Weight Watchers vs MyFitnessPal

jmatney79
jmatney79 Posts: 80
edited December 17 in Food and Nutrition
I have seen so many people on MFP asking about WW. I want to give my opinion, my HUMBLE opinion. Some may disagree, some my agree, and maybe this or some comments help. :)
1. My mom is 52, 5'0", weighs 150-155. She had been a WW member for 18 months. Since she joined she lost 6 pounds. She paid $54 per pound lost! LOL!!

2. Her points range is the lowest allowed. I decided to take one of her diary entries and plug it into MFP. She is only eating 800-900 calories per day, and WW says that is correct!! One difference is they don't want you to count fruits and vegetables as points. Okay, that can make up the deficit in points. I just thought you were supposed to track everything that you eat. Heck, 2 bananas is 300 calories! Fruit or not, its calories and calories is the weight loss factor...am I wrong?

3. If my mother is invited to a dinner, or goes on vacation she comes back up to 3 pounds heavier. I think she is starving herself.

4. Support! There is none on WW. I think there is a place for that, but no one uses it. To me MFP has replaced Facebook! Not really, but I get so many "good jobs" and "yays". I can't tell much that helps me keep going! I may not know any of my friends personally, but there is a bond there because we are all "fat losers"!!

My mother paid for my first 3 months, and said she would continue the membership, but I told her to save the money. I wish I could convince her to join MFP! I did try WW for 3 months, so I am speaking from experience, SAVE THE MONEY. I really have nothing good to say about Weight Watchers after joining MyFitnessPal
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Replies

  • Kerri_is_so_very
    Kerri_is_so_very Posts: 999 Member
    Well said...I agree 100% and I've done both!
  • caitwinmary
    caitwinmary Posts: 18
    ive been doing MFP and weight watchers at the same time and in that amount of time ive lost 32lbs just in about 3-4 months.
  • keem88
    keem88 Posts: 1,689 Member
    yeah, i would not waste my time with ww.

    i have only been on here for maybe a month and i have lost 5lbs already. without having to legit starve myself. it's much easier to have guidance when you are either losing weight or maintaining weight, and i love being able to calculate how much i eat and how many calories i burn so i can stay healthy. plus it's free, and it pretty much offers the same things that ww does.
    i would try to encourage your mom to join mfp for support, and let her know how well it works!
  • prettyprpro
    prettyprpro Posts: 128 Member
    I totally agree!! WW is a waste of money. I want to call Jennifer Hudson and tell her to try MFP. She will be singing then!!!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    Some people benefit from the face to face meetings of WW. Some need the accountability of being weighed publicly. Apparently it isn't working for your Mom.

    Just work your own plan. You can't change anyone else, even a family member.

    Once you are noticeably losing weight, Mom may come here. Until then, just be as supportive to her as you want her to be supportive of you.
  • hazev74
    hazev74 Posts: 252 Member
    did ww before and did lose a lot but wasnt a healthy diet! was also €10 per week!! this is so much better!
  • slimy72
    slimy72 Posts: 12
    There is a huge reason I am here and not there. I looked into it, and I felt I got more from the program without the cost here. And I still enjoy many weight watchers recipe blogs to get meal ideas. It's the best of both worlds and it's free.
  • scottishlass78
    scottishlass78 Posts: 28
    I agree as well, been there, done both. Although I did lose 20 lbs on WW, I had to work harder for it than I have with MFP...and you can't really shake a stick at a FREE price tag.
  • jmatney79
    jmatney79 Posts: 80
    ive been doing MFP and weight watchers at the same time and in that amount of time ive lost 32lbs just in about 3-4 months.

    That's excellent!
  • Music_is_my_soul
    Music_is_my_soul Posts: 792 Member
    I have a co-worker friend who has tried WW in the past. I got her to join MFP and she says she likes it so much better. Easier to follow, easier recipe area and best thing its FREE. A few other co-workers have tried to talk her into joing WW again and she refuses. Tells them that MFP is so much better!

    I am totally addicted to this site! I can't get enough of it. I find myself coming on here so many times during the day to see how my MFPFriends are doing on their exercise and food.. And I LOVE the forums! They are great!
  • jpuderbaugh
    jpuderbaugh Posts: 318 Member
    The points system confuses the hell out of me. My mom and gram joined it for a while, and my mom tried explaining it to me, but to me it makes things more complicated. Losing weight is hard enough, why should you complicate matters even more? I have some of their cookbooks which I like. to me it feels like I get access to the program without actually doing it. I don't like that you have to pay to be a part of their program, even online. I am broke as hell. I can't afford that stuff. Thank goodness for this website.
  • Emancipated_Tai
    Emancipated_Tai Posts: 751 Member
    I totally agree!! WW is a waste of money. I want to call Jennifer Hudson and tell her to try MFP. She will be singing then!!!

    Tell her to sing a better song while she is at it!
  • KittyHeff
    KittyHeff Posts: 56 Member
    Have started WW more times than I can remember. Family life with smallies to mind doesn't always allow me to go to meetings. Then there's the financial penalty if you don't show up. Ridiculous! Looking at the programme I actually think it's designed for you to fail. WW is all about the weekly subscription. MFP is awesome. So pleased with my progress in only 10 days. I get more support here than I ever did at a 1 hour weekly meeting in WW. No matter what time of day, there is always someone in the world online with some kind words of encouragement!!!
  • msjj831
    msjj831 Posts: 5
    Not to mention I think its more work trackinng your food on WW since you have to always figure out how many points something id.. With MFP is just calories! Ive been counting calories since Jan and have lost 20 lbs. No book, no meetings, no money, .
  • PrncessBre
    PrncessBre Posts: 444 Member
    I agree!!! It's free,fun and encouraging! Im faithful to MFP lol
  • FitToBeFab
    FitToBeFab Posts: 537 Member
    I think it's different for each person, but yeah, for the most part MFP gives you everything weight watchers does and more, and IT'S FREE!
  • txdahl
    txdahl Posts: 107 Member
    I was WW for over a year and it was great. I ate whatever I wanted I just made sure I used my points for what I wanted. I lost over 25lbs with it. Now, with that I did the following.....went to my weekly meetings where we did receive support from other members and got to talk about and trade recipes and substitudes for things. I used the online part that was free since I was a paying memeber which was also helpful and I was walking about 3 miles every other day. I stopped going due to some life changes and was able to keep the weight off for a while but then job changes, divorce and a few other stressers made me give up on pretty much everything.

    The only reason I do not do WW now is because with my job and going to school at night I can not make any of the meetings and for me that is a key part of the WW experience. I think it is a good program and does work very well for some people, but with everything else it is a personal choice and may not be right for everyone. I like MFP but do not see the same support and progress I did with WW. Also, before starting on MFP I spoke with my Dr who informed me that she does not want me going under 1400 calories a day. Because of that I have had to modify MFP for myself.
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
    I was in WW long ago...the meetings were more like group therapy sessions, with people who came every week despite never taking their weight off. Or it was their social outing for the week.

    It is very expensive for what you get -- I wonder how long their business model can survive when there are free options like MFP and Calorie Count.
  • kym117
    kym117 Posts: 315 Member
    The only lbs I want to lose are with MFP, I have friends on weight watchers and I think MFP is way better!
    For a start as I said you loose £'s with WW and lbs with MFP
    We have lots of support here and we ar here for each other more than once a week!
    I have asked WW members what there fat/carb/protein etc is and they have no clue it's all just points!
    What is the point in buying special WW books, Special WW points calculators when there are lots of healthy eating books out there and good old scales and meauring cups come with no gimicks!
    However all that said I know that the support is here when needed but you do need a certain level of dedication to drag yourself on it if you are having a rough patch!
  • Anu_mee13
    Anu_mee13 Posts: 69 Member
    I definitely feel as if WW is a waste of money. Been there/done that, and quit. Why spend money on counting points when you can join a site like here for free, and have a strong support system! Joining MFP is by far one of the BEST decisions I've ever made when it comes to my health. Joined back in Jan, and I'm already down 19lbs. I think WW suck people in by endorsing celebrities, that 9/10 had some type of surgery, and then joined WW to maintain the weight loss!
  • daphnegetnfit
    daphnegetnfit Posts: 175
    I totally agree!! WW is a waste of money. I want to call Jennifer Hudson and tell her to try MFP. She will be singing then!!!

    Jennifer Hudson looks fantastic - she does not need MFP - everyone should use whatever program works for them and do not go knocking anyone that uses something other than what you think works.
  • clariangel
    clariangel Posts: 156 Member
    I've done both, and I'm more succesful with my weight loss on MFP. Counting calories instead of points makes a big difference for me.
  • sbstylist
    sbstylist Posts: 1
    Just today I cancelled my membership with ww and joined MFP. I have been at WW off and on for YEARS! I have spent so much money and I have NEVER lost more then 10 pounds, NEVER! Two of my friends within the last few months have also stopped WW and are now doing MFP they are losers and I asked what they where doing and "MFP" was the answer. So today is I am on board!
  • MsMargie1116
    MsMargie1116 Posts: 323 Member
    I am an ex-WW member myself (did it for about 3 years), and was successful (lost over 80 lbs), as were a lot of people I know who did it. I only stopped because of cost. I'd come over here for nutrition facts on restaurants and other things, so when I stopped doing WW, I decided to stick with MFP. I am doing great on it, and probably won't go back to WW, because I have been much more successful on this one (I have lost almost 45 lbs since 1/1/12).

    In saying that, I say go with what works for you. For me, seeing the calories intake is motivating for me. Weight Watchers is a great program. You just have to be honest with yourself, and log everything you eat - honestly.

    You can't get me to say anything bad about WW. It was with that program that I started my real weight loss journey. But I LOVE me some MFP, too!!! :wink:
  • Reedern
    Reedern Posts: 525 Member
    I looked into WW and decided that I could not afford the financial burden it would cast on me, especially when eating healthier food choices is so expensive to start. MFP offers so many options and with so many people to teach you and guide you with their own MFP experiences, this is the place for me!
  • Wendy595
    Wendy595 Posts: 28 Member
    I just dropped my WW membership at the beginning of this month. I love MFP. IMO, the food is so much easier to track and I can keep track of so much more like my cholesterol and sodium intake. So far it is working much better. My mom is getting ready to try WW and I am trying to encourage her to use MFP instead!!
  • bevsdietfor2011
    bevsdietfor2011 Posts: 361 Member
    Well said...I agree 100% and I've done both!

    I also totaly agree!!!!
  • jenniferpowell1980
    jenniferpowell1980 Posts: 68 Member
    I did WW for a while, i eventually left because the leader asked if i could make my then 6 month old be quiet! But found the point system wierd so ended up eating only ww branded products, some of which are really unhealthy, think they just make the portions really small to keep the calories low, but that dosent make it healthy. Think this system is much better, i make my own choices and dont have to worry about how much noise my children are making!
  • tropaze
    tropaze Posts: 317 Member
    For me WW was a waste of money, my mom swears by it though. It's what works for her, and this is what works for me. Everyone is different and has their own opinion and way of doing things.
  • daphnegetnfit
    daphnegetnfit Posts: 175
    I am an ex-WW member myself (did it for about 3 years), and was successful (lost over 80 lbs), as were a lot of people I know who did it. I only stopped because of cost. I'd come over here for nutrition facts on restaurants and other things, so when I stopped doing WW, I decided to stick with MFP. I am doing great on it, and probably won't go back to WW, because I have been much more successful on this one (I have lost almost 45 lbs since 1/1/12).

    In saying that, I say go with what works for you. For me, seeing the calories intake is motivating for me. Weight Watchers is a great program. You just have to be honest with yourself, and log everything you eat - honestly.

    You can't get me to say anything bad about WW. It was with that program that I started my real weight loss journey. But I LOVE me some MFP, too!!! :wink:

    Agree - both are good programs - whatever you do be honest with yourself and you will see results.
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