I need some input from other chicks!
 

I've been on Weight Watchers doing POINTS for quite awhile (since Aug 2006)and I've done very well with it. I've stopped a few times to see if I would maintain weight loss, fallen off of the wagon over the holidays a couple of times, regained 20 pounds once when I got depressed, but I'm happy with what I've done so far. I decided about a month and a half ago to really dig in and try hard again on WW. I want to lose at least 50 more pounds.

My problem...

The scale is not moving! I'm doing everything "right" and it just won't budge! I'm just not losing anything lately and I'm getting very upset over it. So today I decided to start shopping for some solutions. I got out my food journals and google and I counted up the calories that I am eating based on my POINTS. I'm eating between 1050 and 1192 calories daily while on POINTS. When I put my information into the website that was recommended on another thread (I forget what it was exactly, something with the Mayo Clinic I believe), it said that for "Extreme fat loss" I should eat 1680 calories a day.

My question is this: Do you think I should swap WW and the POINTS for calorie counting and up myself to 1600 a day (that 80 can be for leeway on things I have to ballpark) or should I carry on with what use to work, but seems to not be working now?

I'm scared to change plans. I trust the WW POINTS, but I want to lose 50 more pounds at least, and I'm getting so frustrated. I'm terrified that if I up my calories I'll wake up tomorrow back at 285. (Yes, I know that's irrational, but it's my fear and I have to deal with that) Any input as to others' experiences with this would be so greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for all of the wisdom I know is coming my way!

Hmmmm....

While you are on WW, are you eating your allowed activity points, Flex points, free foods, and some of the other allowances? The WW system was planned for people to use this, so that the calories would not be so low.

I had that same problem with points. I did really well, then stalled big time. It was months. I was exercising a lot, and realized I just was not eating enough.

Of course, I way fell off the wagon and gained some weight back. Then I had to work hard to get that off again before continuing on. Don't be like me LOL!

Your calories seem really low to be eating on a consistent basis. Not sure if you eat flex points or not.

I eat 1400 and still lose, and I am shorter than you. Since this is a lifetime thing, trying out 1600 calories for a while would be a good idea. You can always cut back from there if you need to. Now, you can't go anywhere. You won't gain back all the weight overnight - I promise LOL! (although I totally understand that fear).

No, I've never used any of the other POINTS available. I started originally on the first WW program that used the POINTS ranges, but I got the new system at the start of the year and now I hit 26 daily instead of having a range to fall in. To be honest since I never had flex POINTS I was really scared to open up that option. I didn't think about that as change that I had made to what I was doing, but it actually is one. That's something to think about, isn't it?

The flex points, and activity points are there for you to USE. They are! You are allowed a certain amount of them per week, like a savings account. If you never touch them, then your calorie level is going to be too low.

They are meant for you to use! :)

WW wouldn't sabotage you by giving you points you shouldn't have. Try adding in your flex points. Just do 5 a day and see if that helps.

WW basically is calorie counting, they just did the counting for you and put foods into a 'point' systm. Sounds to me like you're simple not getting in enough cals (never thought that'd be a problem, huh? ;)) and your body is hanging on to every ounce it can. I would definintely up my cals. Here's another link to give you a general idea of calorie range based on sex, wt., ht., age, exercise level. You can switch to cal counting but since you have all the WW stuff and know the program, why complicate things? USE what they give you (the extra points). This will up your cals and I'd bet a buck you start losing again.

http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

i too think you arent getting enough food, and this is why. i was doing very well on ww, then i stalled a little, i never ate my flex points. i thought i had just reached a plateu. then i had what i thought was a "bad week" because i had eaten ALL my daily points ALL my weekly allowance and even went 8 points OVER my weekly allowance. turns out my bad week was a super week, i lost 4lbs that week! now i eat all my daily and my weekly points and the weight is starting to come off again.

i think i was taking my points away to quickly too. when i started ww i was using 40 a day, i figured i should be eating 28 a day now that i'm in the 220's, but this time i didnt drop a point. i'm still eating 29. if i stall again, i'll just reajust utill i find the right fit. sometimes it takes some playing with, but i also promise you wont gain all the weight back overnight :)

Thank you for all of the great insight. You're all right, I shouldn't abandon points, I should just try eating more, or even all of them. I'm also a very high "ballparker", my mom noted that when we ate lunch the other day. I had a ham salad sandwich and when I looked ham salad up it was 3 oz for 4 points. The bread was 2 points a slice, and I counted the sandwich as 10 points "just to be sure". Maybe if I went back to ranges and added the flex in that way I would be doing better and I wouldn't feel out of control with it. A big "pot of points" to dive into scares me more than an all-you-can-eat cookie bar!

Anyway....

Thanks for the great advice. And, in my head, I know that you're all right and I won't gain the weight back overnight, but my "fat chick" on the inside is still sure it's a trick!

Well, you also need to be sure that you are counting your points correctly. The sandwich, for instance...you counted everything, and you knew it was 8 points...so don't count it as 10.

You are eating too low of calories/points the way it is...and by overestimating it alot, you can be doing as much damage as underestimating portions.