Last week at my WW meeting, the subject was increasing fiber. Someone asked about the PointsPlus for rice, and the leader gave her the number. (I'm doing Momentum so I wasn't paying attention to what it was.) Then they asked is brown rice the same as white? She started to say there used to be a difference .... then she caught hereself and said, "yes, they are the same."
This is exactly why I like Momentum better. You are rewarded with lower points by making the better nutritional choice of brown rice over white. Pointsplus says choose the brown, but doesn't give you any real incentive--if I got to count it the same, why not just eat the easier to find white rice.
Now I know I should just be good and do what they say. But I received my B.A. in psychology back in the late 70's, when behaviorism was the "in" thing. I truly understand and believe that classic behavioral conditioning is a strong system of changing behavior and habits. Momentum worked for me by rewarding me making better food choices such as whole grains and higher fiber. The new Pointsplus took alot of that away. Dangling fruit as an incentive doesn't work--I could live the rest of my life without a banana--never liked them. The behavior I learned on Momentum enabled me to lose 20pounds and keep it off. I still have more to go, but I'm going to stick with what works for me. Hard to teach this old rat new tricks!
Thanks for sharing that! I love WW, and I too stick with the "old" Momentum plan, it works great for me. If it ain't broke don't fix it. I have finally developed a taste for brown rice, I enjoy it.
You are rewarded with lower points by making the better nutritional choice of brown rice over white. Pointsplus says choose the brown, but doesn't give you any real incentive--if I got to count it the same, why not just eat the easier to find white rice.
I struggle with this thought. On the one hand, you are right. That is, if brown rice and white rice are the same points then you don't really incentivize someone to eat brown rice. And, yet....the reason why they are the same points plus is that while brown rice may be nutritionally better for you than white rice from a weight loss standpoint there really isn't much caloric difference. So the person who eats 1 cup of brown rice isn't really going to lose weight any faster than the person who eats 1 cup of white rice. So, if WW points are primarily meant to tell us how much to eat so we will lose weight then white and brown rice should be the same points.
For weight loss purposes, your body doesn't really care whether the brown rice is better for you...it just pays attention to the calories....
On the other hand, I didn't really agree with making fruit zero points plus. Yes, I know the idea is to encourage people to eat fruit. But, again, your body doesn't really see that a banana is 0 points plus....your body actually recognizes that the banana has calories and if you eat too many bananas then you won't lose as much weight.
To be logically consistent I can't say that fruit should have points while brown rice should have different points than white rice... Still I keep wanting to make that distinction...
LOL well I am old school as well and do Flex-- a point is a point, a calorie is a calorie and this rat will keeping sticking with what works--Pavlov rules
I agree with the fruit being a non-incentive. The calories are built in to the system, but it's too easy to get "too much of a good thing." After 2 servings I count it, personally.
There's debate as to whether white or brown is better for you. I don't think you're looking to go into that here, but just to let you know the debate exists. I used to choose brown pretty adamantly but now I don't sweat it when it's not available.
The behavior WW is driving with PP is higher fiber, higher protein, lower carb, lower fat, they're pretty open about that in their program. It's a little disappointing to see the formula get complex enough to nix the slider, this rat misses being able to easily tweak servings to round up/round down points. =)
LOL well I am old school as well and do Flex-- a point is a point, a calorie is a calorie and this rat will keeping sticking with what works--Pavlov rules
So you aren't using WW's online? I think I got rid of all my old WW's stuff, I don't even remember how to do flex.
Yes I do the flex points stuff and not ww online. It works for me and lets me eat good or bad as long as I count and journal. But I do tend to make better food choices and try to include more veggies in my diet. Do I have slip ups? of course, do some days I eat to much of one thing? yes but since starting on this journey I have found I am leaning more towards unprocessed foods and more foods in there natural state to fill me up, satisfy my taste buds and keep me going. It did not happen over night
nancylmrnYes I do the flex points stuff and not ww online. It works for me and lets me eat good or bad as long as I count and journal. But I do tend to make better food choices and try to include more veggies in my diet.] So you use the paper journal still? I have an app on my iphone that uses the flex points. I haven't looked at it in forever. But I have started counting my fruit also. In the flex program, how did you add AP for steps walk/jogged?
Does anyone here do the old Fat and Fiber one? I did it years ago in 95 or 96. I had good luck for that. Is there a place the I can refresh my memory on it?
Amusing almost slip about fiber by WW leader
