I'm sure this has been covered before, but I guess I can't come up with the right search words to find the answer:
I know there is no problem with _not_using all your points, but if you use all your points? If you use all your points that you get thru different ways, i.e. activity, daily points allotment, wpa's, anything, is it going to hinder weight loss?
I ask because sometimes I feel guilty for eating all my points.
I do more so of a winning points type thing, eating 25 pts a day, lately been trying to balance out my food, decreasing the carbs, more veg, etc.
I read once that ww says it's better to not use them all, but if that's the case, why do we have them?
I'm interested in other ppl's opinions and experiences.
Most of the time, it's going to be better to use them all. Your weight loss could suffer (and your health too) if you're not getting what you need in either calories or nutrients.
I would recommend asking next time you're at a meeting if it would be okay for you to try dropping your plan by a couple of points, and see how that works for you.
You really shouldn't feel guilty about anything. The points you're allocated generally translate (although this depends on your choices of food, of course) to very few calories as it is. I think it's reasonable not to eat back your activity points or not use any of your 35 extra, but I'd try to eat as close to that 25 as possible, for your metabolism's sake at least.
if you eat all your points, you are still on plan - no need to feel guilty. weightwatchers wouldn't give you the points if you weren't supposed to eat them. in fact, some people stop losing weight if they don't eat enough! taking in too few calories can decrease your metabolism because your body thinks it's starving.
on the other hand, some people find their weight loss slows when they eat all their activity points, WPA's, etc. basically, everyone's body is different and you have to find out what works for you. does your weight loss slow down when you eat all your points? you have to look at your overall weight loss and figure out what works for you.
At the WW meetings they say that you should eat all of your points every day. But sometimes I just didn't want to eat all of them. Sometimes I saved them because I knew a special dinner was coming up. I don't think you HAVE to use your points though.
Everyone person's body is different. So there is going to be a lot of variety, because people are going to find that different combinations help them to lose weight either faster or more permanently.
Here's how it is for me: I use almost all of my Weekly Points along with all of my Daily Points almost every single week. (I don't use AP, so I can't give you an opinion on that.) I find that my weightloss when I follow this plan & exercise comes off pretty steadily.
In my humble opinion, it is better to lose weight while eating more food than it is to lose weight while eating very little food. Aside from the hunger issue, this may help to avoid plateaus later on in weight loss, and it allows for the most nutrition to be taken into the body. Good things!
I don't know whether WW has advocated using or not using all of the points you could possibly accumulate, but I do know that the system is set up to allow for the most number of people to lose the most amount of weight. (They wouldn't make money any other way.) Even within WW you'll find that there are "purists" and people who give themselves a little wiggle room. My philosophy is that we each have to tweak any plan to make it work for us.
If you're eating ALL of your points, and you're still losing, then you are doing it RIGHT for you. If you're eating ALL of your points, following the guidelines to a T and things aren't doing so well on the scale then it'd be time to switch things up.
Even if WW said it were not the greatest thing to do... it's working for you. And that is what is important.
As long as you are still losing, eat them! Remember, this is for life. The more points you have when you reach maintenance, the more you will be able to eat for the rest of your life and still keep the weight off.
I lost on average over a one year period 2.5 lbs a week eating all of my 35 extras and daily's. I never ate all of my AP's but some weeks I did eat half of them or so. I lost 130 lbs on WW so the way that they have it figured is good. If you feel totally hunger and want to binge or something it is best to eat more of your points on healthy stuff to stay out of danger even if it means losing a tad slower.
Is it better to NOT use all your points?
