Ok, WW is a good/solid program. Some of you who are not or who have not tried it are making way too many assumptions. It is not low carb, low protien, low this or low that. It is a healthy eating system based on how many calories, fat, and fiber you are putting in your body. The leaders, although some better/more knowledgeable then others, are their to teach people how to make healthy choices and although yes there are WW snacks, they do not advocate using all your points on them. With any weight loss program there is responsibility, you have to be responsible for what you put in your mouth! I’m tired of hearing people say that they didn’t lose weight because there were too many yummy desserts available…..hello you didn’t lose weight because you didn’t stick to your program.
I agree. However; spoken like a true person who has never had a weight problem or had to lose a large amount of weight or eats for emotional reasons. I am not overly obese, and people never guess my weight as being as much as it is because I am almost 6′ tall. However, having a rough childhood and growing up with a TERRIBLE example of how to eat and being raised on mostly fast food I became an emotional eater and to this day find myself doing the same things over and over and expecting a different result (kinda like the definition of insanity). I have had great success with many programs but for many it’s not the NOT KNOWING how to eat or exercise, it’s more of a mental thing and not dealing with the emotional aspects of why you overeat to begin with. At my heaviest I have been 252lbs, my lightest 182 lbs which is very close to my ideal weight. So, here I go again back to WW, to try their latest program and try to get rid of the old tapes that play and tell me to deal with things by eating. Like I said, it’s easy to say and if you don’t have issues easy to do but don’t judge unless you’ve been there. I have.
I have used the points system in many of its incarnations and I’ve found that nothing works better for me than tracking what I eat using this system. Also, I’ve tallied the amount of time it takes to count up my points and it’s about 5-10 minutes a day, max. All effective weight loss methods take time and effort. If you don’t spend time counting points, you’re going to spend it tracking your food intake using some other system.
I did WW about 4 years ago and lost 60 lbs. in a 6 month period. Then I stalled for 10 months. I went to meetings religiously on Saturday’s and gained a lot of knowledge on eating strategies. I wish I didn’t give up the meetings after moving to a new town and getting completely frustrated with my body.. I should have been more forgiving with my body. (Being hypothyroid has been a pain to medicate correctly… and I have several other hormonal issues going on… ugh! ) I ended up getting really depressed. I also broke both of my feet in a 5 month period. That’s when I thew in the town and gave up. I gained it all back within 3 months. (I went to the Dr. and found out my lab tests were way off.)
So, here I am again. I’m ready to give it another try. This time I’m going to do it on my own. I have all the materials and I know the old flex program like the back of my hand (I left right when momentum was coming out). Counting points came really easy for back the first time I tried it and I notice it’s a real easy habit now. I just have to get used to doing it on paper and not using the WW website. (I recommend it to anyone who wants to give WW a try. The point database/logging makes counting easy for newbies.)
Wish me luck! It’s going well so far. I know I’ve lost a couple of pounds so far.. it’s been 4 days (I’ve snuck a look at the scale lol).
why don’t you look into it a little more. It’s not for them to teach you what your body needs. They just put you in the right direction and teach portion control
Thank you so much for sharing that. I just started weight watchers 3 days ago. I’m hoping that it is something that will really work for me. So far, i’ve really been sticking to it hard. And i’ve found that i have at least 16 points left over everyday. But, i’m not starving. I’m 260 pounds, i don’t know if i’ve lost any yet because i am supposed to weigh myself until tuesday. It’s the summer so i don’t have school, so i’ve been working out twice a day. I really want to look better for my senior year. and losing as much weight as you did in a year, would truly be a blessing. I know your results are not typical, but i hope i will be just a sucessful.
I’m a Londoner living in France and two weeks ago joined my nearest class (an hour’s drive away). I last did WW on the old points system when I was still in the UK (but I am a lifetime yoyo dieter and there is not one diet I have not tried). On the old points system I was on 22 a day. I now am on 34 a day with a weekly extra amount of 49.
For an example of how food counting has changed – a slice of bread (50g) used to be 1.5 pts, now it is 3. Crispbreads and rice cakes used to be 3 for 1 pt, now they are 1pt each.
You will not be able to use the calculator or directory for the new way of counting. As a rule of thumb though (I too have the calc and directory from the previous diet) – double all carb points (English muffin used to be 2, it’s now 4. for example).
Thanks for cluing me into what Momentum is about. I’ll probably visit during the Feb Open House this weekend for freebies (if any!). I was WW for 10 weeks in 2000 doing the points system. I lost 25lbs and have kept it off to this day. I really did love the meetings, there was some truly good inspiration. It gave me a different view-point about food.
regarding the level of protein on the WW plan: I lift with a personal trainer 2x per week who insists that I get 80 grams of protein per day. I have no problem getting enough protein on the WW plan, I just make high-protein food choices – ie – egg beaters, chicken, fish, and protein shakes. I also get plenty of fruits & veggies. When I follow my high protein WW points plan, I get totally buff. It is no harder than any other diet I’ve ever done, and much easier that some.
Laura,
Thank you for you explanation. I know that at times, 2 proteins are not enough. I’m always hungry, but if I eat more than 2 proteins like tuna, chicken, or other fishes, I’m fine.
It’s true that the plan doesn’t offer you a lot of “structure” but they do offer recommendations for daily intake, even only the more common Flex points eating plan. the only real difference is that with this plan you don’t have as much freedom of choice as far as other food is concerned.
the lack of structure with the points enables people to learn to make their own decisions. sure, you could end up eating half of your point in chips or ice cream sandwiches, but especially in the beginning it’s all about trial and error. you learn that those are not wise choices to make with the limited amount of points that you should be taking in if you want to lose weight. if all you eat is ice cream and chips, not only will you probably not lose weight, you will also probably find yourself very hungry by the end of the day. i actually think that it’s a great plan because it allows you to be able to take more responsibility for your life. eventually (if you are able to stick with it long enough) those habits become second nature, so that even after you’ve reached your goal, you continue thinking in terms of portion control and which foods are more likely to keep you happy and satisfied and which just aren’t really worth overindulging in.
I also attended WW Meetings in the 90s, and lost weight successfully, became a Lifetime Member, led meetings, and kept my weight within my recommended range for over 3 years. The weight loss plan with which I successfully lost weight was very much like you described. I do remember Eat Less, Eat Basic, Eat More…and each category you mentioned had little boxes to check off for accountability – including multivitamin and water. When I led meetings, every time a new weight loss plan was introduced, I had to try it first. I had developed a great exercise plan by this time, and I believe this is what helped me keep my weight in control because continually changing the plan was not in my best interest. I received a degree in Dietetics, and when the plan changed to the point I could no longer agree with it due to how I was educated and what I believed, I resigned. I believe a healthy exercise plan and following ADA exchanges and/or carbohydrate control is best for me.
Now, I am not knocking the Weight Watchers program because there are so many individuals who need the accountability and support of a meeting. In fact I recommend this program over all others because the premise is healthy food choices, limits, portion control, activity, support and accountability. Many of us who have more education in the field of nutrition tend to get some false perception that everyone understands these basic principles, and it is quite the contrary.
Can you tell me more about the Filling Foods part of the new plan? I was a Weight Watchers Member and lost 50 pounds. I am still following the points and have kept it off give or take about 10 pounds. But I no longer have the money to rejoin a group. I have the new Momentum book but I do not understand how the points in parenthesis works. Can someone help me?
I like your idea of not following a diet mentality. Can you be more specific on a day to day basis, what you eat, how much. I lost 78 pounts on WW, then starting putting the weight back on with increased situational stress, etc. I stopped following my points. I felt good when I ate — didn’t matter what I ate, as long as I was eating. thanks
Perhaps it depends on who runs the WW meetings you attend.. as with any education, the leader/instructor’s presentation of the material is key to what you will take away from the meeting.
We have great meetings (no.. I don’t run them, but I am a lifetime member) and I’ve learned alot by others sharing what has worked for them. One of the first things explained is how to make good choices in the foods that you will eat
Are the points values the same for the Momentum plan and previous weight watcher plan? In other words, will my old “slider” and alphabetized food list of points from the prior plans still work if I try to follow the Momentum plan? Thanks!
How can I access your support group?
Ok, WW is a good/solid program. Some of you who are not or who have not tried it are making way too many assumptions. It is not low carb, low protien, low this or low that. It is a healthy eating system based on how many calories, fat, and fiber you are putting in your body. The leaders, although some better/more knowledgeable then others, are their to teach people how to make healthy choices and although yes there are WW snacks, they do not advocate using all your points on them. With any weight loss program there is responsibility, you have to be responsible for what you put in your mouth! I’m tired of hearing people say that they didn’t lose weight because there were too many yummy desserts available…..hello you didn’t lose weight because you didn’t stick to your program.
Good luck Amanda -your story has made me root for you!
You poor thing, I wish you MUCH LUCK!!
Good for you! I agree with you, it works if you work it!
I agree. However; spoken like a true person who has never had a weight problem or had to lose a large amount of weight or eats for emotional reasons. I am not overly obese, and people never guess my weight as being as much as it is because I am almost 6′ tall. However, having a rough childhood and growing up with a TERRIBLE example of how to eat and being raised on mostly fast food I became an emotional eater and to this day find myself doing the same things over and over and expecting a different result (kinda like the definition of insanity). I have had great success with many programs but for many it’s not the NOT KNOWING how to eat or exercise, it’s more of a mental thing and not dealing with the emotional aspects of why you overeat to begin with. At my heaviest I have been 252lbs, my lightest 182 lbs which is very close to my ideal weight. So, here I go again back to WW, to try their latest program and try to get rid of the old tapes that play and tell me to deal with things by eating. Like I said, it’s easy to say and if you don’t have issues easy to do but don’t judge unless you’ve been there. I have.
I have used the points system in many of its incarnations and I’ve found that nothing works better for me than tracking what I eat using this system. Also, I’ve tallied the amount of time it takes to count up my points and it’s about 5-10 minutes a day, max. All effective weight loss methods take time and effort. If you don’t spend time counting points, you’re going to spend it tracking your food intake using some other system.
opps threw in the towel. (Though I guess I did feel like throwing a town haha) I should have proofread this.
I did WW about 4 years ago and lost 60 lbs. in a 6 month period. Then I stalled for 10 months. I went to meetings religiously on Saturday’s and gained a lot of knowledge on eating strategies. I wish I didn’t give up the meetings after moving to a new town and getting completely frustrated with my body.. I should have been more forgiving with my body. (Being hypothyroid has been a pain to medicate correctly… and I have several other hormonal issues going on… ugh! ) I ended up getting really depressed. I also broke both of my feet in a 5 month period. That’s when I thew in the town and gave up. I gained it all back within 3 months. (I went to the Dr. and found out my lab tests were way off.)
So, here I am again. I’m ready to give it another try. This time I’m going to do it on my own. I have all the materials and I know the old flex program like the back of my hand (I left right when momentum was coming out). Counting points came really easy for back the first time I tried it and I notice it’s a real easy habit now. I just have to get used to doing it on paper and not using the WW website. (I recommend it to anyone who wants to give WW a try. The point database/logging makes counting easy for newbies.)
Wish me luck! It’s going well so far. I know I’ve lost a couple of pounds so far.. it’s been 4 days (I’ve snuck a look at the scale lol).
why don’t you look into it a little more. It’s not for them to teach you what your body needs. They just put you in the right direction and teach portion control
Thank you so much for sharing that. I just started weight watchers 3 days ago. I’m hoping that it is something that will really work for me. So far, i’ve really been sticking to it hard. And i’ve found that i have at least 16 points left over everyday. But, i’m not starving. I’m 260 pounds, i don’t know if i’ve lost any yet because i am supposed to weigh myself until tuesday. It’s the summer so i don’t have school, so i’ve been working out twice a day. I really want to look better for my senior year. and losing as much weight as you did in a year, would truly be a blessing. I know your results are not typical, but i hope i will be just a sucessful.
Hahahahahahaha, I agree, COMPLETELY.
No, it is completely different.
I’m a Londoner living in France and two weeks ago joined my nearest class (an hour’s drive away). I last did WW on the old points system when I was still in the UK (but I am a lifetime yoyo dieter and there is not one diet I have not tried). On the old points system I was on 22 a day. I now am on 34 a day with a weekly extra amount of 49.
For an example of how food counting has changed – a slice of bread (50g) used to be 1.5 pts, now it is 3. Crispbreads and rice cakes used to be 3 for 1 pt, now they are 1pt each.
You will not be able to use the calculator or directory for the new way of counting. As a rule of thumb though (I too have the calc and directory from the previous diet) – double all carb points (English muffin used to be 2, it’s now 4. for example).
Thanks for cluing me into what Momentum is about. I’ll probably visit during the Feb Open House this weekend for freebies (if any!). I was WW for 10 weeks in 2000 doing the points system. I lost 25lbs and have kept it off to this day. I really did love the meetings, there was some truly good inspiration. It gave me a different view-point about food.
regarding the level of protein on the WW plan: I lift with a personal trainer 2x per week who insists that I get 80 grams of protein per day. I have no problem getting enough protein on the WW plan, I just make high-protein food choices – ie – egg beaters, chicken, fish, and protein shakes. I also get plenty of fruits & veggies. When I follow my high protein WW points plan, I get totally buff. It is no harder than any other diet I’ve ever done, and much easier that some.
Hello,
You have furnished us with lots of information, but could you please explain the 2 week cleansing.
thank you
Laura,
Thank you for you explanation. I know that at times, 2 proteins are not enough. I’m always hungry, but if I eat more than 2 proteins like tuna, chicken, or other fishes, I’m fine.
thanks again.
It’s true that the plan doesn’t offer you a lot of “structure” but they do offer recommendations for daily intake, even only the more common Flex points eating plan. the only real difference is that with this plan you don’t have as much freedom of choice as far as other food is concerned.
the lack of structure with the points enables people to learn to make their own decisions. sure, you could end up eating half of your point in chips or ice cream sandwiches, but especially in the beginning it’s all about trial and error. you learn that those are not wise choices to make with the limited amount of points that you should be taking in if you want to lose weight. if all you eat is ice cream and chips, not only will you probably not lose weight, you will also probably find yourself very hungry by the end of the day. i actually think that it’s a great plan because it allows you to be able to take more responsibility for your life. eventually (if you are able to stick with it long enough) those habits become second nature, so that even after you’ve reached your goal, you continue thinking in terms of portion control and which foods are more likely to keep you happy and satisfied and which just aren’t really worth overindulging in.
I also attended WW Meetings in the 90s, and lost weight successfully, became a Lifetime Member, led meetings, and kept my weight within my recommended range for over 3 years. The weight loss plan with which I successfully lost weight was very much like you described. I do remember Eat Less, Eat Basic, Eat More…and each category you mentioned had little boxes to check off for accountability – including multivitamin and water. When I led meetings, every time a new weight loss plan was introduced, I had to try it first. I had developed a great exercise plan by this time, and I believe this is what helped me keep my weight in control because continually changing the plan was not in my best interest. I received a degree in Dietetics, and when the plan changed to the point I could no longer agree with it due to how I was educated and what I believed, I resigned. I believe a healthy exercise plan and following ADA exchanges and/or carbohydrate control is best for me.
Now, I am not knocking the Weight Watchers program because there are so many individuals who need the accountability and support of a meeting. In fact I recommend this program over all others because the premise is healthy food choices, limits, portion control, activity, support and accountability. Many of us who have more education in the field of nutrition tend to get some false perception that everyone understands these basic principles, and it is quite the contrary.
Can you tell me more about the Filling Foods part of the new plan? I was a Weight Watchers Member and lost 50 pounds. I am still following the points and have kept it off give or take about 10 pounds. But I no longer have the money to rejoin a group. I have the new Momentum book but I do not understand how the points in parenthesis works. Can someone help me?
I like your idea of not following a diet mentality. Can you be more specific on a day to day basis, what you eat, how much. I lost 78 pounts on WW, then starting putting the weight back on with increased situational stress, etc. I stopped following my points. I felt good when I ate — didn’t matter what I ate, as long as I was eating. thanks
Perhaps it depends on who runs the WW meetings you attend.. as with any education, the leader/instructor’s presentation of the material is key to what you will take away from the meeting.
We have great meetings (no.. I don’t run them, but I am a lifetime member) and I’ve learned alot by others sharing what has worked for them. One of the first things explained is how to make good choices in the foods that you will eat
Are the points values the same for the Momentum plan and previous weight watcher plan? In other words, will my old “slider” and alphabetized food list of points from the prior plans still work if I try to follow the Momentum plan? Thanks!