Using AP points vs Flex points
 

Could one of you great chickies (or as many would like) help me get a clearer picture of how to best use AP points and Flex points?

I seem to have hit a plateau so I have read the threads on how to bust through etc.

My questions are pretty simple
1. I tend to earn between 6-8 ap every night, should I be eating them or only eat in excess of 4ap points?
2. should I plan to eat all my 35 flex points each week or are they there really for just those days when you just have to splurge?
3. would it be better for me to plan to eat all my flex and all my ap's?
4. if I have met my guidlines for the day and still have pts left should I eat a--you know a junk item? that I may have been craving

thank you all in advance

I am pretty new to WW so don't really feel 'qualified' to give you an answer but I just wanted to say that I'm curious to see the answers as I have wondered some of these things myself.

Hi there!
JMHO, but here goes:

1. IF I was in a plateau and was exercising intensely every day, I would EITHER eat all my activity points and see what happens, OR cut back on the exercise. (don't shoot me, but the latter works for me EVERY time...).

2. IF you are eating 35 Flex points every week, you might want to cut back on them. You may be having small, unintentional overages that your bottom is accounting for. So I would cut back on these and hold some in "reserve" to account for this. I eat my Flex points every week because I LOVE going out to dinner. So I use them there. Others divide them up and eat them daily. You just gotta experiment. Just know that they are IN THE PLAN TO BE USED. And if you splurge (like me) or eat more daily comes down to your lifestyle.

3. I don't know! I eat 2 APs extra on the days that I exercise. I do 90 minutes of hot yoga on the days that I exercise, too. And I get a whole banana to celebrate!!! I use my Flex points for a great meal out (within reason, though!) once a week. I hit a plateau -- for the month of June, I kept to this routine and lost a net of 1 lbs, even though I upped my exercise to 90 minutes of hot yoga each and every day. I had to choose between eating more points or cutting the exercise. I cut the exercise (don't hate!!!) to 4 times a week. I lost 3.5 lbs the following week. So I don't know what is right for you or what you want to do. I just know that this worked for me. And I KNOW from previous experience that I personally don't lose weight if I eat all my FPs and all my APs. This was the best option for me, for now.

6. I wanna live my life. And unfortunately, my life includes treats. I would LOVE to write that I prefer cabbage to Lindt chocolate. I would LOVE to shout from the roof tops that I don't eat chips. But I do, darn it. And I'm not ashamed of it because I think that while some choose those paths and deserve support, I have chosen MY path and won't apologize for it. SO IF I have the points, I certainly tuck into my Chocolate Cravings dessert (available in my freezer case) for 2 points from time to time. Or Baked Lays for 2 points a small bag. This, in my mind, is the whole POINT of WW! You can choose what you want to eat and as long as you account for it and meet healthy guidelines, you CAN plan treats into your life. I think this is why maintenance is possible in the long term -- nothing is evil, bad, "dirty"; everything is possible. You just have to account for it. Or your butt WILL!!! :lol:

I hope this helps, just a bit.

pm me any time if you need support!

:hug:
Kira

thank you chickies for the responses
and it looks like I need to expermint a bit. since this weekend is a celebration for me I will eat all m flex and some exercise points...(going out to dinner with drinks) and I will see what happens on WI day

You are going to have to see what works for you...play around with the AP and/or WP to find your grove. :)

As for your questions I'll let you know what I do!

1. I earn about 8 AP's a day and will eat between 2-4 of them. Some people ask me why those and not do the WPs instead and in all honesty the APs are easier for me to keep track of.

2. I do not touch my WPs....the times that I do it's for things beyond my control that I do not have planned in my day (this rarely happens). When I first started I used them and found I will maintain and not lose on them. There are people that use them and lose just fine though lol yay for them :P

3. It's something you are going to have to tailor to the way you lose.

4. I'm not going to lie...I eat ice cream for dessert every night ;) Just a 2pt WW choc fudge brownie cup or a homemade strawberry bar that's 1pt.

I'm with these ladies who say you have to find what works for you.

I use my FP every week, but I have a set amount I can use per day and that's planned ahead of time. For example, today I can have 30 points total, but tomorrow I can only have 26, then Wednesday 28, so on,and so on. I also don't touch my APs. I aim to earn 3-5 per day, but I don't eat them, I just let them be as an extra cushion if I've underestimated something else during the day.

And I actually have treats worked into my day. I have chocolate every day via an M&M dispenser on my desk. If you have the extra points, I don't see anything wrong with using a "junk" item to fill it as long as you're getting other healthy foods.

Well my weigh in is on wed and so far I have used all my flex points for the week -- this is a first! and have have earned 32 ap's so far if I eat a bit more than my reg points I hope I will still see a loss by dipping into so me of those ap's if not back to the drawing board

Let us know what happens!!!

Kira