I was doing Weight Watchers and loved it. I lost 30lbs, and found it super easy to follow. Then I got sick and decided to focus on getting well. Im feeling better and I'm ready get back on track. But I'm thinking of switching to calorie counting. I like that its free of course. And I love the myfitnesspal site because it works alot like the WW site.
Anyone switch from WW to calorie counting? How are you finding the switch? any tips for a newbie? Im concerned about giving up the 'free' fruits and veggies and having to track those calories now.
I guess Im just a little scared to give up something that I've had success at, for something new. But it could also be the little re-motivater that I need right now.
A few years ago I lost 55 pounds on WW. This time I lost the same 55 pounds on my own, with calorie counting. I found it more difficult to get started on my own, because the built-in weekly structure wasn't there, but once I got over the hump I found it just as easy to lose the weight. I had become turned off by WW because (at the location I attended) it seemed quite babyish to me, with gold stars for weight loss, boot stickers for physical activity, and an overly rah-rah group leader.
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Last edited by freelancemomma; 06-11-2012 at 12:18 PM.
I have never done WW, but I calorie count and use MFP (stephanie1133 username).
I have changed plans in the last 3 months, a few times, and have landed back at calorie counting. I found it tedious at first, I was using sparkpeople.com to count at the very beginning. I strayed from calorie counting, still lost weight, but not as fast. I started using MFP over a month ago and I love it. I love the support my "friends" give me, and I love the way you can track on there, it's one of the more simple sites I've used.
I did. I've tried weight watchers multiple times but the meetings never really helped me, and I might be the only person in the world who didn't really like the new PP plan. I knew I was eating way too much for my body, and I also found that I wasn't really thinking as much as I should have been about the nutritional value of the foods I was eating.
I am much happier with calorie counting. After WW it took me a little while to get back into tracking on MFP (I definitely thought WW was a lot easier in that way, but I think I ended up 'guesstimating' a lot more than I do now) but I like being able to track more details, especially protein.
My biggest tip is while it's time consuming, add your recipes and meals in as much as you can first, so you don't have to bother so much with it on a day-to-day basis. It makes it easier for me to make sure I'm actually logging, and accurately. You might also look at your old WW trackers and see how many calories you were averaging, how many were from the 'free' fruit/veggies, etc. Just to have an idea of what you might aim for next.
How about giving it a try for a set amount of time? It sounds like WW really worked for you, so I think it would be interesting to compare for, say, a month or so. You can always go back if you don't like it as much!
I made the switch too! I've done WW a few times but I never went to meetings and didn't love the new plan. I always managed to lose only to gain it back. While tracking points, I tried to keep an estimate of my calorie intake too so this time around I decided to try to lose on my own by just cc. I LOVE the lose it app on my iphone...it makes tracking so easy! Plus it's free! I always felt guilty about paying for weight watchers to go step on a scale for 30 seconds when I do that at home everday anyway!! So far, calorie counting has been great. I've lost 11 pounds so far. I do count fruit and veggies in my daily calorie budget. I think a lot of my issues with ww were mental and not physical...I always regained as soon as I lost and subsequently went off the plan. With calorie counting, I have no one else to be accountable to except for myself! No more starving myself the day before weigh-ins just to hear someone say you lost a pound and no more binging after weigh-ins!
Great news, Micki! Glad CC is working for you. I've found that after a year of CC everyday, I know off hand about 95% of what I eat without having to look up the calories. I no longer track everything daily, but I conservatively estimate and do a daily track every few weeks just as a check-up. Keep it up!
I've lost large amounts of weight on WW in the past. I very much believe in the program, and think it's amazing (for most people). A lot of people don't like the new plan, but I think it's great.
That being said...this time around, I'm doing WW online (can't afford the meetings right now) and also counting calories using My Fitness Pal. When I started, I was just calorie counting for the heck of it, and was really basing my food around my WW points. But now I'm finding myself mostly going by my calories (though calorie counting alone didn't work for me in the past for some reason)...I think because I feel like I'm eating too much if I eat all my WW points, and I don't feel like that once I've reached my calorie limit for the day. Does that make sense? I think I might be rambling. haha.
Anyways, I think I'm slowly moving away from WW and focusing more on calorie counting as well. It's all about finding what works for you!
I did WW for 1 1/2 years, and only lost 11 pounds. I have been calorie counting for a month now, and I have lost about 12 pounds. For me, calorie counting is a much better route.
Switching plans?
