Weight Watchers - who had trouble on core and went back to flex?

I love the choices I am making on core, but the weight doesn't seem to be moving.

I probably will end up combining core food and flex points.

Anyone else have trouble. I appreciate any shared stories, ideas and comments.

I was wondering about somehow combining CORE and FLEX points also.
I eat a lot of CORE foods but I sometimes like the convenience of sticking a frozen entree into the microwave.

But my leader said that WW wants the members to choose EITHER Core or FLEX and stick with each one for the entire week.

They seem to feel that trying to combine the 2 plans in a week will lead to accidently taking in too many calories etc. Since I am such a WW Newbie at this point I can't say for sure. --Pookie

I just remembered that one of the ladies at my meeting on Sunday said she was on the verge of quitting WW because she was so tired of constantly measuring and figuring out points. But when they brought out the CORE plan and she no longer had to measure and count she decided to stay with WW.

She did say she is not losing quite as fast with CORE, but she has accepted the slower loss in order not to have to do all that counting. --Pookie

Me! I tried Core, and there were some aspects I liked about it, but there were just way too many rules, things that had to be counted, and most of the "free" foods I didn't care for. I had to spend a lot more time cooking and my grocery bill went up for sure. On the positive side, I added more fruits to my diet as well as my milks. I just couldn't grasp that concept of being "satisfied" I always wanted more, because there were no hard and fast restrictions. "Satisfied" and "full" are very abstract and open to interpretation. I'm more of a black and white type of person. I also gained weight on Core. I'm very happily back on Flex with some added new food choices and a much better sense of control and the feeling of not being on a diet.

Just read your reply, Pookie. I think I sort of "combine" the two plans. I do Flex, but I eat many of the core foods like old fashioned oats, lean meats, fruits and vegetables, skim milk, limited prepared foods, etc. But I count the points and use serving sizes.

How popular does WW say Core is? I noticed that on our diet survey (which is open to the general public and not just our forum members) that we have 10 times more people following Flex as Core. We asked them why they chose one over the other, and most people replied that they preferred the freedom of food choices with Flex, as well as the portion control that helped them lose weight. A lot of people said they were not losing on core, but their weight loss resumed when they switched back to Flex.

Hi Suzanne, I am not sure what W/W official stance is but I know that I gained on Core because I never felt satisified because my mind knew I could have more so I ate more. I prefer (as stated 1,000,000 times) using whole, natural foods over convenience or processed foods 95% of the time with the portion/points control and feel more satisified than ever. I also think Flex is much easier to figure when you are dining out because there is so much that is added to restaurant foods. Even steak houses use a butter sauce to cook their meats in.

Hi Suzanne,

I asked the leader what kind of feedback they have been getting from WW members about the 2 plans. The leader on Sunday was a substitue leader and she did not know. Next week I will ask the regular leader if she knows about member feedback on the two plans. --Pookie

Interesting. I am doing much better on Core. I have lost 15 pounds on Core since September 4th for a total of 62 pounds lost since February 27th (when I had my son).

I don't buy the "Flex has more food choice" cr*p. You have choices on both plans. There are restrictions on both plans. When I was on Flex I wouldn't dream of eating avacados because of the Points. Now that I am on Core I do eat them. I don't eat white rice etc.

We all have choices.

Hi Anne

As I said I am sooo new at this WW thing this time around but that comment you made about the avocados costing too many points reminded me about one of the problems I had with Flex Points a few years ago.

Because of my situation I have to have a lot of PROTEIN.

I remember that things like certain CARBS and OATMEAL worked very well with the POINTS system (you can have a nice big portion for only 2 points) but when I tried to have things like Meats / Poultry etc to up my protein they would take a really big bite out of my points for the day.

I will keep experimenting and see which works best for me. --Pookie

Good luck! This is not a simple process. In the past Flex worked fine for me. But after I had my son I just couldn't do it anymore. I was so sick of counting Points. At the time I was looking at a way to combine South Beach and Points. Then they came out with Core and thats exactly what I needed.

You will find what works best. I agree with Kelly about maybe trying Flore. That seems to work for some people.

Hi Multi , Anne, Kelly, Kally & Suzanne,

It sounds to me like a lot of people are doing some sort of combination of the 2 plans. Maybe as time goes by WW will come out with some combination of the 2 plans. As I said they seem to frown on combining the 2 plans during the same week, but maybe when they realize that a lot of people are doing it they might change their "official" response.

I think that CORE is relatively new and WW probably needs more time and more feedback from members before they make any changes.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the next few months. I think it is good that WW is always looking at new ways of doing things. They have not kept their plan "cast in bronze" over the years.

I joined Weght Watchers officially (after using the concepts of flex at home) specificly to get the Core foods list. I was sick of counting points and wanted to see what the new plan was all about. I'm back on Flex now, but doing Core was a good experience. Here's what I learned, both about Core and about myself.

The first week I did Core was tough. I was used to popping frozen meals in the micowave, and went through a round of "oh dear! what will I eat!" I also focused heavily on the grains for some reason and basicly went vegetarian that week. Not that it's a bad thing, but I didn't plan properly for it. I didn't get enough fat in my diet (neither beans nor bulgur nor chicken breast have a lot of fat!) and ended up craving it & hitting the vending machine. I wasn't eating my 2t of healthy fats every day either. I felt weak and light headed. I went back to Flex. I actually lost well on Core, which might have been water weight because I was eating less salt (frozen entrees).

I noticed that on Core I ate more in the morning and mid day, and smaller (5 point) dinners. I also drank more milk. When I went back to Flex I incorporated those habits in, knowing that if my body chose that when the world was wide open, I'd be happier if I stuck with it.

The second time I tried Core lasted 2 weeks. I planned far better, stocking up on unsweetened applesauce and fat free plain yogurt, bringing a small bottle of olive oil into the office, and buying a bottle of flaxseed oil for home use. And beef! I also bought the Turnaround cookbook, which has a great Tenderloin roast with mushrooms and onions recipe, and the porkchops with apples is great too. Anyways, I made meals for the week on sunday & put them in individual conatiners - mainly Black beans and bulgur, I can't remember what my other option was. My food most days was

Oatmeal made with milk and splenda
coffee w/ milk and splenda
apple
Black beans and bulgur w/ 1t olive oil
carrots (sometimes using flex points for peanut butter)
unsweetened applesauce with splenda and cinnamon
Something from the Turnaround Cookbook for dinner, and a salad w/ flaxseed oil dressing, and a glass of milk

Yes, my non-sugar sweetener intake SKYROCKETED on Core. At the end of the 2 weeks I was getting headaches which I blamed on the Splenda. I was probably wrong, because I've gone back to it since and haven't had any problems. However, I had some social events coming up, and didn't feel as motivated to cook on Sundays, so it was just another reason to go back to Flex.

I was hungrier on Flex, in part because my food choices weren't as filling. It's all about trade-offs. This week I was going to do Core but didn't want to think about dissecting my food, and just ate the core meals in my freezer because they were there and had points written on them. That food list above? Yeah, that's pretty much what I ate yesterday.

I think Core is a great ideal, but it takes conscious decisions and balancing to make it work (for me, I need more beef and avocados). My boyfriend, on the other hand, refers to it as "that wacked out diet that needs to be revised". And all of that after it fixes his main complaints about Flex! I think either plan will work fine, but generally one or the other will fit a person better. To anyone starting out, I would recommend Flex. It has the structure that I needed starting out, I needed that Target (to avoid staving myself) and having to measure foods helps to get a feel for proper portion size, and how much will actually fill me up. Switching to Core meant I didn't have to eat everything I took just because I'd already written down the points (I know, we never have to, but I'm weird that way) and I could eat when I was hungry rather than saving points for a big dinner that I thought I wanted. Core helped me get back in touch with my body after getting in touch with reality on Flex.

Sorry, I babbled on a lot, but I hope you can dig a few helpful nuggets out of all of that.

-Amy

Many people 'thought' they didn't or couldn't do Flex because they one thing or another. Points counting, journaling, not getting enough protein, or dairy or whatever.

The point is if they had made wise choices few junk and processed foods and used bascially following a balanced or modified for more or less protein PointsPie the are basically following a reduced caloric intake with healthy foods on Flex they would have been better off.

Yes Flex allows more leeway for allowing junk and yes both programs have 'restrictions' but then again both are good programs and both are designed to lose at an average of .5-2 pounds a week. The point is 'one size doesn't fit all' in their lifestyle so NEITHER IS BETTER THAN THE OTHER.

Pookie, Combing the 2 programs does not lead to over eat because you need to follow points and portions with Flex but use the whole food concept of Core. So there would be no overeating. I think leaders were thinking that people were still eating 'to satisfaction' and only counting points for 1 portion. Not what we are doing at all.

one last thing..

Amy, I agree that many people will need or should do Flex for a while to realize what a proper portion is so that when they do if they decide to do Core they can have a better sense of when to stop to see if they are full...doesn't mean they will have to measure but after doing measuring and weighin on Flex for a bit you can sort of eyebal a portion.

A lot of intelligent thoughts here.

I feel right at home on CORE - the foods are the ones I've been eating most of my life. It's like being told to go back to eating comfort foods, beans, grains, root vegetables, eggs, and fat-free dairy. On the other hand, years of WW "point programs" have taught me a lot about portion control so I could subsist on CORE without a huge increase in calories.

As so many have already said, isn't it nice to have two flavors to choose from? And even if only a few folks are on CORE, if it works for them, what difference does being in the minority make?

I'm going to use CORE as a lifelong guide to healthy eating. Unless something better comes along...

I just started CORE on January 1st... My first weigh-in showed a 9 pound loss, AND I kicked my sugar, chocolate, and junk food cravings already!!! I was a huge sugar junkie, so that is why I chose CORE. It helped me focus on whole, non-processed foods because I knew I would sneak in microwave meals, lots of desserts, and stuff like that on FLEX... That is just me knowing myself. I also do not have a problem with eating too much... I know when I am satisfied, so this program seems tailor made for me. People who have problems knowing when they are satisfied may very well be better on FLEX, since FLEX is about portion control.

CORE- sugar and junk control
FLEX- portion control

So I think both are awesome, but need to be well matched to meet your specific needs and weaknesses. People who do well on FLEX can probably have one cookie and not go nuts with cravings for more... They can eat a night out at Micky D's and not totally fall of the wagon due to wicked junk food cravings. People who do well on CORE probably know their satisfaction limits, but have some serious sugar or junk food issues.

That is my story, and I am sticking to it! After years of eating fast food almost EVERY DAY and eating candy bars after every dinner (sometimes for dinner, yuck!) I finally have ZERO cravings for that cr@p! I am cooking up the most delicious CORE meals (and I am NOT a cook, I HATE cooking), my mood is wicked HIGH, and I am dropping pounds like I had never dreamed!

If I ever get sick of CORE, or maybe stall... Who is to say that I won't try out FLEX again (I tried it last year, and failed miserably... How many points are in this candy bar? lol). But for now, I am a CORE girl.

Candy

CORE- sugar and junk control
FLEX- portion control


I disagree to an extent...Flex if done as it was truly written and using treats as an occasional thing can be just as sugar and junk controling as people say Core is.

Flex is not only portion control but if you follow it as it was truly written can be as healthy or not as healthy as the individual wants it to be.

The same could be said for CORE then... If followed as it is truly meant to be followed, the person will stop eating when satisfied. What I am saying is that when people have real problems with one of those aspects I mentioned (portion control vs. sugar addiction), one MIGHT be better suited for that person. Both work if followed exactly as meant to be, but the key is finding one that you CAN follow as meant to be... As a sugar addict, I find it easier to follow CORE to the "T"... On FLEX, I know it would work if I "could" do it just as suggested, but the problem is not personally being able to follow it. With CORE, I can.

Candy I hope you don't think I was trying to argue. Both programs can be followed closely or not. My friend (white pasta and white rice are not binge items for her) doesn't following as exact as it is written...she eats white pasta and rice as is written for the whole wheat pasta and brown rice.

What I mean is if everyone would follow the program as it truly was intended using the fast food, junk as options not staples everyone would have been better off and no hunger.

Truly I think W/W needed to stress more of the core foods in Flex/Winning/10%/1-2-3 instead of keep saying YOU CAN EAT ANYTHING the whole program would have been better off.

The best think I like about Flex is may ability to eat out like a normal person...Core makes me feel like a freak in dining out. Yes I know that many feel the opposite. It is an individual thing.

I still feel most people who are just starting on a weight loss program need some guidance in what a normal serving looks like first then can move on easier to learning to listen to their body on the satisfaction levels. That is just my opinion (however after talking to several leaders it appears W/W recommends that too -- :) )

The biggest thing I disagree is 'A SUGAR ADDICTION' as there is not scientific research the addiction. I know that people call it an addiction but it is a 'taste' we enjoy and it comes from the mothers milk which is sweet and it carries over into the person over the course of their life. I don't thing Core 'cures' the sugar but can lessen the want for it because "it does not allow" unless you choose to use some WPAs for it.

I'm switching to Flex (or actually Flore) for a few weeks to see if I can budge. The last few pounds just aren't moving, despite drinking my water and sticking to the Core foods list ... well, to a great extent. I am still allowing myself a daily coke.

I'm really having trouble getting enough calories and still sticking to my points. Today is 20 points but only 938 calories. If I up it to 1200 calories, which is supposedly the minimum, it ends up being 26-27 points.

How does everybody balance the two?

Well if you look at the general info on Points to Calories it goes like this:

18 points = 1050 calories
20 points = 1150 calories
22 points = 1250 calories
24 points = 1350 calories
26 points = 1450 calories
28 points = 1550 calories
30 points = 1650 calories
32 points = 1750 calories
34 points = 1850 calories
35 points = 1900 calories (Weekly Points Allowance)
36 points = 2050 calories

Remember this is not always true but a good guide and DOES NOT include the 200-250 calories a day W/W built into the program for free veggies.

Now remember that high fiber reduces the points and high fat increases the points so those are two factors that play into this so these are only general guidelines.

Well then ... I think I might be okay. I have several low calorie, high fiber foods so I guess my points are being lowered by them. I don't think I'll start worrying unless I gain or completely stall for weeks on end.

Thanks, Kelly!

Have you tracked your calories also? Are you eating things that maybe like 25-35 calories where even if you doubled it it would still be 1 point? If so maybe you should track those as 1/2 points...just a thought.

I think you just figured out my problem! I've been rounding up to 1 pt on lots of the smaller foods, and should probably be counting it as 1/2. I'm going back to see now. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

Many times many people have a lot of very low calories points that do come out to 1 point on the slider but if they did 2 of them it is still 1. I always double the cal/fat/fiber and then see if it still comes out to 1 and if it does many times I'll just count 1/2 a point.