Weight watchers vs mfp

amjmortensen48 · December 2018

Just want to know from some of you do you prefer weight watchers or mfp?? Please respond and your why you like one or the other better

estherdragonbat · December 2018

Well, you're ON MFP, so while you are going to find people doing WW and also tracking here, I don't think you're going to find many people who prefer WW TO MFP. That being said:

MFP is free.
I haven't done WW since 2011, so I know that they've changed things up a bit. The problem is that looking at their current list of zero-point foods, I could completely go overboard on them. They're basic staples to me. And feeling that I can snack on them whenever? I'll wipe out my calorie deficit. I think they're still attaching higher point values to fattier foods? (In other words, 100 calories of chocolate has a significantly higher point value than 100 calories of brown rice?) For people who like to budget in a small sweet snack or dessert, the point cost can be way out of proportion.
I get accountability, but I don't really like other people seeing my scale results each week.
A lot of emphasis on THEIR foods, THEIR scales, etc. And their foods aren't really that nutritious. And they're expensive!

Now most of my info is coming from what people moving from WW to here have posted, so I agree I don't know everything about what's going on with them now. But from what I do know? I'm better off saving my money and tracking here.

jan110144 · December 2018

I did not find WW a good fit for me. As @estherdragonbat mention the point assignment, to me. was problematic in terms of people actually learning about actual nutritional values of foods and making good choices for them. Also, I did not like the meetings or the cost.

MFP, of course, is not a prescriptive diet ... it is a tracking and support tool. Each person needs to work out what works for him or her. Takes a but more work and (at least for me) had some ups and downs for the first few months. But, once I figured out how best to use my calorie allotment and established an exercise regimen I could live with, it has been pretty smooth sailing.

To date i have lost nearly 60 pounds abd am only a couple of pounds from goal. I feel much more like I "own" my success and can continue this way of living forever.

Running2Fit · December 2018

MFP is free, calorie counting is simple and easy. I don’t see a reason to pay for something like WW when MFP is a simple tool that helps me lose weight for free.

cwolfman13 · December 2018

WW point system seems silly and doesn't equate to calories. Certain foods are inflated to account for "free" foods, etc. I also don't like the message sent by saying certain foods are "free"...they are not...one can over consume calories eating a lot of fruit and vegetables.

That said, you are on MFP...obviously the bias is going to lean heavily to MFP...go to WW site and I'm sure it's the other way around.

breefoshee · December 2018

Some people say they find WW more sustainable because you don't have to log everything.

I JUST tried it and hated it because their system is all about low-fat everything. Some things that are low calorie are high in points just because they don't want you eating it. I would get frustrated because one higher fat meal that I KNEW was only like 500 calories would take up the majority of my points forcing me to eat zero point stuff-- even though I knew I could still eat 1,000 calories or more and lose weight.

manderson27 · December 2018

MFP because I feel more in control when counting my own calories. Also it is free.

Mugs203 · January 2019

I have loved ww in the past, but the Freestyle plan is flawed - as mentioned above. I don't see how a small piece of chocolate at 60 calories can be 3 points but I can eat all the chicken and greek yogurt I want. They have some wacky ideas - chickpeas added to a salad are 0 points but roasted chickpeas for snacking have points??? Also they don't tell you how many points to eat per day so it's confusing.

The idea of focusing on wellness is a joke - people are there to lose weight. I do love that fruits and veggies are 0 points so you are encouraged to eat them. Their app is awesome and their social media "Connect" feature is great. Recipes need to be manually input into their website to determine points, here on MFP you can add the link and voila! all done. The number of calories can fluctuate wildly depending on what you eat.

WW is not an awful plan, I just don't think it's as accurate as calories. The plan changes very 2 years and keep in mind they are a huge corporation and want large profits - meaning their goal is to make you lose weight more slowly and keep you a member. The new WW CEO got a bonus of over $30m - that should tell you something.

amjmortensen48 · January 2019

Everything you said makes total sense. This just justifies that I need mfp instead of ww just makes more sense to me.

paperpudding · January 2019

I have never done WW.

But I like MFP because it is free ,flexible and portable

and has an awesome forum

The only benifit of WW, that I can see, is the benifit to some people of the social side and the real life contact with other people
For some people that is enjoyable and motivating and they feel more accountable to real life people in real life meetings.

Nothing wrong with that if it works for them

But I have neither time, money or desire for that sort of program.

BarbelGirl79 · January 2019

I was successful with WW about 10 years ago and lost 60 Pounds. When I stopped WW, I gained it all back as I did not learn how to successfully maintain without it. Since then I tried to restart with WW multiple times, but did not get along with the new program.
MFP seems to be more sustainable (and cheaper) in the long run.

SarahLascelles1 · January 2019

I had a three month deal from WW that ends in two weeks. I decided to cancel it and it was very difficult to do so - they won't do it via email, it has to be a call which involves sitting on hold for ages.

WW is very much aimed at omnivores. Various lean meats and low fat dairy are on their "free" list, but a lot of the non meat and non dairy equivalents aren't. For example low fat soy yoghurt comes in at about 4 points for 100g, which is ridiculous.

<The following is a joke>
I think they might have sponsorship from the milk marketing board

rachelmartin9172 · January 2019

I tried ww and was delighted when I saw the list of free foods...until I realised that eating too much of that stuff is what got me fat in the first place.

Momma_Bear_13 · January 2019

I've lost 55 pounds with WW. I recently started dual tracking on MFP so that I can see how many calories I'm actually eating. I don't often eat many 0 point foods, except for fruits and vegetables. I have cancelled my WW subscription and I'm going to switch to MFP from now on. I'm confident that I can continue to lose, eating the way I have been eating on WW for the past year.

shunda03 · January 2019

I'm currently doing the last month of WW - since i can't cancel early. Like everyone said - it's very easy to over eat which that what i was doing and i wasn't progressing in a good direction then i was getting less motivated due to the frustration. Then you have to think about the price as well; i had a discount which made my monthly payment $13.31 (estimated $160 yearly) and MFP premium is $49.99 yearly - so you can be the judge. But once again what works for you is the real question.

Honestly i'm just happy i no longer have to see the ads being a member. Lol!

sunfastrose · January 2019

I lost all my weight (50 pounds) using WW online. But - that was several years and programs ago, so probably not the same. It was useful to me as starter training wheels but if I had to lose substantial weight now I'd do simple calorie counting.

New_Heavens_Earth · January 2019

I just read a post on Connect (WW version of FB) about a member who plateaued, started double tracking, and found they were eating over 7000 calories per week extra in zero point and low point foods.

I understand the idea of the system is to guide you toward "healthier" choices, but calories still count as stated above. One of my favorite meals is a about 500 calories, but about 3 points. And I would get 23 per day. See the problem?

Plus, free!

beckyjaneb123 · January 2019

I lost about 30 pounds on WW several years ago. It was the pre online system and points were about 1 per 25 cal. I loved it and never had the same success with their new programs. I rejoined last year to try and lost 8/10 pounds and was starving. I started tracking and found I was eating well under 1000 cal a day because they killed you on any carbs. So a 200 cal kind bar was like 8 pouints! It was crazy! I just started here a few days ago and so far so good. I like the control of calorie counting and it “makes sense” to track/measure everything for me. I can go overboard if I don’t - and the new plan encourages that with this “free” mentality.

glassyo · January 2019

As much as I rag on WW these days, I *did* lose my first 90 lbs on it years ago when you took their version of the bmr quiz and then had a range of points to eat from plus any exercise points and the extra 35 points a week. And I ate every point I could get my mouth on.

These were the good ole days when you could find everything online for free.

I liked it back then. I could eat what I wanted as long as I stayed within my points and it taught me portion control (sorta. I probably could have done without 3 packages of those tiny hostess cupcake thingys that were 1 point each a night) and the weight flew off.

We won't discuss how I was apparently undereating once I'd hit a plateau and converted some random days into calories to see if that had anything to do with it.

I think, if you need that in person support, WW can be a good thing. Last I heard, all leaders were different so you just have to find a good leader who knows what they're talking about and can think outside of the WW box. Contrary to popular belief you were NEVER forced to eat their name brand and affiliated foods.

Otherwise, I would go with free over paying any time. There's lots of amazing online support and advice from oldbies here if you're actually open to hearing it.

Weight watchers vs mfp

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