So, I've been doing WW PP for 2 weeks. One thing I noticed from using my PP calculator on my phone is that when entering the values, the fiber in it can decrease the overall point value of the item.
I decided to start using a fiber supplement recently(Metamucil Clear & Natural) which is a powder than can be added to almost any liquid or even food and will dissolve and be undetectable. Each teaspoon adds 5grams of fiber, it is recommended to use one teaspoon x3 per day.
So it would seem I could add in the fiber supplement at meal time to tack on an extra 5 grams of fiber and effectively occasionally decrease the point value of the item, right? Or would you guys see that as "cheating" or abusing the system? lol Just wondering.
I don't do WW but I don't see it as "cheating," I see it as a very dangerous way to possibly need pharmaceutical assistance to go #2 on an ongoing basis. I would not do it.
Assuming it is healthy to use this (don't know if it is)....
Here's the thing. It doesn't matter if it is cheating or not.
That is, if doing this, you eat a little more food than you would otherwise and you lose at a rate that is pleasing to you then it is fine and it doesn't matter if it is cheating.
On the other hand, even if it isn't cheating and is perfectly on program....if it slows down your weight loss to a level you don't like then it isn't good.
It is entirely on program for me to eat every one of my 49 weekly points. When I do that I'm not happy with my weight loss so I don't do it on a regular basis although I can do so and it isn't cheating.
Well, I need the fiber supplement for completely non-weight loss related factors, and this has good reviews so I'll take that any way. But what I meant was for tracking purposes, input the extra fiber I happened to add at that meal to the total when calculating the points value. I don't mean putting fiber in everything to lower all foods, obviously I would follow the instructions for this and take it 1-3 times per day.
I think I see what you are asking. You take a fiber supplement daily already for other purposes, so you want to know if you can add that in to your calculator with your carbs, etc?
I looked on the WW site, and they say do not count fiber supplements added to meals. Also, I think it won't change the calculation anyway. Your fiber grams are also carbs. So if you add 3 grams of fiber to your calculation, you also need to add 3 carbohydrates. I did a couple of calculations and my values came out the same.
Hi---I'm not sure why you would need fiber supplements if you eat enough fruits and veggies---however, fiber fills you up and also aids in digestion, so there is no harm in taking it---metimucil is totally healthy and not 'scary' as some of the people above seem to be incinuating. However, I would not lower your points values of foods for tracking purposes, because you are still putting the entire food in your body whether or not you are adding fiber to it. I would call it 'cheating', not in a serious way or anything, but it seems like you would be trying to 'get over' on the system by adding fiber to anything you want to lower the points values of. This is just my opinion thought
I read some where that this same idea is why WW capped fiber values at 4 or more on the old plans. People would add fiber to their food, making ice cream 1pt.
IMO, i don't think it would be effective. The number of calories you're consuming would be the same....you would just count it as fewer points, thus eating more calories.
I used to try to, well, game the system a bit. I would stay on program but did things that weren't perhaps the spirit of the program to get an extra point here or there.
At the end of the day, though, our body doesn't know if we are following WW or just eating on our own or whatever. Our body could care less about whether we are within our WW points.
So, if we can eat more food through whatever means and we still lose weight at a rate we are happy with and we are eating a nutritionally adequate diet then it doesn't matter if it is on or off program. But the same thing goes in reverse. If we don't lose weight then it doesn't really matter if you are on program or not.
That is why the whole -- should I eat my weekly points -- perennial debate is something that has to have an individual answer. Can you -- no one else but you -- eat those points and still lose and stay happy on the program? If the answer is yes, then eat them. If the answer is no, then don't. But it really is individual and the true test is how it affects our weight loss and the ability to eat a healthy diet.
Adding fiber supplement to decrease PP value?
