Hmmm should I be doing points instead?

benalexe
benalexe Posts: 19 Member
edited November 24 in Getting Started
My wife has been on Weight Watchers for a while and has done very well. I have been on MFP for about 3 weeks and also have done very well. We constantly compare notes and she keeps telling me that I should switch over to ww because I can have zero point items like fruits, veggies, and other items that i have to count as opposed to 0 for her. I am on a 1500 cal plan and today at 4:30 in the afternoon I have about 838 cals left. I try and preserve them for dinner and a little desert. But right now I am a bit hungry and would love to have an apple but do I want to waist 80-100 cal vs if I was on WW I could technically have 3 apples and a few carrots and not even think twice.

Just wondering what your take on this is?

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    1500 is the absolute minimum you should be eating. What are your stats? You'll probably find a slower rate of loss better/more sustainable as you'll have more calories.

    And even if those items are "free" on weight watchers, you can still eat enough to outdo your deficit.
  • benalexe
    benalexe Posts: 19 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »

    And even if those items are "free" on weight watchers, you can still eat enough to outdo your deficit.

    My wife always says 0 points is not free.

    I am 5' 9" 238 lbs. I have been as high as 270 - many years ago I lost 60 lbs on MFP. My plan this time is to lose 40 and then consider ww which may be a better lifestyle choice.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    You have gotten a calorie target based on your height, weight, age, sex and the activity level and weightloss rate you picked. 1500 calories is as low MFP will go for a male, and often indicates a too aggressive weightloss rate.

    You have to decide for yourself what you want to spend your calories on. Your body doesn't treat the food you give it any differently based on your method of keeping track - paper, points, or food scale and labels.
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,192 Member
    benalexe wrote: »
    My wife has been on Weight Watchers for a while and has done very well. I have been on MFP for about 3 weeks and also have done very well. We constantly compare notes and she keeps telling me that I should switch over to ww because I can have zero point items like fruits, veggies, and other items that i have to count as opposed to 0 for her. I am on a 1500 cal plan and today at 4:30 in the afternoon I have about 838 cals left. I try and preserve them for dinner and a little desert. But right now I am a bit hungry and would love to have an apple but do I want to waist 80-100 cal vs if I was on WW I could technically have 3 apples and a few carrots and not even think twice.

    Just wondering what your take on this is?

    Just because the WW system says "0" points, it doesn't mean "0" calories for your body. Fruit and vegetables have calories, and sugar, and fiber, and carbs... Your body works on calories in and calories out (CICO), not on points in or points out (PIPO). :D
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    It's 6 of one, half dozen of the other. You have to eat the same amount whichever way you count. They are both trying to get you into a deficit. WW gives you a lower amount of points to use to make up for the 0 points stuff.

    You wouldn't be eating more food with WW, you would just be counting differently. Which one would be more convenient or work better psychologically is a personal decision. I could totally over eat a lot of the "0 points" foods, so I don't think it would work for me. Good luck whichever way you go!
  • Elaine352962
    Elaine352962 Posts: 287 Member
    I am a weightwatchers member and also MFP. I always monitor what I am eating but find that I am not using all the calories on MFP. I struggle to lose weight and I'm not sure what I am doing wrong. Hoping this sight will give me some support. Good Luck everyone. I am putting this onto my favourites and will keep popping in to look at everyones posts. Add me as a friend for support and updates, thank you.
  • crackpotbaby
    crackpotbaby Posts: 1,297 Member
    If you eat it, it’s still in your body whether your choice of weight loss program counts it or not.

    Using what you’ve learned about calories in your 3 weeks of mpf, do you think an apple has no calories in it?

    If you want the apple, eat it. Whether you acknowledge/count the caloric value with mfp or not (with ww), your body will still be receiving those calories.
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
    Nothing is free in this world
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Don't compare your weight loss to your wifes, although guys normally lose at a quicker pace in general so you will be glad of that in the coming weeks when her weight loss will slow down more so than yours :smile:

    Eat a minimum of 1500 calories. If you're hungry have that apple or something else.

    Counting calories works and not only that it brings us knowledge of the amount of calories in foods and that helps us make better decisions in regards to what we eat - when we are armed with calorie knowledge it leaves us in a good place to be able to maintain our weight once we have got to goal.

    All the best.
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