Weight watchers?

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ABetterBalance
ABetterBalance Posts: 298
in Food and Nutrition
My husband went out of town this week with his parents and older sister (to visit his younger sister for her birthday) He spent 8 hours in the car on Friday and another 8 coming home on Sunday listening to his family RAVE about how awesome Weight watchers is, and now he is wanting to give it a try.

I've always been wary of it, because it seems like an overly complicated way of counting calories. I'd rather just look at the nutritional info than have to use formulas to calculate what I'm eating.

That said, he needs to lose close to 50 lbs, and I am willing to look into anything to help him out. Those who have done weight watchers- what did you like/dislike about it? Anything I should know as we're reasearching? Any blogs/websites that will have useful info to get us going?

Any and all help is appreciated!

Replies

  • emilydmac
    emilydmac Posts: 382 Member
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    I think weight watchers in general can be a very helpful tool. However, do not buy their food if you are looking for a healthy change- yes their food is low calorie but to make it low in calories they put craploads of chemical and sodium and other nasty stuff in it. Doing the weightwatchers but doing it with real whole foods I think is more beneficial
  • Clairelola
    Clairelola Posts: 11
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    Hi,

    I think everyone is different, what works for some doesn't work for others. My mum is going to weight watchers and is having great success with it and lost 13 pounds so far, for me it didn't work and I find this site brilliant and this is working for me.
  • Legalchica
    Legalchica Posts: 462
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    I did weight watchers and it did help me. but if you arent wanting / needing to go to meetings this is free and just as good!
  • bt806
    bt806 Posts: 22
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    I have done points plus before but didnt stick to it to long unless you want to pay for everything there is a lot of math
  • mcjabber
    mcjabber Posts: 374 Member
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    It's great for accountability, since you weigh in each week with an actual person and attend meetings with other actual people. This is tremendously helpful to a lot of people. And the formulas really are not that complicated, or at least they weren't when I did Weight Watchers (they change things up fairly frequently, though).

    Logging your food is also a big thing with WW, but you can track just as easily on MFP. If the accountability and human motivation is worth the cost, then go for it! The people are great, in my experience. But if he can hold himself accountable, then it might not be worth the money.
  • rockstarginaa
    rockstarginaa Posts: 1,529 Member
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    I've done WW in the past but could not lose more than 15lbs on it.
  • darklord48
    darklord48 Posts: 114 Member
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    The new "Points Plus" program is garbage. Before fruit had points associated while many vegetables were "free". Now both are free, which means you can eat all of the sugar laden fruit you want while still under your points. If you use MFP, you get everything you get from Weight Watchers, except for the meetings and forced weekly weigh ins.

    Personally, I'd get a group of friends together and do the meetings and weigh ins.
  • defygravity531
    defygravity531 Posts: 289 Member
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    I've lost and kept off 40 pounds on WW. It's a fantastic program. Tell him to try out different meetings to find a leader he clicks with. My leader, Kim, is one of my favorite people in the world and I feel like she's really invested in my success.

    Seriously, WW works.
  • krcorn5592
    krcorn5592 Posts: 14
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    I liked the fact that I had to weigh in every week but I also disliked the fact that I had to weigh in every week in front of a lot of bystanders. You can lose weight on weight watchers. It just got too expensive for me to continue. The meetings were a good idea because you got to socialize with others and not really feel like everyone was judging you. I personally get more validation and support her on MFP then I did through weight watchers or any other place I have tried. I think that the main thing is to have a support system. I didn't really feel like I had that. While I was on weight watchers, I was the youngest one in the meetings so I didn't really bond with anyone. If you purchase their books..... they used to run about $15 a book, I had one for eating out and one for home, they make it a little easier for keeping up with your points. The meals are really good though. Good luck to you and your hubby!!
  • leannmr2002
    leannmr2002 Posts: 12
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    I have done WW 3 times and did lose while I was on the program. The points are not hard to calculate nor is it any different really than watching how many calories you take in. Personally I believe eating healthy and exercise is your best bet to lose weight (wow that just came out of MY mouth-kinda scary to me! : ) lol ), I found the weekly meeting with WW was not helpful and I dreaded going to "weigh in" It really is what you feel will help you. I have friends and family that are changing their life style and habits of eating and that helps me the most!
  • lucky1ns
    lucky1ns Posts: 358 Member
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    I lost on WW then gained it all back. That point system burned me out.
  • HeidiMuszall
    HeidiMuszall Posts: 13 Member
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    I have done WW on and off over the last 2+ years and just last week decided to give this web site a try to change things up. I like WW, and would definitely recommend the plan to anyone starting out dieting. I have done both going to meeting or tracking points online, I perfer online. I found the plan very easy to use, and educational if you really don't know what you are supposed to be eating. The general concept is the same as this site, track your food and excercise, stay within your target, and you will lose weight. The WW plan is also focussed on getting in all your fruit, veggies, dairy, ect. The WW plan definitely works, as long as you stick with it. I have lost about 65 lbs doing WW in the last 2-3 years. At this point I'm kinda burnt out on "dieting" and an looking for a new perspective.

    So far I feel that this site and WW are very similar. Although I like that this site is free to use, and I also enjoy that you can share your food journal with friends here.
  • carriem29
    carriem29 Posts: 28
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    There is a difference between "free" and "unlimited" Fruit is free but that doesn't mean you can eat all you want. I think that is where a lot of people run into trouble because they think they can eat all the fruit they want.

    With that said, I do think WW is a great system. I really don't think it is much different that MFP with logging food and exercise. I personally use MFP because it is free, but I still count points:)
  • ABetterBalance
    ABetterBalance Posts: 298
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    Thanks for all the input!

    My biggest reluctance is that my husband doesn't want to do meetings or anything like that. He decided "we should look up all the formulas and do this on our own"

    ^^ That, translated, means "You should look up the formulas for me, and calculate all the points for the foods I eat, and I will text you 30 times a day when you are trying to work" :grumble:

    I love the man, really do, but his biggest nutrition downfall is that he wants everything to be simple and easy. He'll eat whatever I cook with no complaints, but if I don't get up and pack a lunch for him he just won't do it. Then he'll go to the gas station, buy soda and chips, and complain to me that "this calorie counting thing you have me doing doesn't work"

    Ok- it's Monday and I'm grumpy. I'll stop complaining now!
  • darklord48
    darklord48 Posts: 114 Member
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    Thanks for all the input!

    My biggest reluctance is that my husband doesn't want to do meetings or anything like that. He decided "we should look up all the formulas and do this on our own"

    ^^ That, translated, means "You should look up the formulas for me, and calculate all the points for the foods I eat, and I will text you 30 times a day when you are trying to work" :grumble:

    I love the man, really do, but his biggest nutrition downfall is that he wants everything to be simple and easy. He'll eat whatever I cook with no complaints, but if I don't get up and pack a lunch for him he just won't do it. Then he'll go to the gas station, buy soda and chips, and complain to me that "this calorie counting thing you have me doing doesn't work"

    Ok- it's Monday and I'm grumpy. I'll stop complaining now!
    Honestly, MFP is easier to track than Weight Watchers.
  • jessieknh
    jessieknh Posts: 52 Member
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    I lost 40lbs on WW 3 years ago and have kept it off. The new points plus program does not work for me. The points are too high if you don't have a lot to lose in my opinion. I have lifetime status so WW is free for me but it wasn't working anymore.

    I recently found MFP and it seems to be working a lot better and it's free. If he has 50 to lose WW will likely work for him and as long as he's not eating all the processed ww foods and really makes a change in diet it will be easy to keep off. I have had no problem keeping it off.

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