what do you think about weight watchers??

I'm 5'9 154 lbs..my goal weight is 140. My mom went on weight watchers when she was my age and said it really helped her loose weight and it was easier than counting calories cause you were just counting points. Currently I feel addicted to this website. As soon as I eat something (sometimes before) all that I want to do is run to the computer and check to see how many calories and carbs were in it. I need a more flexable plan, I'm thinking counting points is something I can do more easily (without a computer). Has anyone tried/or is currently on Weight Watchers?? Any suggestions for me? Anyone can comment, even if you arn't familar with Weight Watchers, I am just looking for some input.

i've tried it and had some success...i actually find counting calories and working out is easier though because in order to figure out how many points something is you have to know calories, fiber, and protien.  so if you're having a sandwich you have to know all that info for every thing on your sandwich to figure the points.  if you eat a lot of the same foods then you can memorize their points value.  point is, yes, it works but i wouldn't necessarily say it's less complicated :)

Hi,

My DH (hubby) is currently on that program but he is struggling right now, until he started exercising. 

I tried that program last time and like you, I only had about 15-20 lbs to lose.  those last 20 are the hardest.  I found WW was helpful but it was a point value and foods could have many different elements to them.  and then you had a point value for exercising.  however, i am petite, only 5' so i barely got 1 point for any exercise i did.  it would have been helpful to know around how many calories i burned off, vs.  what how many i ate, etc.  hence C-C! 

lastly, when i started the WW program, my DH was losing about 5 pounds a week (mostly water weight, but he was losing).  my DS (sis) was losing about 3 pounds a week.  They were both (and still are) very heavy with about 100-150 to lose.  Me on the other hand, was gaining!  Muscle!  After the first 2 weeks of weigh-ins, I had gained about 2 pounds.  My group leader just frowned on me.  Needless to say she needed some treadmill for herself (but i'll leave that one alone).  I tried to explain to her that muscle weighs more than fat, (this was in front of the whole group)  and she denied it, and said i needed to reavaluate my points for the day.  I was only allowed 16 pts, my DH was allowed 44 and my DS was allowed 34.  go figure!  i'm am much happier here at C-C.  I'm able to eat 1200, 1400, maybe even 1600 a day (depending on exercise) and i am not hungry.  On WW i was always hungry.  Sorry so LONG!  :)  

I've been on WW for one month and sucessfully lost 4 lbs.  I just quit last week :D I like the program but to me counting carolies (tracking via this website) is easier.  Plus WW doesn't give much credit to Exercise :(  My 60 mins work out which should have burned 400+ calories only accounts for 2 points bonus in WW :(  I feel...cheated!!! :)

WW worked for me but I feel more comfortable just counting calories and don't freak out too much over fat and fiber. 

Greetings linz6700.  I am doing both.  I have signed up for WW and I have lost 9 lbs in 4 wks.  I am also counting calories, I am curious to see what my calorie intake is.  Its has varied from 936 to 1992!  I always use my flex points, too.  *Remember a woman should eat no less then 1200 calories at day.*  So far so good, I like the plan and its taught me a lot about portion size.  I signed up for the 12 week program and I haven't missed a meeting.  I intend to finish and use all the knowledge that I learned and just count calories, after August. 

EDIT: Have you already signed up?  There is a great website, that gives you lots of info about WW, its www.dwlz.com  Dottie's weight loss zone.  In fact its loaded with info, that you might not actually have to join.  Just a thought.  :)

I used to follow WW, but needed somehting new to motivate me.  Both WW and CC are great programs, but keeping motivated is the key!

I did weight watchers for a while too and although I think it's a good program, I sometimes felt like I was in some kind of a cult and attending the meetings became tedious.  I wasn't ever able to get over the feeling that I was just part of a herd there even though I tried attending different groups to find a fit.  I did learn some good principles but it was just too 12 steppy for me.

I totally agree pufflet - it was the meetings that got to me and you expressed it well.  Althought its a great program I just really disliked the meetings and could never put my finger on why.  My daughter went and she was the opposite and found the meetings the best part so to each his own.  Just wasn't for me.

I did try both the point plan as well as the core plan and actually had better results on the core plan and was never hungry.   They do talk about exercise a bit but its not really focused on and now that I'm older, just changing eating habits doesn't work without getting active too.

Good luck!

I think this site is fantastic!!!! So much motivation available at the tips of your fingers... amazing.  It makes me want to share what I have learned from working out with trainers and going to nutrition classes with dieticians with you. I hope this is helpful for you all.

I have learned that losing weight is actually 80% diet and 20% exercise. Unless you are hooked up to a bodybug you will never know how many calories you actually burn. These websites are great but they are usually wrong when it comes to calories burned. The truth is we never push ourselves as far as we can actually go. We may go walk but our 30 min walk is usually more of a brisk / leisurely stroll instead of a calorie burning walk. We forget that we are capable of so much more than what we do and don't realize that feeling that burn or heart racing is what we should be striving for. Do that 30 minute walk where it is a struggle to have a conversation then you know you are pushing yourself a little, When it's impossible to hold a conversation - that's where you should strive to be.

As for as calorie counting I hate to inform everyone that (this was so hard for me to hear) the FDA allows a 30% YES 30% deficit. Which means that 100 calorie snack could be 30% higher in calories than what is listed. : ( ... Thought I was gonna cry when I heard this, I started increasing my #'s to accomodate that 30% and started seeing what I figured I should be seeing. To lose a pound you have to burn 3500 calories. I've used the bodybugg in the past and have an idea of what I burn in my workouts so I try to post minutes according to this info. Good Luck!!!

O BTW weight watchers is very similar to cal counting each point is roughly 50 cals. My mom and aunts did it and they did fabulous!! Of course once they got off they returned to fried foods and gumbos (Southern cooking is a killer lol). so you can guess what happened to most of the weight they lost NOT all returned (I can happily say), but more than half is back.

 

I am a lifetime member of weight watchers, but here I am on CC. I was a great program for me. I lost the weight just fine but I gained it all back after I stopped counting points.

The problem I have now is that if a liftime member is overweight, they have to pay $11 for the weigh-in. So, when I gained a few pounds, I thought I would go back when I had lost weight so I wouldn't have to pay. Ooops! Not going to the weigh-ins only led to more weight gain:(

I have seen the new ads. I am tempted to go pay $11 to find out what is different now.

I think you get the gist that WW is great for someone who needs that social factor of dieting..... i.e., accountability and support from people you actually interact with in regular meetings.

The program itself is great in regard to promiting healthy eating and portion control.  Like some of the others, I wasn't crazy about the group meetings.  Although now it's avaiable on-line, which it wasn't back when I was a member. 

If you can do CC on your own and be accountable, then great!  It's as cheap of an alternative as you can get.  If you need that extra accountability, then WW is definitely worth a try.  Not to mention you can attend your first meeting for free.

 

I lost 20 pounds with weight watchers and enjoyed the support I received from the group but I really could not afford the $39.00 a month instead I use that money to join the YMCA which I feel I get more bang from my buck and I find just doing strictly calorie count far more easier & don't have the guilt factor with calorie counting like I did with points which fly by very easy if your item does not have enough fiber in it.............but if you want to try it you can always go to a center and buy the starter package without joining and sit in a meeting for free to see if it feels like a good fit for you and I would encourage if you have the options to try different leaders and group settings because they all have their own vibe.........Good luck :)