It was an option to buy the calculator. You were given the slide. I understand that a slide isn't feasible with the new plan, but I don't think that the only options should be to buy a calculator or be left out. I'll end up buying the thing, but again, it's the point that it's a forced purchase for a program for which we're already paying for the privilege of membership.

i see the frustration, i really do, my husband even made a remark tonight about it, but here is the thing....i KNOW ww works, so a kit, monthly fee, journal, whatever.......is worth it to me.

i am guessing they couldnt do a "slider" because it probably just wouldnt work. and they cant give away calculators to everyone, they would lose their butts on that deal. but with that said, i do understand the frustration of spending yet more money......it'll be worth it though goodluck on the new plan everyone i think it is going to be the kick in the butt i need!

[QUOTE=pipernoswiper;3587173]i see the frustration, i really do, my husband even made a remark tonight about it, but here is the thing....i KNOW ww works, so a kit, monthly fee, journal, whatever.......is worth it to me.

You're absolutely right and I look at it as an investment in myself because Weight Watchers truly works, I've lost 80lbs in 10 months and I can honestly say this program has saved my life.

I have 3 kids, am going to school and my husband is the only one bringing in any income at the moment. Every week I make sure I have the $13 to attend my weekly meeting because there is so much love and support. I know it's a pain in the butt to have to pay for everything again but it will really be worth it in the longrun

Your points are calculated for you when you weigh in (if you go to meetings). It's on the label they stick in your Weight Record.

I fiddled around with the calculation on their site entering different weights and you don't drop points every ten pounds like you used to. So a lot more people are at the minimum than used to be.

As for not having the slider, they simply cannot design a slider to be used with four different variables that is user-friendly. They're selling the calculators for $5.95 through December so it isn't going to break the bank if you decide to buy one.

My question is for Kimberly and pagenta, how did you lose so much weight on WW in a short amount of time? I have tried WW in the past without those types of results. What is your secret, lol?

[QUOTE=stocco88;3587206]My question is for Kimberly and pagenta, how did you lose so much weight on WW in a short amount of time? I have tried WW in the past without those types of results. What is your secret, lol?[/

I think I had to hit rock bottom really hard this time to make me truly realize I needed to finally make a positive change in my life. Every year I would make the same old New Years Resolution to lose weight and fail miserably within 2 weeks but this time I knew I had to really DO IT. I was 29 and swore I would NOT enter my 30's being morbidly obese, plus my blood pressure was high for the first time in my life and that scared the **** out of me. I'm not going to lie, the first 3 months were the toughest because I had been a binge eater my entire life so I had to learn how to respect food as silly as that sounds. After I dropped the initial 30lbs I gained enough confidence to join a gym and tried Zumba, I was the biggest girl in there but boy could I move! I started out doing one class per week for a while and now I do 3 along with a 90 Minute Spin Class I started this evening (It's awesome!). Exercise has been the key to helping me lose at a rate of 1 to 2 lbs a week but my weightloss has slowed since I'm getting closer to goal. It's frustrating sometimes but I NEVER give up! I have 3 kids ages 5,7, and 11, and am a Paramedic Student, if I can do this anyone can =D It's all about having a positive attitude

I do understand that it is annoying for the calculator to be so important but be an extra cost.

There are other options. I think that most people now (at least from what I see at my meeting) do the monthly pass and so get access to the website and there is a calculator there.

For people without monthly pass, it is feasible to count points without a calculator and just using the values in the Pocket Guide. Another option might be to eat Power Foods instead of tracking daily points. I know none of that is ideal but it is an option.

I'm going to buy whatever I can today to make this plan doable for me. I can't wait! My meeting is at 9:30 and I so look forward to getting the materials. Having lunch out and I'm hoping that the place I am picking up food from for my sister and I to share is in the materials.
I'm really going to do the best I can to stick with this. I'm really pleasantly looking forward to fruits.
What about dehydrated fruits with no sugar added?

I'm not a regular poster here, I'm a lurker at best, but I needed a place to voice my opinion on this change.

I do not disagree that this plan might, in fact, be better for weight loss than the old plan. The weight loss under this new plan might be faster and it might be healthier. But what it is not, is easier.

I, like many people trying to lose weight, have been on diet after diet after diet. Weight Watchers is the one that I was able to stick to and finally lose 30 pounds (still have a long way to go!). NOT because it's the best, most scientifically-sound diet out there... but because it was the easiest. Because I could fit it into my lifestyle. Because, since it was so easy, I had NO excuse NOT to follow it!! It gave me a framework for counting calories, basically, which is what I needed.

Well, with the forced change to the new program, that's all out the window, and I'm really upset. GONE is the ability to look at the calorie information alone and estimate the points. So when I go to a restaurant and ALL they give me is the calorie information (as MANY restaurants do), what am I going to do? On the old Points program, I'd estimate 1 pt per 50 calories, maybe pad it a little bit for fat, and be done with it. Now, I have NO CLUE what to count for the points. I don't find this encouraging at all! I find it frustrating.

And it is so gut-wrenchingly frustrating to feel like I have finally found a program that works for me, to have it, literally, TAKEN AWAY.

What I don't understand is why they didn't make this an optional change, as they have in the past when they've introduced new programs. Or at least given online members like me the *option* to continue to use the old tools. How dumb is it, that if I want to keep counting the "old" way, because its easier and better suited to my lifestyle and approach, that I have to do it myself... and therefore, might as well cancel my subscription and stop paying them?! If they had just left us access to these tools, they would keep getting my money... seems like a no-brainer to me.

The old plan *worked*, it may not have been based on the "latest scientific research" or whatever, but it worked and it was easy. And even on weeks when I didn't lose 1-2 pounds, I stuck with it because it was simple and I knew I could do it.

To be honest, I really wonder if they did this *because* the old method was too easy, maybe people were dropping their memberships and just doing it on their own. They had to make it extra-complicated so we'd be dependent upon their tools.

Anyway, I am frustrated. To say the least. I do not know where I am going from here. Until yesterday, there was no question in my mind that I would be doing WW for pretty much the rest of my life, it had become second nature to me and my weight was going down, maybe not quickly, but constantly and that is what is important. Now... I don't know. Maybe I'll cancel my subscription and keep doing regular Points on my own... though I really wish we still had access to the tools and ALL THE INFO I HAD STORED AND SAVED ON THEIR SITE!! ARGHHH.

I think forcing everyone into this new system is a very bad move on their part. I'm sure there are others like me who used WW as a simpler framework for calorie-counting, who will bail now that calories are out the window completely (by the way, I saw the tip to divide by 40... that is definitely helpful! But still not nearly as good as 50 calories per 1 pt... which makes much more sense and is easier to do in my head...)

*sigh* Anyway, thanks for letting me express that here. I'll go back to lurking now.

I lost an average of 2 lb per week until about 2 months ago when I stalled out. But I'm nursing so I get extra points for that. I have done extended nursing with all of my children and I lost weight when they were between 6-12 months with all of them (this is my third). So that was part of it. My daughter is 14 months now.

I exercise daily - I walk briskly for an hour - and I've tracked my points faithfully, using only about half of the extra points every week. I weigh myself every day, and I start my week (for weight loss sake) on Thursday. I've tried starting on Monday, but I have a hard time saving my extra points all week where I'm really good at saving them after I've indulged some on the weekend.

In my case, I face the challenge of doing maintenance on fewer points than when I was losing. That should be interesting.

I am sorry. It sounds like many are frustrated like you and if enough folks write to corporate perhaps they will listen.

I haven't done WW in years because the last two times I have done it, I followed the plan exactly and did NOT lose. The points were TOO flexible for me and I wasn't choosing the healthiest options and was told that didn't matter.....for my body, it DOES matter.

The old, old, old plan of exchanges with only 2 bread options per day is what helped me lose the best. I need to stay away from the white flour and sugar as it stalls my weight big time.

One is certainly allowed to follow the plan as they like. If the old system works for you, just keep doing it! I see no reason to have to change just because the system changed.

Dawn

Ok, question.....so the old calculator will NOT figure out the new points system, is that correct?

I have the old calculator.

I am unable to go to meetings at this time due to DH's work schedule, so I have to go at this from home.

When asking about the new program, I have been told I may like it better as the focus is lean protein and filling fiber.....is this an accurate description?

Dawn

Thanks for the response. The official Weight Watchers forums are much less supportive of people who are frustrated with the change. As in, if you dare complain, you get flamed endlessly.

I did send a note to corporate, and will probably cancel my subscription soon. I think that's what will really make them take notice... not our words, but our wallets.

I had to laugh at a recent post on the official forums which was "I put 999 bananas in the new PointsPlus tracker and it's still 0 points!! YAY!!"

... really? Does anyone actually believe that you can eat as many bananas as you want and lose weight?

At the end of the day, calories in, calories out, is what matters. If you eat 4000 calories worth of bananas a day, you will gain weight. If you keep eating the same number of calories you did on the old plan, and add 1000 calories of bananas, you will gain weight. Your body does not say "well WW says its 0 points, so..."

I will probably just keep doing it the "old" way, by myself, its just frustrating to lose access to those tools I have come to depend upon.

That is an accurate description. If you are interested in focusing more on protein, and don't mind having to calculate everything (with the new tools, the old ones will not work) as you come across it, you will probably like the new program.

If you're more interested in continuing to lose weight using a simple, and easy-to-understand/calculate/esimate approach... you will probably be disappointed with the new plan. In my opinion.

When I first logged in and I confirmed the personal information on me, it gave me 61 daily points! As a short, non-nursing woman, I knew this could not be right. When I went back in and did not confirm the information, instead clicked on edit, THEN saved, it gave me 29 points.

I don't know how tall you are but I would assume that the fact that you are male would give you a few more points than the minimum, so I suggest you try what I tried and see if that gives you a different number.

ETA: I am assuming you are a male with your username being mrcubbage, but I suppose mr could be something other than Mr. So if you are a woman, the 29 points could be correct. They do not seem to be basing the points on weight quite as much as they used to. I have 47 pounds to go and I have 29, so 60 may not be that much different in their calculations.