MFP vs Weight Watchers?

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  • TucksterC
    TucksterC Posts: 7
    If you need groups to help you stay accountable, then WW might be a better fit for you. I found the meetings boring after attending them for a couple of months. Then I started dreading them. A lot of the people in my group felt the same. We became WW dropouts. I don't need to pay someone to weigh me once a week.
    I like MFP because you account for all the calories and nutrients you consume. There's no top secret, patented algorithm that you will never know. I don't need a special calculator that figures out the point conversion for me. I eat a lot of fruit too, and if you start tracking your sugar, you might see that the majority of it comes from fruit. Try replacing some of your fruit with a vegetable or lower calorie fruits. Bananas, apples, pears are on the high calorie end for fruit. Try berries, melons for lower calorie options.
  • schicksa
    schicksa Posts: 123 Member
    MFP is like Weight Watchers but not as simplified for beginners. And it's free. It breaks down your caloric intake based on the ratio of different types of calories (ie carb, fat, protein, etc) so it helps you control your food quality a little better. User-experience wise, it's a little slower loading than WW but all the same tools are there.
  • carlyizzle
    carlyizzle Posts: 3 Member
    I joined weight watchers on many occasions, thinking it would work for me. In principal I didnt really understand how fruit and veg could be "free" .. I ended up being too scared to eat fruit and veg which was a shame! Ive been on MFP for 2 weeks now and the weight is slowly coming off. Im finding it much easier than WW and I feel asthough I am learning what actually keeps me full.

    Plus MFP is free, so its a no brainer for me.
  • agaspard85
    agaspard85 Posts: 6
    I was originally on MFP then went to WW and came right back to MFP. Between the points and the tracking, what counts as points, what doesn't, how points for recipes are higher all together than entering them individually..... ARGHHHHH!!! lol It made me a little loopy and I never felt like I could get a handle on it so I came back to MFP and I'm already seeing and feeling a difference. You are able to find jsut about ANY food in MFP versus WW. I went to Publix the other day and got a pre-cooked salmon and it was in MFP. At that point, I was sold! I'm sticking with MFP all the way!

    If you've been gettng positive results with WW, then stick with that. However, if cost is a concern for you then come on over to MFP!!!
  • agaspard85
    agaspard85 Posts: 6
    I was on Weight Watchers for about a year and lost 12lbs and am looking to lose about 5 more. Based on a recommendation of a coworker, I started using MFP because it is free (instead of $18/month for WW).

    My biggest issue with switching from WW to MFP is compensating for the fruit. On WW, they are 0 points but here I have to accommodate for the calories, which tends to be around 40% of my daily allowance. So far, it has not been going well, I seem to go over my calories almost every day. Any suggestions on how to compensate for this? Maybe I should be looking for fruit with less calories? I'm in the habit of eat two bananas per day but that is like 214 calories...

    Try some fruits with a lower calorie amount such as grapes, berries and melons. Also, you can incorporate more nuts into your diet which keeps you full. I also put my fruit in my morning oatmeal and I notice I don't use as much as if I were to eat it seperately. It fills me up and keeps me for at least 3-4 hours!

    Fruits are considered a quick "healthy" snack so people tend to eat more of those but there are other things that you can eat that can fill you up for less calories. Try celery or carrot sticks with peanut butter. There are some great forums on here that can give you some ideas. You just have to play with it and see what works for you. Don't give up! You'll get it soon! Good Luck :smile:
  • zoeluiisa
    zoeluiisa Posts: 392
    The main difference is you don't get to roll over extra calories to use for the week with MFP.

    You can if you want, using the Weekly Net Calories page. I often eat a bit less during the week in order to "save up" some extra calories for a night out at the weekend - as long as the weekly average is where it should be by Sunday night I'm happy.
  • missjones93
    missjones93 Posts: 74 Member
    I liked (not loved) WW because it helped lose weight and the weekly weigh in gave you something to look forward too. However, MFP is FREE (where WW can get expensive). You can do it right from home. And you can weigh-in whenever you like. PLUS being online gives you the freedom to ask questions that you would never ask in a class in person.
    Just my personal opinion.
  • jjsswweerrvvee00771122
    jjsswweerrvvee00771122 Posts: 5
    I tracked using both WW and MFP and WW does have you eating less. I am under my calorie range w/ MFP but almost 20pt. over with WW. This has been the case EVERY DAY this past week that I've tracked. I'm not starving on MFP like I was on WW. I've already cancelled my account with WW. I'm going to try MFP and see how I do. Those people that said that WW doesn't teach you about food is right. It teaches about portion control, but in terms of cholesterol, sodium, etc. it doesn't do it.
  • oneorangecat
    oneorangecat Posts: 4 Member
    I tried the new points plus and I hated it. Hardly lost anything and to accommodate the "free" fruits everything I liked to eat had too high points so I would run out. I lost 50 lbs on WW in 2000 after my 3rd kid on old points program which I had liked. I did WW again last spring and even after buying the calculator and books and having it online I could not get into it. I LOVE MFP because it is easy and free and I can really see where I am at. I think the points plus calories are higher than 1200 because many people are complaining of not losing even when following it well. Lost 8 lbs over my first 2 weeks. Try both and see but look out if you do WW nonlinear its complicated to cancel. Good luck!
  • cdrflores
    cdrflores Posts: 4
    I'm new around here but have been thinking along the same lines. HATED my local meetings so I was paying fees for online support which seems very comparable here. I feel as though MFP allows me to learn about all nutritional aspects without being dependent upon tools and resources I had to buy, as was the case at WW. Grateful for what I learned at WW. It can still be of help but I am definitely more empowered here.
  • ZombieSidwell
    ZombieSidwell Posts: 40
    I am doing weight watcher's currently. I can't afford the meetings either. I love mvp for the extra features and support. I have found with recording my daily log in both the points and calories run really close to the same. I hope this helps.
  • DarcieC2389
    DarcieC2389 Posts: 146
    I just started WW on my own and am doing MFP too. I found an excellent WW Plus points app, diary/tracker, food database for android for a one time fee of 3.50. It is not by WW, but is based on their plus point system. It is called "Ultimate Weight Watcher Diary vs. 3.5.5. A heck of alot cheaper than WW etools or weekly meetings. I have lost on WW before but figured combining WW point system with MFP calories and nutritional values just makes me more aware of what I am putting in my mouth.
  • DarcieC2389
    DarcieC2389 Posts: 146
    Could always customize your MFP daily calories or other values if you sre continuing to run short.. Exercising more is also an ootion

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