Still paying for WW

tim_jennings- Well said! You're doing great!

People on MFP seem to do better & seem to keep the weight off by just counting calories rather than points. I agree that most likely you would have lost a good chunk of weight by just counting cals rather than going by the "point" system. What MFP does is puts YOU in the drivers' seat and it seems that people who have lost weight on MFP are here doing "maintenance" on the maint. threads.

Counting points seems a bit "old fashioned" to me when you could just count actual calories and this site makes is incredibly easy to do. Plus you're in charge of what you eat, no one else. All the studies have shown that people who count calories lose weight. What WW provides are "counselors" & cheerleaders to help you, but mfp calorie counting / social network also provides that kind of thing.

Plus you need to remember that WTW, the parent company is traded on the stock market. So their goal is to maximize profits...while this site is privately owned, and while the owner makes money it's a different animal entirely. This site works, it's easy to navigate & user friendly.

http://www.google.com/search?q=weight+watchers+stock+symbol&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:unofficial&client=firefox-a

That's the stock symbol for WW. I also like *not* paying for losing weight!!!

I used to think WW was where it was at for me... I had success with it many years ago. But when I look at why, it makes more sense to me. I had great friends on the message boards ... yes I went to the meetings but I didnt know those people... I was accountable to the "imaginary people" online.

Over years, those people fell out .... and when I rejoined WW it didnt have the same feel ... I didnt have success ... and I didnt know why.

Then I found MFP... and all of my great friends here (some imaginary people, and some real people who I am planning on meeting) and I realize its not about the program ... for me its about the community of support. That person to talk to when I wanna eat ... that person to ask questions of, and most of all that person who says wow you kick butt!

Thats just my opinion though ... you know what works for you!

I'll give you my 2 cents worth as well...I've tried WW, physician programs, "metabollic diets", and nothing worked until I got here last November. MFP is working for me for the following reasons - if these apply to you, you'll find the same success.

1. I'm a "numbers" guy. Show me proof in the math, and I'll buy in. MFP allows me to track my intake and exercise numbers easily on a daily basis, and I know if I burn more than I eat, I will lose weight.

2. Accountability. The first thing I recommend new members do is to post on the message boards, and make friends. The more people you have in your network, the harder it becomes to disappoint them, and most importantly yourself. Keep your diary open for others to view, it makes you think twice before grabbing that 3rd slice of Pizza.

3. Tools - I'm on the road a lot, being able to access MFP from any computer is great, and even better if you have an iphone, where its easier still. Track everything you eat, and all the exercise you do.

4. Realistic - I'm not a fan of "cleanses", fad diets, or restrictive menus (ie. no carb). They're hard to follow, impossible to maintain, and fail to teach you how to eat. Life goes on whether or not your are on a diet, and we have to learn to live with the fact that sometimes we will eat something that is bad for us - but that doesn't mean we give up and continue with the bad habit over and over again.

5. I was ready. I acknowledged I was a terrible procrastinator, and the "tomorrow" excuse wasn't going to cut it anymore. If your last 4 different "diets" failed, the only common element is you. Acknowledge it, and take responsibility for it. Ask yourself where you want to be a month from now. Yes, the first couple of weeks are the toughest - be prepared - but once the results start to show, there is no turning back!

SSG