Ditching Weight Watchers and doing just MFP? Is it possible ;)

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metalchic72
metalchic72 Posts: 12 Member
in Getting Started
I have been on and off and on again and off.....and on (you get the point) Weight Watchers for years. I am tired of paying them and this new plan of theirs is just too restrictive. I have learned portion control and good eating habits through the plan but I am so afraid of not having weekly accountability though I get nothing out of the meetings. I have a personal trainer who is awesome with nutrition, I would rather pay him than WW....has anyone here stopped WW and had success with MFP? You know in WW meetings they say, you will fail if you leave, I am so afraid to cut that cord!!
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  • prettygirlstorm1
    prettygirlstorm1 Posts: 722 Member
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    i was very successful on WW. I think I joined and joined again several times and each time I lost weight. I put the weight back on not because I left WW but because I went back to my old eating habits after I lost. It is a good program that works but it is too expensive. MFP works as long as you work. Counting calories or counting points it all comes down to Calories in and Calories out. Accurately weighing and measuring food, exercise and a positive mindset will help you to lose weight. Do what works for you and good luck!!!
  • Rachel0778
    Rachel0778 Posts: 1,701 Member
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    Weight Watchers says that people will gain the weight after they stop attending because they assume those people will stop tracking, weighing, and fall back into old habits. By being active in MyFitnessPal, you are still tracking your food/activity and keeping tabs on your weight. I definitely prefer MyFitnessPal because I'm not spending $40+ dollars a month for it, and if I want a chocolate bar, it doesn't have to take up half a days worth of "Points"
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
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    I had only bad experiences with WW. I recommend switching.
  • jkal1979
    jkal1979 Posts: 1,896 Member
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    'If you leave you will fail' sounds like they are trying to scare you in order to keep your business. You are switching plans not quitting weight loss all together and you will be fine. You may have a bit of an adjustment period because your intake may increase slightly but it will be temporary.

    If you feel like you need the accountability of a weigh in and a physical support group, you might want to see if there is a TOPS in your area. They have meeting fees, but it's a lot cheaper than WW.

    Make sure to read the stickies in this and the General Weight Loss topic and don't forget to log your fruits/veggies.
  • metalchic72
    metalchic72 Posts: 12 Member
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    Thank you all. I think I am just so used to WW as a part of my life for a million years and living by points that I don't know any different but this new plan they just rolled out is not very conducive to long term success (in my opinion only). I just need to cut the cord or rip the bandage off :)
  • metalchic72
    metalchic72 Posts: 12 Member
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    jkal1979 wrote: »

    If you feel like you need the accountability of a weigh in and a physical support group, you might want to see if there is a TOPS in your area. They have meeting fees, but it's a lot cheaper than WW.

    Just looked up TOPS, thanks! I do like going sometimes and the weigh in really helps keep me on track. The fee is $36 A YEAR. WW is now $45/month. I'd rather pay my trainer for a while. Thanks again.
  • BarbaraRoseB
    BarbaraRoseB Posts: 9 Member
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    I also left WW this week, for the same reasons you did. It makes me so angry that they tell us we will fail if we leave. If that is true, why do they sell an online-only membership plan? Are they intentionally setting people up to fail if they believe it won't work? Like you, I got nothing out of the meetings, and yet I felt that leaving would be "giving up." There is no magic in just paying them and going to the meetings. What matters is keeping our minds in the game, and really working our plan. Moving from points to calories, and using this fabulous new (to me) tracking system, is enough of a change to make me feel it is brand new. I am so psyched! I love the data we get on MFP. It gives us so much more information -- macro and micronutrients -- which is helpful to me. I love being able to just check things off once I've entered them the first time. The database is so amazing, too. Love it, love it, love it. Today is only four days for me, but I've followed it almost effortlessly. I've joined LA Fitness and am going to work out every day -- either at LAF or at home or a combination of the two. Maybe you can use the blog and friend features on MFP to give you the support and accountability you need. I love the motivating comments on MFP -- "If every day were like today, you'd weigh xxx in five weeks!" Even though I know the exact amount of weight lost will vary, I feel I'll have everything I need here on MFP. It's up to me to live the plan.
  • vczK2t
    vczK2t Posts: 309 Member
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    i too have been off and on WW many times in the past 12 years. I hardly follow the program, but i realized since i am spending $ i really don't have, i just stopped being a member of WW. it IS calories in vs calories out. so, i am happy to pay $50/year for MFP, which is MUCH, MUCH better than WW.
  • metalchic72
    metalchic72 Posts: 12 Member
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    Thank you Barbara! I feel like having normal foods now I'm going to the WW jail!! This new plan is not doable. I just guess I feel like a failure because I didn't make lifetime. Oh well...I need to figure out how to add friends, you can be my first one, sounds like you and I have a lot in common.
  • metalchic72
    metalchic72 Posts: 12 Member
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    vczk2t15 wrote: »
    i too have been off and on WW many times in the past 12 years. I hardly follow the program, but i realized since i am spending $ i really don't have, i just stopped being a member of WW. it IS calories in vs calories out. so, i am happy to pay $50/year for MFP, which is MUCH, MUCH better than WW.

    Thanks for the positivity. This is much better than asking a question on the WW boards. I thought MFP was free, what is the $50 for? Thanks.
  • sugom2
    sugom2 Posts: 93 Member
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    Did you mean to say "happy to pay $50/year for MFP"? I don't pay anything--?? I did WW years ago as well, but quit because of the costs. I like MFP because of the APP and on-line abilities. Easier to track than WW.
  • BarbaraRoseB
    BarbaraRoseB Posts: 9 Member
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    The $50 is for premium membership if you need/want it. I don't think I do.
  • slimzandra
    slimzandra Posts: 955 Member
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    Skip WW. Pay the trainer/ join a gym.

    Be sure to weigh food, track food, weigh yourself weekly. Be accountable. Review the week, adjust where needed. Repeat. It is helpful to join groups here on MFP and ask questions.

    WW did not work for me. I've lost over 40 pounds with MFP. Good luck and welcome!
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    metalchic72 wrote: »
    vczk2t15 wrote: »
    i too have been off and on WW many times in the past 12 years. I hardly follow the program, but i realized since i am spending $ i really don't have, i just stopped being a member of WW. it IS calories in vs calories out. so, i am happy to pay $50/year for MFP, which is MUCH, MUCH better than WW.

    Thanks for the positivity. This is much better than asking a question on the WW boards. I thought MFP was free, what is the $50 for? Thanks.

    That's for premium membership. Regular membership is free. I'm not sure exactly of all the perks, but I think you can have different calorie goals each day as one example. I don't pay the extra. The red numbers for going over once in a while don't bother me.

    I was also with WW a while ago, but online only. I was hungry all the time, but probably didn't balance volume with enough veggies at the time. Here, I can see that veggies fill me up with fewer calories, I can see where my protein, fat, carb, and iron is coming from. Basically, I just find that the available information through MFP allows me to be more aware of the choices I am making and helps me make better choices.

    I suggest reading the posts at the top of the getting started and general weight loss forums called most helpful posts (or something to that effect). There is a whole lot of great information about diet, nutrition, health, and weight loss to be had. Just avoid the crazy fad diet stuff. No need to cut out particular types of foods, or eat really low calorie.

    TL:DR you can do it! There's lots of great info here, and lots of great supportive people.
  • farfromthetree
    farfromthetree Posts: 982 Member
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    slimzandra wrote: »
    Skip WW. Pay the trainer/ join a gym.

    Be sure to weigh food, track food, weigh yourself weekly. Be accountable. Review the week, adjust where needed. Repeat. It is helpful to join groups here on MFP and ask questions.

    WW did not work for me. I've lost over 40 pounds with MFP. Good luck and welcome!

    Excellent advice!!
  • Keladelphia
    Keladelphia Posts: 820 Member
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    I lost 50 pounds on Weight Watchers years ago but I never developed a healthy relationship with food and nutrition while doing it. Logging here (while lacking the accountability of an elderly lady looking at your weight on the scale) forced me to take a hard look at the actual food I was eating and its nutritional makeup instead of points. I've never been more successful than when I became committed to logging my food here and forming relationships with other MFP members. I've lost 70 pounds using MFP, gotten in the best shape of my life and finally have a healthy relationship with food and nutrition. Good luck with your journey!
  • metalchic72
    metalchic72 Posts: 12 Member
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    slimzandra wrote: »
    Skip WW. Pay the trainer/ join a gym.

    Be sure to weigh food, track food, weigh yourself weekly. Be accountable. Review the week, adjust where needed. Repeat. It is helpful to join groups here on MFP and ask questions.

    WW did not work for me. I've lost over 40 pounds with MFP. Good luck and welcome!

    Thanks! I have a trainer and an awesome gym. He has been trying to get me to cut the cord with WW for awhile; the new plan they just came out and their tech issues have pushed me here (and my trainer).... :) I like the positive responses here versus what you'd get on the WW boards which would be not so nice. Thank you all! I was using WW as a crutch I suppose... I know what to do I just need to do it and do not need to pay them when I have this tool.
  • Youruniverse1
    Youruniverse1 Posts: 6 Member
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    I left WW too today. But I know what you mean by feeling tethered. I think it will take awhile to get used a different mindset, but know for me the new SP plan would make me feel like a failure. MFP is free and more flexible.
  • metalchic72
    metalchic72 Posts: 12 Member
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    There seems to be a lot of us here. We can do this.
  • GabbieLynn01
    GabbieLynn01 Posts: 1 Member
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    metalchic72 wrote: »
    Thank you Barbara! I feel like having normal foods now I'm going to the WW jail!! This new plan is not doable. I just guess I feel like a failure because I didn't make lifetime. Oh well...I need to figure out how to add friends, you can be my first one, sounds like you and I have a lot in common.

    Don't let not making lifetime make you feel like a failure. I made lifetime and am way overweight again. It was a card that I ended up losing. I was scared too when I left several months ago. I was fed up with paying for WW and yo-yoing on the plan. While I don't think the weight has come off as quickly on MFP I'm definitely not as hungry like I was on WW. On the up side I'm thrilled when I scan something on MFP the product is actually in the database.

    Try not to fret. You got this.

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