[ChissaBelle]

Hey all!
To make a LONG story short, I started WW Flex March 12th/08 (didn't join join, just started counting points, can't afford to join as I'm a broke student and living off my student loan), a classmate of mine was on WW. She shared the "points system" with another classmate (who also didn't join, just counted points), and in the last year I've seen her melt 40 lbs off. So I asked them both about WW, it sounded simple and reasonable enough so I tried it. I wasn't totally sure about how many points I should actually be consuming. I've been aiming between 20-27 according to this chart I found online:

Daily Points Range
Current Weight Daily POINTS Range
150 pounds or less 18-25
150-174 pounds 20-27
175-199 pounds 22-29
200-224 pounds 24-31
225-250 pounds 26-33
more than 250 pounds 28-35

When I started WW I was 170 lbs. I don't own a scale (thinking about buying one soon) the scale has never been my friend, I find it actually discourages me, I usually go by how my clothes are fitting. My goal weight is 140. That's my original healthy weight, I've gained 30 lbs since starting dental hygiene school in 2005 , I finish this June FINALLY! I just stopped exercising, and eating healthy as soon as I started the program. I used to be a really healthy person, I just don't feel like the person I was 3 years ago. The Dental Hygiene program is just a "pull your hair out stressful" course. I actually think 75% of my classmates have gained a considerable amm't of weight =( Any-hoo, I actually am not sure how much I weigh, I just know my clothes are loosening up and I feel (and I think look) less bloated. Also started running and going to the gym at least 3-4 times a week.

So anyways, (sorry for blabbering ) how many points should I be consuming? I think you get 35 flex points a week? I usually leave these for fri-sat, as my eating habits are good during the week and the weekend is where I really need them. Also, I've noticed that ppl are mentioning to ALWAYS eat your allotted points per day (I'm guessing this is so you don't lose weight too fast?) Do you also have to use all your flex points?

This forum seems like exactly what I need. I've never been as hvy as I am now, I've always been between healthy size and tilting to having some pudge, depending on my activity and eating habits. Almost ALL my friends (and my sister) are the "typical" tiny girls who don't exercise and eat to their hearts desire, so even if I wouldn't have considered myself big before, I always felt big cuz they were so tiny. And now I feel almost unacceptable (even if I know in reality, I'm just me, less healthy and needing to get back on track) Any-hoo, I'll leave my questions in the hands of all you wonderful ppl. I'm so happy I found this forum, thanks for listening to my ranting

Take Care,
Charissa (kuh-RISS-uh)

PS. can anyone direct me to where I can learn to put those permanent blurbs/personal quotes you all have on the end of your posts. I'm usually pretty computer savvy but I don't know how to do those. Thanks a bunch!

[JuleeCeeS]

Charissa:

There is a new formula out for caluculating your daily points allotment. It is in the week 1 book. It is based on height, weight, gender and relative daily activity. You also have to remember to subtract a point for every 10 pounds you lose. Eating your daily allotment is critical. Just like a bigger car with a bigger gas tank needs more fuel to go its maximum distance...so does a bigger body. (Bigger is relative of course). Given that 1 point is roughly 50 calories or so...your daily points allotment is a healthy calorie range that will allow you to effectivelt lose weight. Too much and you can gain or get stuck...too little for too long and your body thinks it is being starved to death..and you can't lose that way either.

The 35 "flex" points are there to help you out if you do go over once or twice. It's also to help keep you sane so you don't think you are now confined to a life of steamed broccoli and dry chicken breasts. Think of the flex plan as living on a cash-only basis. Your points for the week are your allowance and you can spend them on absolutely anything you want...until the points are gone. The goal (just like in life) is not to live in debt...oh yeah...if you don't use all of your daily points on one day...the extras do not carry over to the next day.

My suggestion is find someone with the week 1 book (the new one) or at the very least, have your friend who is actually a member go into her center and say "oops i lost my week 1 book" and use the little quiz in there to total up your points. There is a BIG difference betwen 20 and 27 points a day. You are much better off knowing your correct starting points and going from there than guessing and not having it work for you.

Good Luck....

Julee

[ChissaBelle]

Thank you Julee =)

I actually asked her and she just told me to count 20, cuz she doesn't have that book (I think she joined a while ago, said she gave all her books etc. to someone, and I don't think she's been going to meetings) and she "thinks" 20 is good but I wanna do it right, I have a feeling 20 is too low for my weight.

I know this is a lot to ask but does anyone out there have the equation/method for calculating this number to PM me? That would be awesome! Otherwise I've been counting 23-25 pts for 165-170 lbs. I hope this is okay....

[ChissaBelle]

Okay, googled to see if I could find it myself and found this site...

http://weightwatchen.com/2007/06/unit-calculators.html

I punched in my info (gender/age/height/weight/activity) and it told me 25 points per day. What do you guys think? Think this is legit?

[lauralee21]

it comes up with 30 for me, when I am on flex I have 23. Not sure why it is doing that.

[freedomreins]

You only eat 23 points per day lauralee? That seems too low for you if you're just starting out on flex. I eat 23 per day myself. If you can eat more, you totally should. I miss having bigger portions! lol You don't want your body to think you are starving it, right?

That calculator worked for me. It said 22, which is technically what I ought to be eating once I hit the 150s, but I am still losing at 23 so don't feel like losing that point yet!

Charissa, I started off at 24 points per day and my starting weight was the same as yours. I am 5'9'' but I think you'd be right to start somewhere around there like the calculator told you to.

[suitejudyblueeyes]

The calculator thingie did it for me. The reason why no one's giving you the specific formula is that it's copyrighted WW info, and they come down hard on people when they find out we're spreading around info that they would otherwise be making money off of. I guess that's why that calculator you linked to says WW "DIET UNIT" Calculator instead of Points so maybe it slips under WW's radar.

I think 25 would be reasonable for you. Try it for a week or two and if you're not getting results drop it a point - but I'd say 25 or 24 would be the lowest you need to set your base points at!

Lots of people around here do WW without paying because they're broke. Lots recommend going into a center when they're doing the free registration deal (it was on earlier in the year, not sure if it is now), then you pay $12 for one meeting and get all the "just starting out" materials and you don't have to go back unless you want to join. That's definitely something to think about if you're still having trouble getting started in the future.

I guess the only things I'd say are imperative to remember here is that you should ALWAYS meet your target points level, and you should make a good effort to eat a good amount of your flex points from the very outset. They're there for a reason and if you don't start out using them, you won't feel comfortable adding them back in when you stop losing (the first thing that's recommended usually when you stop losing is to eat your FPs if you aren't already - it's really tough for those who aren't used to it). If you can eat more and lose, that's a good thing, right?

Good luck, feel free to post with any other questions.

[modkittn]

ChissaBelle - 25 sounds about right for your height/weight. The "ranges" you put up in your first post sound like the old WW system where you could eat within a range of points. BTW the range was 5, not 7 as you put up. For instance, 150 - 175 pounds was 20-25 points a day, not 20-27 but all of your minimum points look correct. Also, whatever you didn't eat in the range you could bank and use another day. It was a different system, so if you use the calculator you found online then I would disregard any info that your friend has.

lauralee - 23 points sounds very low for you! The 30 points that the calculator sounds like it is probably closer. Maybe you should think about re-take your POINTS quiz. My daily target is 22.

[JuleeCeeS]

For any of you who want to know your correct info...please PM me with the following info:

age, current weight (be exact), height, and how do you spend most of your day (sitting, some sitting but mostly standing, mostly walking, day long physically hard labor)?

I found my week 1 book and can add it up for you.

[ChissaBelle]

Hey Everyone!
Thank you so much for all the advice. I definitely have been able to eat all my daily points and as for my flex points, those are usually eaten on fri/sat/sun or when I have snack attacks during the week, so that's def not a problem for me. Awesome, now I feel more confident that I'm starting off on the right track, Thanks Again!
Charissa