I've been thinking about it and I may leave WW and count calories instead. I've been skeptic of WW since day one, though. I had cut calories and was counting to a certain degree before joining and was seeing decent results. I joined WW and realized my calorie intake was UPPED by about 200 cal/day! So I was only losing about .4 lb a week and getting frustrated. I started working out and stopped really following the WW plan... some things I continued, but basically cut it to "healthy food" and moderation... with the exercise and better diet, I've averaged over 2 lbs per week!

I don't feel like WW is teaching me anything... I don't want to be stuck on a "plan" for the rest of my life to stay in shape. I want to learn how to eat the right way so that I don't FEEL like I'm doing anything extra to maintain.
I talked to my trainer yesterday and he actually told me the same thing. He said he's not an advocate for WW because every single person he's met that's done it, they've lost weight and as soon as they tried to break away from the program they gained it back because they weren't taught proper skills. He said he didn't just mean people with a 10 lb loss, he was talking like 50+ pound losses too! That's what is really scary to me.

I'm not knocking WW at all, I am just not thinking it's the way to go for me. Right now I think I'm paying $30 to weigh in... and that's another story I won't get into here.


I guess I was just venting I haven't decided yet what I'm going to do. Hopefully it'll come to me soon!

If you made it this far, thanks for reading!

I have a good friend who lost a lot of weight on it years ago and considers herself a lifelong weight watcher. She is the epitome of health and fitness, and has learned life long skills. The program does teach you real life skills it just takes time to learn them. Its basically portion control and learning how your body reacts to foods and exercise.

I tried ww after my first baby while I was breastfeeding and after an initial loss of about 5 pounds I gained weight while exactly on plan. I quit afer a month of gaining.

I know people who have been on both. The success really varies on the person. Some people do better with WW. Some people do better with calorie counting.

The important thing is what works for you. I don't think we're here to pass judgement but to encourage people to find out a method that's sustainable and healthy.

Thank you for your comment!

I have to stand up on the soap box for a minute. I have been doing WW since November 17th, 2010 and I have lost 23 lbs, met my 5% goal in early January and my 10% goal last week. My body feels better, I am down several clothes sizes, I have more energy and my confidence is getting a little boost as well!

What matters is what works for YOU. I have tried calorie counting before and it was too much "work" for me. With WW, I just have to remember the point value of my foods and even then, if I forget I can look it up fast or calculate it even faster. Yes, foods have the calorie content on the nutrition label--but what about fresh foods? Blah, I just don't mesh well with calorie counting! I don't even know the calorie content for an apple, but I know in moderation I can eat apples (or any fruit and most veggies) for 0 pts+. Honestly, I don't buy many WW food products, I can find similar things for less cost and sometimes less points. I do like that they endorse some brands though, it helps guide me.

With WW, I have learned how to cook healthier for myself and my husband. I have learned what portion sizes are appropriate and to weigh and measure out portions. I've learned if I put in the littlest amount of effort in exercising, I lost more (whoda thunk it?!). Some people don't realize what portion size is. I know I joined WW because I wanted the power to control my own food, make my own food, etc. With calorie counting, I didn't have anyone to be accountable to but me and that wasn't working. If I sneak a bowl of ice cream without writing it down, no one would know but me (and my husband if he was really paying attention, which he doesn't). With WW, I have a meeting room full of people to be accountable to. If I gain a pound or too because I didn't follow plan, others find out! I've also met people to walk with, to go to the gym with, to hike with, etc. I have met people that were like me in the past that have reached and maintained and are now lifetime members and that lets me know *I* can do it! Yes, I do think I will be a life long WW--but not because I'm some zombie with a WW mindset, but because I know this isn't a diet for me, it's a lifestyle change.

With all that in mind, I'm stepping down now.

MrsD - I have had the same experience with WW as you have. I definitely think I've learned lifelong skills, especially in regards to portion sizes. My diet before WW wasn't bad but my portion sizes where way out of whack. Thanks to WW I can pretty much eyeball one ounce of cheese, 4 oz of meat, a tablespoon of dressing

Also in regards to staying on plan for life - I was extremely diligent about tracking before the holidays hit and it has been really hard for me to get back on board. That being said, I have managed to maintain, and even lose a couple thanks to the skills I have learned and am now back on track. I did the online version, no meetings, and my membership is up at the end of the month. I purchased the plan essential materials and feel pretty confident about doing it on my own.

Everyone's journey is different, you definitely have to find what works for you! Whatever you do it is a lifestyle change, not just a means to an end.

i TOTALLY AGREE!

i used a medically monitored very low calorie diet to lose my initial 50. After my membership that ran out, i used calorie counting to try to lose the last thirty on my own. I would make really difficult goals for myself like 1200 calories a day, and after a couple weeks i would give up.

WW gave me the freedom to incorporate weight loss goals into my normal life. I can have a social life and go out to eat with my husband or friends and stuff maintain my diet. I also feel more compelled to work out and that my working out means something with the activity tracker.

i dont think its fair to pass judgement on a whole weight loss plan because it did not work for you. WW is very helpful for people who enjoy food versus people who "eat to survive"- have a friend who is a great athelete in great shape. i realized that she really is an "eat to survive" type of person-- she will eat just to keep her body going, versus me, who is as foodie and loves to cook and try new foods and who food is a social experience.

Also, WW has helped me to maintain my 63 lb loss.

I don't think OP was "attacking" WW, she was stating her experiences with it...I didn't do well on WW, but I enjoyed the camaraderie of the meetings and the women it did work for did excellently.

Now, I have to stick up for calorie counting, b/c a few of you made it seem like it was difficult to do, but counting calories is just like counting points (to me...and I've done both) and there are plenty of free on-line calorie counters (with mobile versions too!) just like online WW. I love CC and I am steadily losing (even when I took 3 months off, I only maintained, didn't gain) and I feel good about myself.

Like everybody else said: it's totally up to you, because this is your journey and this is your body, do what's right for you.

I'm far from 20 something but thought I'd add my input anyway WW is just another way to practice portion control (like calorie counting) but in my opinion, the key to their success is in their support system. I joined WW back in the early 90s and lost about 40 pounds, then decided to save the weekly fee and do it on my own. I never lost another pound and the weight gradually came back. In my personal experience, going to face my dieting peers every week was the real reason I was able to stick with the plan.

Recent studies have shown that dieters that participate in support groups are more successful at losing the weight. Those that continue their support groups during maintenance are more likely to keep it off. This include online support groups.

My mother stuck with WW and reached her goal, and has maintained it by going every week since then. I'm not sure how many years that has been, but she'll never stop going. She still counts her points and it's second nature to her, it doesn't bother her at all.

Don't let that deter you. No matter what diet plan you choose to lose your weight, you'll be watching your diet for the rest of your life. That's the only way you'll keep it off. It really is a lifestyle change.

Btw the old WW plan didn't teach as much about proper food choices and a lot of people did work the system to allow candy bars, etc. The new plan has a focus on whole foods, fruits and veggies, and doesn't leave room for junk. Mom said they are also teaching about mindful eating, which I thought was fantastic.

It's not for everyone. We're all unique and have different needs. But in my opinion it is a good plan.

Everyone is different you'll find some things that work with you and other's that don't. I don't think she was attacking WW I think she was simply putting her own opinion on what she thought was best for her.

I don't count calories, I don't do WW I just do my own thing and I'm pretty carefree and not hard on myself with this journey (except this week I have been because I gained 3 pounds but you know what that's life and I slipped up no point on crying about it, just fix it right?) simply because if I think too much about weight loss, food and everything that goes with it I lose nothing! But that's me, carefree I watch what I eat and sometimes endulge and I've done great on my journey. I'm sure I could have lost all my weight by now and who knows I might have even gained some of it back if I have. But for me it's about learning and control and I do better doing it myself then going by some calorie counter plan or a WW plan.

To each their own....it really is about what works for you. To take it even further, it's about what you can live with long term. I've lost this same weight so many times! Lots of things have worked, but as soon as I stopped I gained it all back.

I decided to try weight watchers because I read in a magazine article that statistically it is the most successful plan. I researched as much as I could and decided that I could do it on my own. Some people need the motivation of the meetings-I don't, and I can't fit it into my schedule on a regular basis. If maintaining my weight was dependent on my going to meetings for the rest of my life that wouldn't work for me either.

I decided to do the old momentum plan, because I could work the system to have whatever I wanted and not restrict any specific food type. I like the fact that it allows me to indulge when I want to and still be able to keep my weight in check. There's nothing wrong with having a candy bar sometimes and I like that the plan keeps me from going overboard. The new plan sounds better in theory but unfortunately quite alot of people aren't having much success and are switching back.

I think that weight watchers essentially is calorie counting, but easier. I can easily remember which of the foods in my pantry are worth 3 points, but there's no way I could recall off hand how many calories are in each. Yes, at first you have to use the calculator to figure foods-but once you get started it simplifies everything.

Aside from the support system, Weight watchers and calorie counting work the same way. Frankly if you are able to count calories on your own and stay on plan, there's no reason you couldn't do WW on your own as well.

The real choice here is which is easier for you to track-calories or points?

I agree 100%. I did WW and it worked for me, but the support system felt sometimes funny because most people in my group were not whole food eaters like I am and would discuss processed food options during much of our meetings. I imagine the new system would be much more fitting for me, but I'm a calorie counter and mostly whole foods eater at heart. I did it before WW, and after losing my baby weight via WW.
Calories make more sense to me and I don't like the idea of "free" foods. I choose healthy foods and eat them, keeping a general idea of calorie range. I figure if I eat 3 moderate meals a day and three moderate snacks, I don't need to sit and count every calorie.

Statistically it's the most successful commercial plan.

A recent study (I believe done by the Medical College of Wisconsin) found that non-profit groups (such as TOPS, OA, and First place) were just as successful as Weight Watchers (there was no difference between WW success rates and the success rates of TOPS and similar groups).

In TOPS this has been called "groundbreaking" research, but I don't think it is, because I read a book twelve years or more ago, that cited sited a similar finding. I remember because at the time I had just quit WW and joined TOPS and I was reading a book that reviewed popular diet plans including TOPS. The book's author said something to the effect that survey research found TOPS and WW success rates to be similar, but that the results were difficult to compare because WW refused at the time (and as far as I know, still does) refused to reveal it's success rates. TOPS has always been open about success rates (not only to members, but to anyone who asks, including researchers).

At the time, I found the research very comforting, because I'd always been impressed with the success I experienced on WW, but I was living in a more expensive city, and couldn't afford WW. At the time, I figured that even if TOPS was only 80% as effective as WW, I was getting a bargain, because my TOPS dues were less than 1/10th of WW's fees, and unlike WW I had a chance every week to win/earn some of my money back (most TOPS clubs run contests that allow members to win money and prizes for weight loss. Many clubs offer free monthly dues for those who've lost weight the previous month. Also monthly dues average less than $5 per month, compared to WW's $50 per month or more).

The newer study though does (from what I hear, I haven't read the actual research yet, just a summary of the results) go into "what" the successful component seems to be in support-group weight loss and it's not the food plan, or the money paid to the group. The successful component is the weight-recording and the weekly support from other dieters.

This is why I think WW can't be compared to calorie counting or South Beach or any other diet plan - because it's not the "diet" that's the successful component, it's the weekly weigh-in and the group support.

I think support is the aspect least likely to be considered in a weight loss program, and that's too bad. We know of it's effectiveness in other behavioral issues and yet in many communities, it's easier to find a support group for parents of children with rare diseases than for weight loss. It's like there's an "underground" reputation to weight loss.

To some degree, we do as a culture believe that people should be able to lose weight "on their own." I've even met people who've "justified" their WW membership by saying "but I don't stay for the meetings" (in a tone of voice that would be more appropriate to saying "I go to a church that's probably a cult, but it's ok, because I don't believe any of the weird stuff, and I never drink the kool-aid").

From what I've seen of the statistics regarding "online support" is that it's more effective than doing any plan "alone" and not quite as effective as in-person meetings (probably because the weigh-in and face-to-face accountability is absent).

There's still an unfortunatetely common attitude that people "should" be able to control their weight on their own. Which is kind of weird. People go to all sorts of groups for support and comeraderie. Joining a knitting club or a Mother's of Multiples group and no one assumes you're weird or wacky, even when you joke (not so jokingly) that it's for your sanity (there's a common joke among knitters "I knit so that I don't kill people").

But admitting you're in a weight loss group is still often seen as shameful - First of all it's taboo to acknowledge publicly that you're fat, even it's obvious (I've always been amazined at how many people are made uncomfortable when I make any reference to not being thin. Like they're not "supposed" to notice). And secondly, admitting that you need (or want) help with weight loss or want to talk about the subject, is still largely seen as "weird."

It's getting better. Weight loss and weight loss support isn't nearly as taboo as when I started weight loss groups the first time (at 8 years old, with my mother in 1972 at Weight Watchers).

What is weird to me is that people start all sorts of ammateur clubs for all sorts of different concerns and interests, and although 2/3 of Americans are overweight, weight loss clubs are less common than bird watching and stamp collecting clubs.

That tells me that weight loss is still far too taboo for people to "just gather some friends together and help each other."

I think if weight loss could be (invented word alert) untabooed, the success rates would skyrocket.

Wow... I don't even know what to say to all these replies! I feel like, for the most part, I got attacked for simply stating that WW isn't working for me... I saw a few comments that I wanted to personally address...

MrsD2008: No need for a soapbox I didn't attack WW, nor did I imply anyone was a zombie for following WW for their life. My comment merely said that I did NOT want to be someone who followed a plan for my life. I would rather just eat better without worrying about points OR calories constantly. Yes, I will continue to check things to be sure they're something I want in my body, but I don't want to

jayohwhy: ...NO WHERE did I "pass judgement on a whole weight loss plan" because it did not work for me. I didn't say "OH WW SUCKS, DON'T DO IT!" I said, it's not working for me and WHY I felt that it wasn't working for me and I wanted to figure out if calorie counting would be more appropriate for me.

Fit4Lyfe: THANK YOU! I'm glad someone actually *READ* my post, instead of skimming it and deciding I was attacking. And thank you for your insight on calorie counting... I appreciate you actually replying with what I was looking for: opinions on calorie counting vs WW.

Suzanne 3FC: You hit the nail on the head! The big "draw" to WW for me is having a group to meet with. I feel that it keeps me more accountable... I only meant that I didn't feel their diet plan was working for me. If I could "do" WW, but count calories instead- I would!

MiZTaCCen: Thank you!

dragonlady1978: Thank you for bringing that up! I had actually heard from a friend who did WW on the old plan and is doing the new plan with me now that she is not having the same success now that she did with the other plan. I am with you, as well, on the going to meetings for the rest of your life... no can do. I want to get to my goal weight, learn to maintain it and then do it without the hassle of driving far (I have no close meetings) to weigh in. You're right, in a way though. WW and Calorie counting are pretty similar. I just think better choices are being made if I'm counting my calories and not my points.

kaplods: I think you're absolutely right. For the most part, it's the meetings that make the success. For ME though I really need the diet help too. I think you've inspired me to make my own local calorie counting weight loss club. Sounds more fun if it's a club not a group! lol