hi!
so, i have a bunch of questions for this new plan. my mom is doing it and i want to join her and do a healthy weight loss competition, to make it fun! but i need to understand the plan first.
I read about it online (i thought about joining WW online and i still may)... but i love this site. I have come here a lot when i did South Beach and it was great!

I was wondering... the basic deal is everyone gets 29 points and 45 "free points" during the week. Fruit is free and some veggies.. im assuming carb oriented veggies are not. i know all about what gets entered into your calculator...my mom explained all that.

so as long as you track all that you eat, it's just like the other WW diets... only you get more points and freebie points during the week.
It sounds good and more freeing. am I wrong? I feel really excited to start my diet. I need to lose about 20 or 30 pounds... and i feel like this is the way to go!
what do you think??

Hi Shasha -

I just joined WW and I'm learning the ropes, but I hope I can help explain some of it.

Not everyone gets 29 points. As I'm sure you know, that's based on your current height and weight. For example, I get 39 a day. On top of that, every week you get 49 FlexPoints to use as you wish. You can eat a couple extra points every day, or you can save them up if you know you're going to be going out to dinner or drinking or whatever.

The whole new thing about the system is that now the points aren't based on calories. The points are calculated measuring fat, carbs, protein, and fiber. It all has to do with some new science about how many calories your body burns digesting better foods....something like that. Something scientific. I just trust they know what they're talking about.

I think it's great! I'm not usually hungry, haven't had any bad cravings (and even if I do, I still eat it so I don't binge later!) and I've already lost 8.5 lbs in a week!

I have a friend I'm doing it with, and it's great being able to do it together!

Definitely try it out! I think you'll really like it!!

I think you should join this week! It is awesome and the sooner you start the sooner you can lose weight. Your meeting leader will explain everything in detail after the first meeting.

Not everyone gets 29 points, it varies and they give you that info when you sign up. Also, the "weekly points" are 49 each week.

And your idea of competing with your Mother for weight loss is a bad idea. You should never do that because everyone's body is different and losses vary. Your mother is older and will probably lose slower than you. And if you lose, how will you handle it? Give up, get more determined and try harder?

Weight Watchers is also not just eating within your points allowance. You have to get in the 9 Healthy Guidelines every day as well and the meetings teach you to deal with food and reasons for eating. The support is wonderful.

You will need a points calculator to compute the points for the foods you eat.

If you are going to compete, how about competing for things like number of days on program, best new on plan recipe, etc. ? Quilter is right, if a competition is "between" you, you may end up with some hard feelings. But, you can "compete" together, days on plan, days walking, etc.

hi all -
oh when i said competing with my mom, i think i gave the wrong impression. my mom just wants me to be healthy so we thought we'd try and have fun with it. she knows that she will lose slower, she has weight to lose but has been doing WW for a while and is closer to her goal than me. we are really close, so it's really just a way for me to stay motivated, and for her as well. we have equal reasons to want the other to lose weigh. i cant imagine hard feelings ever happening. it may sound weird, but we just have a really sweet and kind relationship.

I'll prob join the 7 day free online trial and see what i think. my mom is sending me all the books and calculator etc.
until then i'll do normal WW. i have the frozen meals etc... (i dont have a lot of fruit and veggies here..the weather is very bad, super snowstorm and my fiance is in charge of groceries since i have an injury that wont allow me to drive).... oy vey.... never let the men be in charge of buying fruit!

i dont even know how many points i can eat or my fiance can eat... but i have an idea.... so i can do this for just a few days til i get my books and get some fruit. then i can join the free trial. i am so excited! but til then, any healthy effort is better than nothing. and i have no fattening food in the house!!!! lol i just re-readmthis and I sound like such an unprepared mess! but i just am tired of living with no guide lines to my diet. so im going to do what i can for now. I'll touch base when i have made some organized progress!
thanks everyone!

So glad you have decided to join and let me say WELCOME!! once your mom sends the books/calculator you will be more informed for sure but feel free to ask questions here as well. We aren't experts but we can sure throw in our 2 cents worth, lol