Decided to join WW

Ann262
Ann262 Posts: 266 Member
I decided to join WW because just counting calories in and out wasn't doing it. I know I was going over in calories some days but I was just darn hungry. Will power just doesn't work for me. If I think about it, hunger is supposed to be very uncomfortable and we are hard wired to correct that sensation. If that weren't so, humans would not have survived.

WW gives me a way to lean into foods that nourish me and that I can eat in unlimited quantities. It is just that they are the types of foods that are generally low in fat and calories and are foods that I won't binge on. Poultry, eggs, seafood, fruits and veggies. It leaves me with enough room to have an occasional treat.

The big thing is, I am not walking around hungry trying to talk myself out of eating something. I am not feeling like a failure because I didn't have the strength to tough out hunger pangs.

I lost 4.6 pounds the first week. Without trying to willpower my way through a day.

I am not trying to sell WW. I hate to sell anything. While my calories in have been less than calories out this week, what I choose to eat DOES MATTER. I have to make the right choices so that I don't find myself in a place where I am hungry and trying to tough out hunger pangs. I will lose that battle every time and it just doesn't work for me.

I will continue to log on MFP, at least for awhile. For now, it is interesting to me to see what 16 points per day translates to in terms calories and macros.






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Replies

  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 948 Member
    Ann262 wrote: »
    I decided to join WW because just counting calories in and out wasn't doing it. I know I was going over in calories some days but I was just darn hungry. Will power just doesn't work for me. If I think about it, hunger is supposed to be very uncomfortable and we are hard wired to correct that sensation. If that weren't so, humans would not have survived.

    WW gives me a way to lean into foods that nourish me and that I can eat in unlimited quantities. It is just that they are the types of foods that are generally low in fat and calories and are foods that I won't binge on. Poultry, eggs, seafood, fruits and veggies. It leaves me with enough room to have an occasional treat.

    The big thing is, I am not walking around hungry trying to talk myself out of eating something. I am not feeling like a failure because I didn't have the strength to tough out hunger pangs.

    I lost 4.6 pounds the first week. Without trying to willpower my way through a day.

    I am not trying to sell WW. I hate to sell anything. While my calories in have been less than calories out this week, what I choose to eat DOES MATTER. I have to make the right choices so that I don't find myself in a place where I am hungry and trying to tough out hunger pangs. I will lose that battle every time and it just doesn't work for me.

    I will continue to log on MFP, at least for awhile. For now, it is interesting to me to see what 16 points per day translates to in terms calories and macros.






    Yeah I get you. I don’t enjoy counting every single calorie either. I’ve stopped taking the food scale out for every thing. The food that I eat matters as well. If I eat a croissant for breakfast and it’s only 200-300 calories then I will crash later on because my blood sugars will be all over the place and I’ll get so tired. On the other hand I can eat a 600 calorie breakfast with eggs, vegetables and a slice of sourdough bread and I’ll feel much better! Too much sugar makes me tired and depressed. I’m trying to find a middle ground of knowing roughly how many calories I’m eating and focusing more on the type of food as well. Also whole foods get absorbed LESS than processed foods like candy. There’s even a scientific study about this. It’s a small difference but I believe that it adds up over time. Another study showed that the type of gut bacteria can determine how many calories you absorb! Some people absorb up to 150-200 calories more just by having a poor gut micro biome.
  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 2,496 Member
    Good luck, hope you find something that works.
  • starrynightskys
    starrynightskys Posts: 31 Member
    If it works for you that's great. I found WW to be all about restricting carbs and fats which made it hard to have a source of energy. I was on the green plan though where you have to point everything. If you're on one of the others it seems possible to have more calories, but if you don't track it calorie wise and you're short or old or have not much to lose I imagine it would be frustration to be sort of shooting in the dark with weight loss so to speak.
  • Ann262
    Ann262 Posts: 266 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    Why not? Go for it.
    For me it would not work as I mostly eat from the 'free food' list and would then spend the points on crisps etc on top of it. :D

    LOL! THATs the trick! I finished my first week with enough points on the table I could have polished off a bottle of wine and still been "on program". The problem with that is, today I would be off the rails wanting lots of greasy hangover food.
  • Sara3veg
    Sara3veg Posts: 48 Member
    OP, I'm glad you found something to be excited about :) However, just realize that you're still in the 'honeymoon' phase of the plan. I lasted two months on WW, before I hit a wall hard and ended up quitting it (and lost money in the process because I had to pay the early termination fee). But that first month was amazing, I felt great and was losing weight. It was going good. Until it wasn't anymore.

    It may end up being a good fit for you over the long term, but its way to early to tell yet. Best of luck to you, as you work towards your health and fitness goals!

  • Ann262
    Ann262 Posts: 266 Member
    lmf1012 wrote: »
    Ann262 wrote: »
    I decided to join WW because just counting calories in and out wasn't doing it. I know I was going over in calories some days but I was just darn hungry. Will power just doesn't work for me. If I think about it, hunger is supposed to be very uncomfortable and we are hard wired to correct that sensation. If that weren't so, humans would not have survived.

    WW gives me a way to lean into foods that nourish me and that I can eat in unlimited quantities. It is just that they are the types of foods that are generally low in fat and calories and are foods that I won't binge on. Poultry, eggs, seafood, fruits and veggies. It leaves me with enough room to have an occasional treat.

    The big thing is, I am not walking around hungry trying to talk myself out of eating something. I am not feeling like a failure because I didn't have the strength to tough out hunger pangs.

    I lost 4.6 pounds the first week. Without trying to willpower my way through a day.

    I am not trying to sell WW. I hate to sell anything. While my calories in have been less than calories out this week, what I choose to eat DOES MATTER. I have to make the right choices so that I don't find myself in a place where I am hungry and trying to tough out hunger pangs. I will lose that battle every time and it just doesn't work for me.

    I will continue to log on MFP, at least for awhile. For now, it is interesting to me to see what 16 points per day translates to in terms calories and macros.

    I think it’s fantastic you’ve found something that is working for you!

    Curious though, if you’ve been under your calories this week on WW, what is different than what you were doing before WW that had you so hungry and eating over? If it’s just a matter of choosing different foods, couldn’t you have done that without WW?

    It IS a bit of a game, right. I could have done exactly what I did this week on MFP and not paid for WW. Instead of starting my day with a bagel and cream cheese, I might start it with 3 eggs and apple slices. Both about the same in terms of calories but far different in terms of nutrients and satiety.
  • carbos101
    carbos101 Posts: 48 Member
    I've read a few posts in the past of posters having WW memberships as well as counting calories. If I had the time to track both points/calories (and attend meetings) I might check out their info. Are meetings available online?
  • Ann262
    Ann262 Posts: 266 Member
    I have been on WW before and hit my goal weight, and kept it off a few years, but then gained it back. So here I am on MFP. I thought about doing WW again. My sister is. But the idea of "free foods", unless they are things like lettuce, seems gimmicky to me. I'd worry I'd eat too much of the free foods.

    Also, another problem I had with WW is their constantly pushing their product foods and recipes, as if losing weight is all about food, food and more food. The pictures of food on their website and promotional materials had a negative influence on me. As if, join WW, and you can have all this fabulous food. Well, you can't really, and it made me obsess about food. And I think their frozen meals, like all processed foods are skimpy on portions and too high in salt. If you need to control salt, its better to stay away from processed foods.

    For me, doing MFP lets me track sodium really well, and I just find it clearer, to me, tracking calories rather than points. OTOH if I hit a plateau for too long, and think I need more help, I might join a weight loss program like WW.

    I just joined the online plan that does not include meetings (they now call workshops) In the past, did. It depended on leader but there was one leader who was constantly pushing the products and I found that extremely annoying. One thing about their "snack" products is that they aren't magically low in points, they are just portioned that way. Their little desert bars are packaged to look like full size candy bars but with low points but, really, you could eat a snicker's mini for the same point/calorie value. Not worth it to me!

    Yes, if the pics on the site are a trigger for you, then yes, avoid it. :-)

  • Ann262
    Ann262 Posts: 266 Member
    carbos101 wrote: »
    I've read a few posts in the past of posters having WW memberships as well as counting calories. If I had the time to track both points/calories (and attend meetings) I might check out their info. Are meetings available online?

    I don't know. I don't do meetings. I know they were doing Zoom meetings last year but they may have gone back to in person by now.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    I wouldn't presume to really know why you got disagrees, but many people have come over here from WW. Perhaps they are not in agreement with your reasons. Then there are the people that are thinking "but you can do all that on MFP". Many of us do (including choosing foods that are healthy and filling). You can follow both of course, as i said before--whatever works is what you should do. It doesn't mean that it's a popular choice.
  • Speakeasy76
    Speakeasy76 Posts: 961 Member
    Good luck! One size does NOT fit all when it comes to weight loss, so if it works for you, that's all that matters! Obviously people who are on MFP are probably a little biased towards using MFP, but that doesn't mean it works for everyone trying to lose and maintain weight.

    I think whatever weight loss method someone chooses, the most important things are having the right mindset about it and that the habits learned are something someone can keep up for life. I've done WW in the past and had some success, but honestly I think it was my mindset at the time--I wasn't ready to fully commit and felt that restricting would lead to bingeing (which it sometimes did). That was something I did with any weight loss attempt, though, so that wasn't specific to WW.
  • 33gail33
    33gail33 Posts: 1,155 Member
    glassyo wrote: »
    I wouldn't presume to really know why you got disagrees, but many people have come over here from WW. Perhaps they are not in agreement with your reasons. Then there are the people that are thinking "but you can do all that on MFP". Many of us do (including choosing foods that are healthy and filling). You can follow both of course, as i said before--whatever works is what you should do. It doesn't mean that it's a popular choice.

    I would presume! :) I think it's this paragraph:
    WW gives me a way to lean into foods that nourish me and that I can eat in unlimited quantities. It is just that they are the types of foods that are generally low in fat and calories and are foods that I won't binge on. Poultry, eggs, seafood, fruits and veggies. It leaves me with enough room to have an occasional treat.

    The bolded are a touch at odds with each other.

    Not really. You CAN eat unlimited quantities of certain foods, but they are the types of foods that the OP is unlikely to want to overeat.
  • 33gail33
    33gail33 Posts: 1,155 Member
    glassyo wrote: »
    33gail33 wrote: »
    glassyo wrote: »
    I wouldn't presume to really know why you got disagrees, but many people have come over here from WW. Perhaps they are not in agreement with your reasons. Then there are the people that are thinking "but you can do all that on MFP". Many of us do (including choosing foods that are healthy and filling). You can follow both of course, as i said before--whatever works is what you should do. It doesn't mean that it's a popular choice.

    I would presume! :) I think it's this paragraph:
    WW gives me a way to lean into foods that nourish me and that I can eat in unlimited quantities. It is just that they are the types of foods that are generally low in fat and calories and are foods that I won't binge on. Poultry, eggs, seafood, fruits and veggies. It leaves me with enough room to have an occasional treat.

    The bolded are a touch at odds with each other.

    Not really. You CAN eat unlimited quantities of certain foods, but they are the types of foods that the OP is unlikely to want to overeat.

    No, I get that part. But the OP made it sound like you can eat those unlimited quantities and presumably still lose weight. WW (and no real hate here. I lost 90 lbs on it.) lists all these unlimited zero point foods but, if you actually DO eat unlimited quantities, it's gonna throw a wrench into the weight loss thing.

    What you eat matters for satiety and fitness goals. How much for weight loss. I'm glad she found something that works but it's misleading. Eating unlimited quantities of chicken and broccoli is still going to cause weight gain if you go over your tdee.

    I guess - but whenever someone on here insists that they got obese eating only healthy foods I just kind of go "hmmmm". I guess it's possible but I would think the more common scenario is that those food that are much harder to moderate and low in satiety are the main contributors to weight gain - not chicken and brocolli. And those hard to moderate foods are what you would spend points on. I imagine that is why the program is set up that way.
    Back when I lost weight on it every food had points and you had to count everything - so it was basically simplified calorie counting.