MFP vs. Weight Watchers

mb1883
mb1883 Posts: 37
edited September 23 in Health and Weight Loss
Last year I joined Weight Watchers and lost about 20 lbs. After getting annoyed with calculating the points and tracking everything I gave up and gained almost all of the weight I lost back again. I'm relatively new to MFP, so I am wondering: DOES IT REALLY WORK? I'm really trying to find a weight loss method that I can stick to and maintain forever.

Replies

  • AggieCass09
    AggieCass09 Posts: 1,867 Member
    MFP works (and its free)!
  • Swilson87
    Swilson87 Posts: 139
    Well, WW has worked for some, so I won't say it does not work. However, here you get to add what ever foods you want, and the system calculates calories for you. I, and probably most people here, do my meals at leaast a day out. That way there is no stress or last minute suprises. Try it I'm sure you will find it a lot easier to use.
  • Meggie_pooh
    Meggie_pooh Posts: 316 Member
    I am a WW reject as well. Joined last year..lost 35lbs..plateaued...and gained it all back. I am living proof that MFP works! I'm in week 3 and already have dropped 9 lbs. I know it's just the beginning, and things will change, but I find these forums better and the peeps on here SOOOOO much nicer than with WW!!! Good luck and feel free to add me! My diary is also public in case u were wondering what I was actually eating to drop 9 lbs already!
  • jane77
    jane77 Posts: 489
    It works if you work it. Still have to exercise, count caloires, change your thoughts about food but yes tracking calories is a proven weight loss tool. Good luck ya and this one is free
  • breeze83
    breeze83 Posts: 9
    i've never tried WW before but I've been using MFP for a little over a month now and it's the most success i've ever had at losing weight....i love MFP...and i've got my sister and another friend using it and everyone is getting results!!
  • schorkj
    schorkj Posts: 11 Member
    I started on Thanksgiving Day, tipping the scales at over 300 lbs. I have (for the most part) been staying under my daily calorie goal and have been losing 2 pounds per week. Currently still a big tub of goo at 275 pounds; but very proud of my progress and I know it will be one or two more thanksgivings until I reach my goal (160ish).
  • adriperez
    adriperez Posts: 20
    MFP works because you are keeping a food diary. With Weight watchers your counting points, now Ive never tried weight watchers, but with MFP you count calories. Either way you have to be dedicated to your weight loss. If not then nothing you try will be successfull. Try eating healthier. If you are craving a burger, try making one at home, using healthier ingredients. That way you know what goes in your food. MFP makes you knowledgable with what you are putting into your body. Weight loss should not be a temporary solution, but life changing
  • karensoxfan
    karensoxfan Posts: 902 Member
    Both will work if YOU work them. I think both plans have similar approaches. I think the kinds of support they give are different, and the details vary a little (WW has the 8 healthy guidelines, but MFP lets you track specific nutrients). But if you tracked your calories and points, they'd come out to allow roughly the same foods, give or take a little for high fat or high fiber foods.

    Even under the new PointsPlus, I calculated my MFP nutrient recommendations into PointsPlus, and got the same result. I personally think MFP is a little easier than the new PointsPlus, but I haven't really wholeheartedly tried using PointsPlus for a whole week either.

    Under the "old" points, I did lose 55 lb. in 2001 and kept it off for a year before I had kids. Both plans are about sensible eating and activity, when it comes down to the bottom line.
  • ifeelsqueaky
    ifeelsqueaky Posts: 193
    I would say both work, as long as you are in the right frame of mind. They are just tools for weight loss and won't make you lose weight just by you joining up. You need to put in the effort to track and stay under the calorie goals MFP assigns for you. If you do, it will work.
  • M_lifts
    M_lifts Posts: 2,218 Member
    i think either mfp or ww will work if you are in the right frame of mind for it. i have done ww in the past and lost weight before i had my baby. However, atm i prefer mfp as the plan is easy to follow and i dont have to pay someone to weigh me! plus the community is fab too! i find it quite similar to the old points system in terms of what u can eat and earning bonus points (exercise calories). good luck
  • That_Girl
    That_Girl Posts: 1,324 Member
    It works if you work it.

    I mean, it's work. If you're willing to commit to logging food and calories and exercise on a DAILY basis...then it will work.

    Good luck!
  • rlaskey
    rlaskey Posts: 2
    It has not worked for me yet, but I am not tracking 7 days per week. From what I can tell however it is giving me awareness of how much I eat and need. I have the motivation so i am going to stick to it. It can be kind of fun and (a little obsessive) but I look forward to getting the message that I am under the calorie goal. I also feel it is motivating because when you work out you can add extra calories. That encourages me to work out!
    Good luck :)
  • MooseWizard
    MooseWizard Posts: 295 Member
    MFP is just a tool to help you achieve your own goals. So is Weight Watchers. Ultimately, nothing works that you do not fully invest yourself into. If the counting part of WW was what turned you off that program, I am not sure MFP will be much better. However, if you honestly put forth effort and stick with it, MFP absolutely does work.
  • Olona
    Olona Posts: 70
    Ijoined weight watchers sometime last year and it didn't really work for me and for a while I just quit trying to lose weight. The I picked up alot of weight. But just Monday I found this website and it is so much better for me because this website is addicting kinda like facebook. One thing weight watchers did wrong was they make it seem like your doing it alone cause they don't let you chat online so you track and you feel like your doing it alone here you get online to track and you can say hey what's up? And when you workout it fels like you get a reward because it's posted up for all your friends to see and there like good job, way to go ! so it makes losing weight a lot easier! And funner!
  • shelbyj72
    shelbyj72 Posts: 184 Member
    I switched to MFP from WW and I am still losing weight. I like MFP better because it is FREE :) and the database has a lot more to choose from and I like the fact that I can input food to the database. On WW I was a little fustrated because I could not find certain foods in the database. Try it out you will like it. If you multiply 50 x your number of WW points that will tell you how many calories you should intake. Good Luck to you. Thanks
  • karensoxfan
    karensoxfan Posts: 902 Member
    If you multiply 50 x your number of WW points that will tell you how many calories you should intake. Good Luck to you. Thanks

    *This is true generally for WW Points through 2010. Starting in 2011, you get more PointsPlus, but they're calculated without using calories. If you calculate your PointsPlus target x50, it will give you a calorie target that's probably too high for weight loss.
  • tigergreeneyz
    tigergreeneyz Posts: 13 Member
    I attempted Weight Watcher's last May and lost 30 lbs in 5 months. In 3 months, I gained 17 of those pounds back. I've been on MFP for 4 weeks now and have lost 10.6 lbs so far. Having experienced both, I much prefer MFP. Counting calories is MUCH easier than calculating points. Dinner under WW became a chore because of all the points calculations. Plus, now with WW having come out with the new Points Plus program, all the new material would have to be purchased which further complicates the matter. I like MFP because of the motivation and support I receive. MFP holds me accountable whereas I never felt that with WW. I would suggest trying out MFP for a month, making sure to enter your foods and exercises every day. If at the end of the month, you don't like it, you haven't lost any money.

    Good luck!
  • MyBeautyIsSkinDeep
    MyBeautyIsSkinDeep Posts: 112
    MFP works because you are keeping a food diary. With Weight watchers your counting points, now Ive never tried weight watchers, but with MFP you count calories. Either way you have to be dedicated to your weight loss. If not then nothing you try will be successfull. Try eating healthier. If you are craving a burger, try making one at home, using healthier ingredients. That way you know what goes in your food. MFP makes you knowledgable with what you are putting into your body. Weight loss should not be a temporary solution, but life changing

    Well said, you have to put in the work !! REMEMBER this is a LIFE CHANGE!!!! And it is going to take time!!! I send you my support , Im just a click away Friend tishaross
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