Weight Watchers?

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ttclaiborne
ttclaiborne Posts: 5 Member
in Getting Started
I'm thinking about trying Weight Watchers and I know they have revised their program. Does anyone have any input to share?

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  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    The latest program is extremely restrictive. If you can go without any treats and basically just want to eat chicken and veggies you'll do great. I liked the old program but couldn't do the latest one at all.
  • gmksek8199
    gmksek8199 Posts: 11 Member
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    the new program is not as good as the old program. that's why I switched to mfp. having much more success on this than WW
  • mmovesian
    mmovesian Posts: 15 Member
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    I'm tracking using both WW and MFP currently. The new WW SmartPoints program is pretty restrictive. To keep in my points window I really have to avoid added sugars, saturated fats, and most bread. It was tough at first.

    But I have noticed a difference in my macro distribution on MFP since I started tracking with WW as well. I used to have a really hard time hitting my protein goal when I was just tracking with MFP, and I ate A LOT of sugar. Now that I make primarily WW recipes, I have no problem hitting my protein goal and I am much more likely to snack on fruits and vegetables than anything else.

    The WW diet isn't really helping me lose weight any faster or anything, (my current diet is similar in calories to before WW) but I make healthier choices now imo.

    Of course you can also eat a balanced diet full of lean protein, vegetables, and fruits without WW, but I personally like the structure that WW gives me.

  • Sharon268
    Sharon268 Posts: 17 Member
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    I attend Weight Watchers meetings, but I only use MFP to track. I find tracking calories to be more accurate for me than the new WW program. I eat a lot of fruits and veggies, all zero smartpoints, but they add up when counting the calories. I like the WW meetings for support and love my leader and fellow members (I've been going for years), but I don't think I will ever go back to counting points. MFP tracking for me!
  • jilleebee77
    jilleebee77 Posts: 329 Member
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    I have a co-worker that is using weight watchers and he has had an amazing weight loss so far. However he has explained it is based around proteins now being low in points and carbs/sugars/etc high in points now.

    He said he has had to revamp his whole mindset of eating (which is good, if you have food issues) but that all fruits and veggies are free. Even though some can be extremely high in sugar/carb content. The weekly allowance is 24 pts (I believe) and you CANNOT earn back exercise points anymore.

    It is definitely something that will help you see food differently, make better choices, and stay to a more whole food based option. That is only hear-say from my coworker though. I have not used it myself.
  • LZMiner
    LZMiner Posts: 300 Member
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    I had success with WWs when I turned 40---got rid of the extra pounds from having two kids in two years. But...I find MFP to be a friendlier program. WWs penalizes certain foods, where as with MFP, it's just calories. Additionally, the MFP data base is way more comprehensive than WWs. The premise of WWs is a good one...support and accountability, and I feel the boards here on MFP help with that, too.
  • sweiland1
    sweiland1 Posts: 183 Member
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    I am doing both right now. I have lost 50 lbs on the newest program and loved it. I found as my points lowered with weight loss that I was binging more, so I decided to track in both to see what was going on. WW points do direct you towards more protein, less sugar and saturated fat and has helped me a lot.

    Now I think I need to focus on overall calories, but I love Connect (the WW equivalent of the community site) and the "No finish line nation" on facebook (which is made of mostly WW members, but everyone is welcome.

    So bottom line is I am getting some things from both.
  • Running_and_Coffee
    Running_and_Coffee Posts: 811 Member
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    I disagree that it's more restrictive--you get more points than you did previously, and fruits and veggies are still free. I like the program a lot, but I also track calories. I use WW to help shape my choices (I think the emphasis on lean protein and fruits and veggies is healthy!) but because you could "cheat the system" with lots of half-servings of protein powder and fruit, I also make sure I'm within the range I want to be at.
  • amandaeve
    amandaeve Posts: 723 Member
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    I wish I saved the info from the "old" WWs! I lost 80 lbs. in 2006. The meetings were fantastic and I could eat anything I wanted. In 2016 I gained 15 pounds back and joined WW again. After a year of meetings full of whiny, stagnant people and loosing no weight at all, I quit. I am really sad about this. They used to be so great.
  • SandySmith21398
    SandySmith21398 Posts: 1 Member
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    I worked for WW for 5+ years, and am a maintaining LT member (which means I attend meetings at least once a month). The WW algorithm for deriving SmartPoints takes into account the current science indicating the impact of too much sugar, and reflects that in higher points values. Fruit (which can be high in sugar) are still 0 SPs because they also contain fiber and nutrients we need. While some folks have had weight loss stall out from too much fruit, most of us aren't needing to lose weight because we choose fruit (over other sweets). The program is designed to encourage you to choose a more whole food approach and to learn about the foods you are eating.

    I am now a weight loss coach with my own biz and have a number of clients who use WW successfully.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    i guess I struggle with the idea of "free" food (fruits and veggies) - I can put away serious calories with those (last night was close to 60g carbs of sweet potato/240cal) - that could seriously add up over time
  • Running_and_Coffee
    Running_and_Coffee Posts: 811 Member
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    deannalfisher wrote: »
    i guess I struggle with the idea of "free" food (fruits and veggies) - I can put away serious calories with those (last night was close to 60g carbs of sweet potato/240cal) - that could seriously add up over time

    Sweet potato definitely isn't "free." It's pretty high in points. Only the non-starchy vegetables are, and avocado has a lot of points, too. I have to watch out mainly with bananas, because that's one fruit that I love and is free. I have a half a banana as a serving.
  • perkymommy
    perkymommy Posts: 1,642 Member
    edited May 2017
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    Ready2Rock206 wrote: »
    The latest program is extremely restrictive. If you can go without any treats and basically just want to eat chicken and veggies you'll do great. I liked the old program but couldn't do the latest one at all.

    That's not entirely true.

    I lose faster on Weight Watchers and have done it off and on online only for years. I lost 25 lbs last year mostly using Weight Watchers in four months but joined here at MFP and it helped me. I didn't like the fact that it costs $19.95 per month or that they give me much less calories there each day of around 1000-1100. I compared it to MFP where I get 1200 per day and I was consistently eating over my points on Weight Watchers . I do MFP only because it's free but the weight comes off so much slower.
  • perkymommy
    perkymommy Posts: 1,642 Member
    edited May 2017
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    jilleebee77 wrote: »
    He said he has had to revamp his whole mindset of eating (which is good, if you have food issues) but that all fruits and veggies are free. Even though some can be extremely high in sugar/carb content. The weekly allowance is 24 pts (I believe) and you CANNOT earn back exercise points anymore.

    That's what gets me is that on WW the fruits/veggies are almost always 0 points but here on MFP they have calories which is more realistic. I was on WW for years and lost a good amount of weight but always had zero for the veggies/fruits. I don't know how I was losing weight by entering zero for those things I ate all that time but here at MFP they take away from my calories.
  • heather4life4
    heather4life4 Posts: 37 Member
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    I was attending WW for a year and had a rough time getting used to things . I had a rough time with the things i couldn't have and felt really deprived of the things i wanted. And became more so of that feeling when i realized i couldn't have it. I found the group of ladies to be very supportive but just couldn't get the idea of what they wanted off the program.
    It has been different to have fruit and veggies and have them taken away as calories, but this has been much more manageable for me and my situation. They do offer some good support but i believe that can also be found on pages like this and through the friends you have made through here.
    Hopefully you find the answers that will help you in your choices.
  • Prettyhaitian0218
    Prettyhaitian0218 Posts: 26 Member
    edited May 2017
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    I had WW for two years and it did wonders for me. I actually lost 60 plus lbs, but couple days ago they screwed me over. They took out $99.80 form my bank account and when I called them to ask why they kept hanging in my face and lifted me hanging. I had to call my bank so they can get in contact with them and my bank told them to give me my money back. Till this day they still haven't refunded me my money. My bank had to credit it to my account. I'm not saying that WW is horrible, but customer service sucks

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