Should I stop WeightWatchers?
 

I've (re)discovered this site (I joined it months ago, but then my weight loss goals kind of fizzled out). I joined WeightWatchers a few months ago, and was wondering if it was worth it to stick with this program. It seems that the points system teaches me a few things, but it also seems that I would rather learn about the actual calorie/nutrition components of foods rather than just count points. I don't know. Is there something I'm missing about WW?

I can't tell you for certain, I haven't done WW in years and years. I guess the question I would ask you is "Does WW work for you?". If the answer is "yes" then no you shouldn't quit. But if the answer is "not really", then try fitday for a while. Personally I like fitday, and I feel like I've gained a lot of tools here that I can use in the real world.

I guess it's really up to you. I used the old WW points formula years ago and lost weight. I don't know exactly what the "new" forumula is.

FitDay is so easy to use and sure works well, so I'm a bit biased in that respect. For long term weight loss and maintaining, I do think it makes sense to take control of your calorie/nutrition mix.

Regards,
Michael

I think you cannot find any better approach than tracking your calorie intake and exercises.
The idea of nutritional journal is an interesting idea, you can track and see what mistakes/good things you have done in the past and understand whey you didn't lose your fat for example.
Beside that, you will see what nutriments or vitamins are scarce in your diet, you'll see your fat loss progress, what number of cup of water did you consume per day last month etc.
I cannot imagine myself following those kinds of diet that force you to eat according to a rigid meal plan ie (one apple and half yogurt 2% at 7:25 am ) i like the idea of counting myself my calories and thus preparing and choosing the right food I like or I have in my fridge actually.

Yeah, I couldn't do that either. I'm not good at following a rigid schedule.

I think the main problem for me is getting good foods into my diet, like fruits and veggies. It's not that I don't like fruits/veggies, it's just that I rather eat other things (like sweets and too much meat). Fast food cravings is also a problem for me. I've noticed that WW doesn't really have the nutritional feedback unlike FitDay. One day, I ate a sub from Quiznos, and even though it cost me a lot of points, I was still all right because of my weekly extra points. Idk, it just seems that Fit Day holds me more accountable than WW, and also it's free. Plus, it's easier to count calories than it is to count points.

I think I'll try both for a while and then see if I should quit WW.

Thank you all for your replies. :)

I think in terms of calorie, we should be rigid enough in order to make some progress.:D
I do not crave fast food or sweeties, my big flaw was that I like beer binging during weekends.
If you find yourself craving too much for carbs, then I think you should avoid high GI foods as well as caffeinated beverages and alcohol, because those 3 substances can trigger pikes of insulin hormones which starts fat storing and gives you a huge appetite towards carbs.
Fast fast and Junk food have to be banned from your list, as they contain hi GI foods.
:)

Quit WW, read Robb Wolf's Paleo Solution.

Weight watchers is a system.
This is a system.
The end result of all diets is to reduce the calories you take in to less than you burn which equals weight loss.

If you feel you need to learn about foods and nutrition to maintain [and you prob do] nothing is stopping you from learning if you are in weight watchers. You might even make better choices within the program instead of wholesale "Gee it is X points so I can have" vs "I have X points these are in that range, which is healthiest for my goals?"

The choice is actually what suits you best. WW worked for my nephew when he followed it. When he stopped he gained. I know others who haven't. It suits them. In my case it was too much fuss. Points are fussy. I do better with facts. One McDouble is 390 calories with 22 grams protein, 19 grams fat and 65 mg cholesterol OR I can have one Bodyfortress Protein shot [ a drink] with 110 calories, 26 grams of protein and NO cholesterol and fat... Guess which one I'll pick. More bang for the buck in the nutrition with the shot.

Weight Watchers is great because it puts the onus of responsibility on the dieter. Nothing is strictly off-limits, but knowing you have to stay within your points makes you start thinking in terms of choices, knowing that you can have the brownie OR the cake OR the hamburger, but not all of them today. I have known many people who lost weight on WW because even though they knew sweets and junk were bad for them, they didn't realize HOW bad because they had never actually measured the serving sizes before.

The downside is that it can be hard to obtain points values for certain things, and it can be fussy, as another poster pointed out. I am more of a control freak, so I like tracking calories, fiber, fat, etc on my own. Furthermore, I am cutting carbs because of endocrine issues of my own, so the WW tendency to skew in favor of lower fat/protein, higher carb foods doesn't work for me.

All in all, you have to figure out what works for you. If you find it too cumbersome to obtain and track the points values, then in the end it's not suiting you.

Sometimes we just have to try things on for size to see if they fit us, WW is no different. It isn't a matter of good or bad but very personal, no one can decide for you. I am dyslexic and counting points makes me Bonkers!!lol. My 2 friends are bankers and love numbers and spreadsheets..WW is right up their alley and they have been very happy with that system. They are watching me with Fitday tho and the almost effortless way I am losing a lb a week and how I have made far more headway than them since January even tho they nearly kill themselves at the gym all week. I think mindful science has it all over counting, but perhaps that is just me.