Why did it take me so long to figure it out (Weight Watchers)

KM0692 · May 2017

I have been going back and forth between WW and calorie counting since the beginning of the year, unable to decide which is the better program for me. Well, last night I finally figured it out. There is NO way that Weight Watchers would work for me long term.

Calorie counting is so much simpler, and it's sustainable. I had been thinking in the short-term, not the long-term. I need to learn portion control, and yes, Weight Watchers teaches you this, but they are just too restrictive when it comes to treats. Do I really want to go to a birthday party and not be able to eat a slice of cake because it's almost my entire day's worth of points? No, I want to be able to work that cake into my day and with calorie counting, it is so much easier to do so!

I have NO idea why it took me this long to "see the light"! I cancelled my WW account tonight.

crooked_left_hook · May 2017

Welcome to the light

spiffychick85 · May 2017

I totally agree...I used WW back in 2009 after my first son was born to lose weight, but since then things have changed 3x at least as far as the points go lol...it's just too much for me. Now I count calories and things are going well, I prefer this (Ci<CO) method long term for sure.

macchiatto · May 2017

spiffychick85 wrote: »

I totally agree...I used WW back in 2009 after my first son was born to lose weight, but since then things have changed 3x at least as far as the points go lol...it's just too much for me. Now I count calories and things are going well, I prefer this (Ci<CO) method long term for sure.

LOL I used WW back in 2009 after my sons were born, too! (And I'd used it to lose 20 lbs before TTC as well.) But yes, it's changed a lot since then. It also just seemed to stop working as well for me after a while so I switched things up. That's when I first joined MFP.

Tried30UserNames · May 2017

In the older WW programs you could fit anything you wanted into your day. Not now. The real key to WW's success is the in person meetings and weigh-in. If you know you have to get on a scale in front of the receptionist at the meeting every Tuesday, you make better choices the rest of the week. Accountability is invaluable.

jaymijones · May 2017

Another 2009 WW alumni here. I lost all my baby weight and then some on that program. I went back two years later after the next baby, and lost a little weight, but it just really wasn't working for me. I even tried going to the meetings, I only used the online tools in 2009. I thought the accountability would give me the motivation I must have been lacking. It still wasn't working for me at all. Then on one of my only loss weeks my meeting leader congratulated me and asked me in front of the class what I was doing differently, I mentioned that I had been rewarding myself with a brownie at the end of the day if I had room in my points for them. She chastised and shamed me and assured me that my daily reward brownies were going to be my downfall and that if I kept it up I wouldn't be seeing much more weight loss. I was confused and angry because I thought the whole selling point of WW was moderation over "dieting," and that there were no "off limit" foods. Having my leader tell me I was doing it wrong' especially after a good week was the last straw.

The stuff I hear about the newest iteration of the program makes me glad I already left. I don't understand why they don't make older versions of the program available to use with the online tools. The 2009 program worked for me, I probably would have gone back to it instead of looking for something else had the option been available to me at the time.

Shortly after that last meeting I switched to a free calorie counting app, and ended up trying a few before settling on this one. I've never looked back.

HoosierBecky · May 2017

I am so glad I found this post. I have been pretty depressed about how much weight I've gained in the past few years and was considering going back to Weight Watchers. I've been a WW member three different times, starting with exchanges back in the '80s up to when fruit became 0 points. I had lost 60 pounds but kept gaining it back little by little until I was almost at my starting weight.

I've been using MFP but need the accountability of facing the scale each week. I just found a weekly weigh in group here hoping to turn things around.

Thanks for sharing this info.

caryll4 · May 2017

I was a weight watcher for years but agree fully they have over done the points as far as sugar one piece of cake can use almost all your points, finally decided I need a change , and this is so much better, you can work treats in , this is the way to go .

fitmom4lifemfp · May 2017

KM0692 wrote: »

I have been going back and forth between WW and calorie counting since the beginning of the year, unable to decide which is the better program for me. Well, last night I finally figured it out. There is NO way that Weight Watchers would work for me long term.

Calorie counting is so much simpler, and it's sustainable. I had been thinking in the short-term, not the long-term. I need to learn portion control, and yes, Weight Watchers teaches you this, but they are just too restrictive when it comes to treats. Do I really want to go to a birthday party and not be able to eat a slice of cake because it's almost my entire day's worth of points? No, I want to be able to work that cake into my day and with calorie counting, it is so much easier to do so!

I have NO idea why it took me this long to "see the light"! I cancelled my WW account tonight.

WW was exactly what I needed after I had gained 60 pounds. This was many many years ago, on an old plan, and I understand that the newer plans are less popular. It taught me everything I needed to know about healthy eating. However, I never joined it - I simply bought the materials and followed the plan on my own. I am not a "group hug" kind of person - so meetings would not work for me. The most important thing for me, that I learned, was that tracking calories is SO important. I am very grateful that my sister talked me into trying it.

hesn92 · May 2017

I've never done weight watchers but I don't understand why anyone would choose that over counting calories. Calories is basic science... Weight watchers works because of calories (you eat a number of points and ultimately that number gets you under your calorie burn) so why not just count calories to begin with

qpmomma1 · May 2017

My coworker is doing WW and I'm doing CICO. We are both losing and it seems to work for her. I think it depends on the person. I prefer CICO though. I feel like it gives me more freedom.

cndkendrick · May 2017

My main issue with WW was that I always felt the need to hoard points until the end of the day. I also felt so much anxiety if I went WAY out of my point range close to my weigh in day had to look at a negative weekly number all week. Its so mental.

polvo71 · May 2017

I was talking about this several weeks ago when I had my own weight watchers revelation. Since my early 30s when I started to gain weight I have been on Weight Watchers about or 4 times. That’s 15 years. The first 2 times it worked for me. I lost all the weight I needed to (20-30 pounds). Four children, the worst life tragedy, and not coping healthfully got me in a position of needing help to lose weight again. I tried WW 2 more times and failed. I just couldn’t keep up with the tracking. But, what was really happening is that if I missed a day or a weekend I got resentful, resentful that I was paying and wasting money. Missing one day would turn into a month and instead of getting back on track I just became more frustrated that I was wasting money. You would think that paying for a service would make you use it.

Then I discovered MFP. I started using it and have continued to use it. I have missed a few weekends of tracking plus a vacation where I took a break. But I came back no problem. I thought about this to figure out the difference and it’s because it’s free. There is no pressure either way. When the stress and frustration about not using a paid service is removed, I track more faithfully.

I've lost 10 pounds in 2 months!

songbird13291 · May 2017

I was successful on every WW plan I tried, until the current plan. The idea of a "food score" or a "point value" is to nudge you into a healthier choice, i.e., that 100 calories of milk chocolate are not as nutritionally beneficial as 100 calories of whole grains. The current plan exacts too high a price for sugar and carbs, it's not sustainable. I'm doing an older version of WW, Points Plus -- there are apps you can download for free or low cost -- and also tracking calories and macros here. If I stay within my points, I am almost always within my calorie budget as well. Sometimes if I go over my points, I'm still within my calorie budget. Knowledge is power.

Tried30UserNames · May 2017

hesn92 wrote: »

I've never done weight watchers but I don't understand why anyone would choose that over counting calories. Calories is basic science... Weight watchers works because of calories (you eat a number of points and ultimately that number gets you under your calorie burn) so why not just count calories to begin with

For several reasons (and in this I refer to any of the old in-person plans, but not the current one):

1. There's accountability in having to go to a meeting each week and weigh in front of the receptionist. And then you get an award when you reach certain weight loss numbers (5 lbs, 10lbs, etc).

2. For some of us who came of age in the 1980's there was a real focus that anything over 300 calories in a meal was gluttonous and only for huge fat lazy pigs. So counting calories can be an emotional/mental/self image issue. Counting points frees you from that mindset.

3. The meetings teach you about nutrition, healthy eating, exercise and behavior modification. You share new recipes to try. You learn tricks for eating out or going to parties. You support other people who are going through what you are.

4. There's structure in the plan. You have a goal of eating a certain amount of certain foods. Aim for at least 5 fruits and vegetables. Try to drink 8 glasses of water. Eat 2 tsp of fat. Have 2 servings of dairy. Eat lean protein. Write down your daily plan in a little diary and check off the boxes when you meet your goals. Mentally, it's hard to end the day with some of your boxes unchecked so you follow the plan.

You're still essentially counting calories, of course, but you're not on your own trying to figure things out with no plan in place and no accountability to anyone whether you go over your calories or not.

bubaluboo · May 2017

I was a fan of Slimming World but never joined, just followed the program. It worked but I got stuck in a rut of eating certain foods which were "free" but were not particularly tasty. It took a lot of effort to get with the CICO way of thinking. I just thought I didn't have the time. Actually I do and now I'm not restricted by the notion of free food or syns which is so much better. Now, looking at calorie contents, it's difficult to work out why certain foods are syns and others aren't at times. Adding a Fitbit into the CICO approach sealed the deal for me. I find it so easy to go with the calories that automatically update and for me the numbers seem to work so if I stick to what MFP says I lose...easy with a bit of will power thrown in.

annacole94 · May 2017

The mystery to me is the people that pay for WW, but do online only. I understand the value of the social components of the meetings, but not how a paid app is better than a free one (other than massive brand recognition and advertising, of course).

I considered doing it in person, but in the end, did the Diet Bet thing (which I know also mystifies many people here, as it wouldn't motivate them).

jaymijones · May 2017

polvo71 wrote: »

I was talking about this several weeks ago when I had my own weight watchers revelation. Since my early 30s when I started to gain weight I have been on Weight Watchers about or 4 times. That’s 15 years. The first 2 times it worked for me. I lost all the weight I needed to (20-30 pounds). Four children, the worst life tragedy, and not coping healthfully got me in a position of needing help to lose weight again. I tried WW 2 more times and failed. I just couldn’t keep up with the tracking. But, what was really happening is that if I missed a day or a weekend I got resentful, resentful that I was paying and wasting money. Missing one day would turn into a month and instead of getting back on track I just became more frustrated that I was wasting money. You would think that paying for a service would make you use it.

Then I discovered MFP. I started using it and have continued to use it. I have missed a few weekends of tracking plus a vacation where I took a break. But I came back no problem. I thought about this to figure out the difference and it’s because it’s free. There is no pressure either way. When the stress and frustration about not using a paid service is removed, I track more faithfully.

I've lost 10 pounds in 2 months!

This was another issue I had with WW, I realize it's a personal problem, but my need to have a "perfect week" was quickly turning no into an obstacle for me. If I messed up on day one, I usually just said "screw it I'm not tracking this week." Then I went to the store to stock up on Oreos and Cheese Its. I ultimately left because I didn't like the attitude I encountered at the meetings, and I was unhappy with the constantly changing program. A free app gives me more room to miss tracking sometimes, or go over my calorie allowance occasionally without msssive guilt about wasting money. I've managed to keep at it longer and more consistently than I ever could do with WW.

WW gave me a lot of great lifestyle tools, that I still use. Like looking at nutrition from a weekly standpoint instead of daily. I can still have a brownie, I just need to practice moderation. But they're clearly in the business of making money. I'm convinced that's why they keep reinventing the program. It has nothing to do with the new program being "better" it's just different and it forces users to go out and buy all new tools every few years, keeps users from dropping out and following the program on their own, and keeps attracting new users.

cheryldumais · May 2017

Me too, paid for WW online for years but never lost any weight after the points thing. When they changed it again in 2016 I cancelled my subscription and came to MFP and I've lost over 80 pounds!

Silentpadna · May 2017

I understand WW works for some, but I always remember that they exist to make a profit (good on them - have no issue with that). In order for them to be successful, they need to have people involved in all the other stuff. So while the basis of their weight loss program is ultimately a deficit, it is in their best interest to not really focus on that as much as on the other things that keep their customers involved. The best reason I can think of for them to have a (perhaps) less successful version, but one that keeps enough customers coming, is to consistently improve change things and to market their program differently. They certainly have enough success stories (and I think many are the real deal) to continue to sell their program.

Like many others, if they can sell a system that seems easier for people to follow than counting calories (which is always sold as being difficult), then they are guaranteed to attract customers.

Why did it take me so long to figure it out (Weight Watchers)

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