I'm considering joining WW flexpoints. I've been a calorie counter in the past, but as I have to continue reducing as I lose, I'm starting to feel like it's no longer enough food. I'm pretty sure that water veggies have almost 0 points, and I'd be perfectly content munching on veggies all day, which I can't do on my current plan without racking up a couple of hundred in cals. Is this true about WW?
I'm curious about a couple of other things. I'm 5'3", 162 lbs., and exercise several times a week. Approximately how many calories would I be allowed each day? I know junk food is more points, but I never eat junk. My points would be spent on whole grains, lowfat dairy, vegetarian and fish proteins, and fruit, and usually 1 restaurant meal per week. I'm just looking for a ballpark figure.
Weight watches doesn't count calories. You'd be allowed 22 points each day plus 35 flex points for the week and any activity points you earn. Whole grains can have a lot of points as restaurant meals can come from your 35 flex. It works very week and you look like you are already a healthy eater. You need to go to 1 meeting and get the materials.
I'm still curious about the calories, even though I know WW uses points instead. Since I'm not familiar with the point system I was hoping to get an estimate of calories because it's a number that I understand. I've heard WW can be pretty restrictive and don't want to spend the money just to find I can only eat 1000 calories a day. I know severe restriction works for some, but it would have me bingeing by day 2!
All info is helpful. TIA again!
P.S. Wow Susan! I had to edit this message after looking at your stats. That's very impressive. Did you lose all the weight with WW?
One point is 50 calories, more or less. So that's 1100 calories, but if your flex points were spread evenly an extra 5, so 1350 calories. Plus veggies are free, so that's probably another 100-200 calories depending on how much you eat. That's the flex plan.
The core plan is different, you have a core of healthy foods to eat unlimited from, and then spend flex points for 'extras' that aren't in the core. I'm not as familiar with that plan, since I follow flex.
Remember, however, all the points will do is frame how you eat. It still boils down to calories and activities underneath, it's just a way to guide you to hopefully making good choices with a reasonable amount of flexibility and treats.
And the zero point veggies (according ot my leader and my books) are always zero points so you could munch on them however, (my leader says) if you stall or plateau you need to evaluate how many calories you are having.
Also you said you are a calorie counter. Did you just pick a daily caloric intake or did you evaluate your Basal Metabolic Rate and Activity levels to get it. Many people pick 1200 for females (1500 for males) and that isn't entirely what they need.
That's actually really encouraging. I didn't realize that 35 flex points was so many calories! So if it's about 1100 at base plus veggies plus flex points plus activity points (whew) that's just slightly less than I've been doing.
Kelly, I've never eaten below 1500. When I first started I weighed in the high 180's and I lost steadily eating 1600-1900. When I hit about 170 I started sticking to 1600-1650, with one or two treat meals weekly. The thing is though, throughout this time I was exercising a lot, 4-6x weekly. In the last month or so I've had an arm injury that's really slowed me down to 2-3x weekly and moderate intensity. And at the same time, I think having lost more weight and gone down to 162, the calories were starting to be a little high for weight loss.
So I've just been feeling like I need something new to get me kickstarted again, and it has to be diet and not exercise until my arm gets better. Hence, considering WW.
Thanks so much for the great information. And BTW it looks like you guys are doing pretty damn well...congratulations to all of you!
Is WW right for me?
