously expensive WW product. Rinse, repeat. I liked Online but here in Australia, the WW forums are BORING!! Lovely people, don't get me wrong, but you're lucky if there are 4 new threads in a day, or if a thread goes over 5 replies.

    Found MFP and never looked back :)
  • Anweena
    Anweena Posts: 45 Member
    Thanks everyone! I'd say thats pretty unanimous! My psychologist had suggested WW (with the caveat that she had never done it) suggesting that as the very least they might have good strategies for eating out, bbqs etc (I find the summer the worst time to even consider eating to lose). My sis tried it once and found the meetings ridiculous for her as there were mostly people there who would binge eat and not people who just ate a bit too much all the time (group support is useless if you can relate to your group, but I guess that would depend on the people in your session).

    Anyway, thanks for the input!
  • Kontxesi
    Kontxesi Posts: 86 Member
    I completely understand all of the issues that others have had with WW. When I started back up last year, I almost didn't make it because the leader was SO bubbly and in your face. She got in my bubble every week and just completely overwhelmed me. After a few weeks, she left because of a personal tragedy and was replaced by a leader that I adore.

    If you don't have a good leader and don't relate well to the people in the group, the meetings are a complete waste of time. I'm lucky that my leader actually cares and the ladies are pretty cool, even if I am the youngest in the group.

    They are focusing more on fresh produce than they did 5 years ago, which is good. They still talk about the WW products some, but they don't even come up every meeting anymore. They talk more about the serving spoons that are exactly a 1/2 cup, the scales, the cook books, and the other kitchen tools they sell now.

    All of that said: If my step-dad wasn't paying for WW as a way to make sure that my mom and I get to see each other every week (sounds weird, but it's not really) I wouldn't be doing it. As much as I like my leader and the accountability of getting on the scale in front of another person, it's not worth $40-ish a month to me. I would rather spend that $40 on the gym and track everything for free here. I would miss it, though! Maybe if I existed in a different income bracket, it would be worth it.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    In my state WW is a franchise, not corporate, and there are some cons to that but one good thing is they never push WW products. At all.

    Anweena- In my experience, their tips for eating out and parties are pretty much what anyone else's are: Save up some calories for those events, pre-plan what you'll get on the restaurant web site, spend on the foods that really appeal to you not just any and everything offered, 'spoil your appetite' with some soup or salad before going, exercise more to earn more calories, don't hover near the buffet at parties, don't graze-- fix a plate and sit and eat it, drink water or other 'light' beverage, etc.
  • Wantingtolose1
    Wantingtolose1 Posts: 139 Member
    I became a weight watchers life time member on the old program going to meetings ( no online existed then). I then had a child put weight on and online came out and this new system. For some reason it does not work for me. I find it easy enough but I never lose weight every time I try this new system.i think it's the unlimited fruit. Even if u have 2-3 pieces of
    Fruit a day the calories add up. They were counted previously with weight watchers but not know which I think May have been the reason I can't no longer lose with it . Have found much more success with my fitness pal so I'll stick here
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,931 Member
    I did WWO for my first 20 lbs of weight lost. I really liked it, it was simple and their user interface is much better than MFPs. I switched to MFP because I wasn't losing the last 10 lbs with WW. However, I actually split the subscription with my friend and we each paid half - I didn't have data on my phone and just kept track of everything in a little spreadsheet on my phone instead. Very simple, pretty cheap. It kind of is the same thing though.
  • hbgirl85
    hbgirl85 Posts: 26
    Former WW online person here who lost about 15 pounds initially and then plateaued. I left because I was tired of spending money gaining and losing the same 2 pounds over a year. I like MFP better where I can actually track what I'm eating better plus it's free. Also the WW bar scanner doesn't have half the products that MFP has.
  • hortsy1979
    hortsy1979 Posts: 2 Member
    Hi,

    Yes I did it, but much prefer this. TBH I don't think the WW on-line food database is very extensive, I ended up inputting my points and then having to guess the rest of the points for an item on some days as it wasn't in the database. At least with this you can just add calories and it adds it to your daily log - I have also seen the same said on forums outside of MFP.
  • LouSmorals
    LouSmorals Posts: 93 Member
    I left because I was tired of spending money gaining and losing the same 2 pounds over a year. [/quote]

    +1. I did WW online for several years. Initially lost 40+ lbs but gained 15 of it back and fluctuated for over a year. Honestly, what I learned from WW was how to watch what I eat, MFP works as well once you know what you are doing. Now just gotta do it....
  • Anweena
    Anweena Posts: 45 Member
    I think thats the key LouSmorals (nice moniker, btw ;-) ) "Now just gotta do it..." I've lost 30 lbs here (gained some back), just not feeling it this time and looking for some inspiration. I know deep down that the problem is me and not MFP. "Its a poor craftsman that blames his tools" or some such thing :-)
  • Anweena
    Anweena Posts: 45 Member
    As an aside, I just found nerdfitness. looks like they have a tonne of stuff (fitness and nutrition videos, plans etc) for a flat lifetime rate. Looks kinda gimmike though. Like its called nerd fitness so lets reference LOTR a lot so we show that we are truly nerdy. That kind of stuff kinda pushes me away, but the site looks like it has a lot of material and its not a subscription, which is appealing. Though I keep seeing paloe on it, so I suspect that their diet plan.

    Anyway, thanks again everyone
  • sjhatcu
    sjhatcu Posts: 12 Member
    I don't think its necessary. After doing MFP for years, I signed up for WW Online last month, and didn't like it at all. It's basically the same concept as MFP, but you have to pay, and I was not impressed at all with their online database. It is not nearly as vast or detailed as MFP.
  • jbrownnolan
    jbrownnolan Posts: 72 Member
    Back 9 years ago I did weight watchers (religiously) online, followed the program to the tee, I went from 185ish down to 132lbs in 7 months. It was awesome, I found out that my biggest issue was portion size. Shortly after losing all the weight I wanted to I didn't keep my membership (financially it was a pain), but I maintained my weight for a long time, a couple years later my weight creeped up to 142 and I wanted to get control of it before it got out of hand. I started back up on weight watchers, but they had changed their plan, the way that they calculated points, and I HATED the new system, I ended up gaining another 5 lbs before I quit and went strictly to counting calories, I used another website at the time and then started using MFP last year when I got my BodyMedia and it linked my calorie burn directly to MFP. I am currently at 124lbs and holding strong. Not sure if I would have been able to do it on my own without the help of Weight Watcher in the beginning, it gave me the tools that I needed to learn how to control my portions and to count calories properly (if that make any sense) :D

    I loved weight watchers, the old plan, NOT the current plan, the current plan just didn't work for me.

    Good Luck with whatever you choose.

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