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Well, I just joined a week a go, and I only have 15-20 pounds to lose. I asked this same question, and finally I just decided to go for it and not care what anyone thinks.
Points are basically a way of counting calories. They're calculated based off of 3 things: calorie content, fat, and fibre. In your first week they give you a little booklet, and at the end there is a sliding rule for counting points for any food by reading the label. I've found that really helpful!
You can find out online how many points you get in a day, just google it!
I go in person, because I feel more accountable that way.
I think the cost varies by region but I am paying $50/month.
Hope that helps!!!
I'm a WW user and love it. I do have more to lose--but WW can be for anyone.
Okay, so here is why I think it's great: IT IS NOT A DIET. It's a lifestlye change. I swear I didn't drink the Kool-Aid, that's truly the best way I know how to describe it. it gives you all the tools that most people need. It makes you accountable for what you eat (you log in your foods), provides a support community (you can use message boards if you are online or go to the meetings), and is premised on the fact that long-term success means slow weight loss and incremental changes. Everything DOES have a point value and you can calculate the points value for anything. You will have a daily points allowance which is based on your weight and age and lifestyle (they calculate this for you). You eat that number of points per day, no matter what. Then you have 35 extra points that are elective to eat over the course of the week--you can divvy them up however you want, eat them, lose them, whatever. And when you exercise, you earn extra points to use (it's based on again how much you weight, the intensity, and how long--they have a calculator for activity points too). And NOTHING is off-limits, even though you are accountable for everything you eat. I'm going out for my b-day tonight and I'm going to have lots of yummy pasta (that's where the weeklies come in, for example).
Now, you can research online and figure out how the points are calculated and all that, but I tried that and it didn't work, compared to me being IN the program. I think that the tools they provide make a big difference. And for a lot of people, the meetings are a big part of it--the support really helps.
I used it a while ago and it worked really well. We just got off track and then ended up not needing to put that money towards the subscription every month but we learned a lot about what's healthy and what's not. Ours was $60 the first month then $16 a month/person after that. I lost about 12 lbs before we got off track (154 to 142) if that helps (in about a month or two but we were really bad about it sometimes - I lost 5lbs the first week).
Thanks for the info ladies!
My thing is, like a month ago I started a program that is free through my health insurance called "Drop 10 in 10" and when I got there it was all VERY overweight women who were 40 plus years old (I'm only 22) and one of them literally said to me "what the hell are you doing here?" And even after explaining myself they were so rude I didn't want to go back. In my mind losing weight is hard, no matter how much you have to lose, and these women were really mean to me!
Another quick question...can you stop any time, or are you like locked in with a contract?
I just joined a few weeks ago and I love it. I'm not a dieter. My favorite thing about it is that I can eat whatever yummy food I want. The first week I ate a hamburger from mc donalds and a chick fil a sandwich, and still lost 4.5 pounds b/c I stayed within my points.
I do it online. For me, I'm my biggest judge so I know I'm not going to get off track, and I feel like having other people see my weight won't matter as much to me, as I don't care what they think. I only care what I think.
Thanks for the info ladies!
My thing is, like a month ago I started a program that is free through my health insurance called "Drop 10 in 10" and when I got there it was all VERY overweight women who were 40 plus years old (I'm only 22) and one of them literally said to me "what the hell are you doing here?" And even after explaining myself they were so rude I didn't want to go back. In my mind losing weight is hard, no matter how much you have to lose, and these women were really mean to me!
Another quick question...can you stop any time, or are you like locked in with a contract?
@MandaMack: There are plenty of small thin women at my meetings. I haven't noticed any nasty comments--especially because the leaders and the people who log you in have all reached goal on WW, meaning they're all likely to be thin.
It's a month-to-month contract.
@MandaMack: I thought I would feel the same way when I went last week, but seriously there was no judgement! To answer your last question, I am paying the monthly fee because I can stop any time with 20 days notice. Usually you just pay weekly, I think you can also just stop going if you do that.
One of my friends was thinking about joining the USN, in order to accomplish that she needed to lose 10 lbs ASAP so she joined WW. She definitely drank the kool-aid and passed the cup to me! lol
Whereas she decided it was in her best interests to join and attend meetings, I have no desire to do that plus I have a very erratic work schedule that prevents me from making regular commitments such as that. I also decided that since PenguinGuy and I are trying to save money that I didn't need to spend it on WW. Thus, I went online found out how to calculate points and started tracking everything myself. I am down about 7 lbs in 2 weeks.
WW really is about lifestyle changes. I also firmly believe that for some people it isn't necessary to attend the meetings, although it helps for many. I pesonally use the livestrong.com myplate website to track my food/calorie consumption and then use an online point calculator to convert it to WW points to track those. This works well for me because it allows me to track food, such as my own recipes, that don't come with labels. It also makes me accountable for everything I eat. Plus, there is a myplate app for my android! :)
Oops wait, let me clarify: I am an online user and it works great. Some people really need the meetings and that's great (online is cheaper than meetings though) so try both.
When I was talking about doing stuff online I meant just googling how points are calculated and constructing the program through your own research, rather than actually joining. It's possible to do that, but I think that the tools being in the program provide are worth the .65/day or so.
What if I started off in person, then once I got the hang of it switched to online for financial reasons lol (and after I got through the holiday season)?
@MandaMack: they're happy to let you do that too! You can get a month to month membership and switch to online when you feel ready.
So I told fi I'm thinking about joing WW, and he responded with "you're crazy! why would you waist your money on that? You look fine, and I don't know how you don't see how beautiful you are!"
It's upsetting. I want to lose weight. I'm not saying I want to be unhealthy (like crash diet), and doing weight watchers would actually improve my health (from a nutrition standpoint) because I'll be forced to eat healthier foods and hopefully make a lifestyle change. On days I don't want to workout he usually replies "then don't work out" and I don't know how to convince him I need support from him in order to do this, and I want to do this in order to be happier with myself.
I'm going to sign up for a monthly pass. There's a place near me that has weekend meetings (which is what I would need) so hopefully my first meeting will be this weekend.
Any ideas on how to get fi's support?
Can anyone post some of the free WW resources that are available? It doesn't look like they have much to offer on their site.
If you google "how many weight watchers points a day" sites come up with a formula, or "how to figure out how many weight watchers points". They are usually sites like wikihow and ehow. I don't know how accurate they are though, because I haven't signed up for the real program yet!
I signed up to WW with only approx 10 lbs to lose. I work out between 5-7 days a week & have muscle but just wanted to lose a bit of the extra jiggle I have in my belly. I know that this is all due to my eating habits so I signed up so I could keep track of what I was eating & my portion sizes. I like WW because I become accountable for what I put in my mouth & I am the kind of person if I need to keep track of things, I am more likely to not eat it. I also like it because if I am close to my daily points & want a "treat" I will usually just opt out of eating it because I don't want to go over.
That being said I have been on WW for 3 weeks & have lost 3-4lbs. Which isn't a great success, but being a small girl to begin with & only needing to lose 10 lbs I am pretty happy with it.
Yea I found this formula to help calcuate the number of "points" you should be getting per day. Seems like many sites agree with the formula.
Weight Watchers Updated: Your personal daily points target- use this formula
1. Are you
female?- score 2
Male?- score 8
A nursing mom?- score 12
2. How old are you?
17-26- score 4
27-37- score 3
38-47- score 2
48-58- score 1
over 58- score 0
3.What do you weigh?
Enter the first two digits of your weight in pounds.
(for example, if you weight 199, you will add 19 to your score)
4. How tall are you?
Under 5’1- score 0
5’1-5’10- score 1
Over 5’10- score 2
5. How do you spend most of your day?
Sitting down? score 0
Occasionally sitting? score 2
Walking most of the time? score 4
Doing physically hard work most of the time? score 6
Plus the 35 Extra Points per week.
Oh I should mention I signed up online because I don't really need the "support" or weekly meetings due to the small amount of weight I need to lose. I highly reccomend it, it's an eye opener to how much stuff you put in your mouth!
I just signed up for the monthly pass. I figure at least in the beginning I would like the support (and accountability) of going to meetings. I think once I get through the holiday season (yummm, lol) I'll switch over to online only. And it looks like my first meeting will be tomorrow.
So, ladies who go to meetings...what should I expect?
@MandaMack: The meetings are pretty fun actually, I thought they would be lame but they aren't. You get there and weigh in with them (private, not some huge number displayed) and then the meeting runs only about 30 mins. They talk about how everyones week went then there's sort of a "lesson" or discussion about an aspect of the program. For example, portion sizes and what the challenges are with this or whatever. Then you leave. You only have to speak up if you want to, otherwise you can just listen. Some people's stories are pretty funny. I actually look forward to my meetings.
I have another question...are you supposed to eat as close to the number of points every day, or are you just not supposed to go over? Like, my daily points is 22...is it better if I only eat 20 or go right to 22?
...and let me tell you today was not the day to start WW...my boss made me cookies because I did such a good job busting out a project this week. Only 1 cookie for me...8-(
I don't think they'll let you join if your BMI is under a certain amount.
When I joined the first time, about 10 years ago, I was 145 lbs (and 5'5") and when I went to get weighed, before I stepped on the scale, the woman said "I don't think you weigh enough to join." But I did, just about.
As far as your daily points, you have to eat that many a day. If your target is 22, eat 22. If you eat less, your metabolism will slow down.
Your weekly points are where you can be flexible.
@sloth: That makes a lot more sense now! And my BMI is at a point where I could lose 16 pounds and still be in the healthy range. Plus, their website already took my money sooooo they better help me lose weight, lol.
@MandaMack: If your DPA (daily points allowance) is 22, then you should aim to eat 22. That's your minimum. In the beginning, you'll probably make some mistakes and eat like, 23 one day and 19 the next, but in a few weeks it'll be easy and you'll get the hang of it.
A lot of people who start the program hear, "you get X points per day + 35 weeklies" and think, "well if I just eat X-2 per day and NO weeklies, I should lose more weight, right?" Don't do that--it'll probably backfire. And although everyone is different, don't be afraid to use those weeklies--a lot of people lose MORE when they eat their weeklies. The cookie you had? That's what they're there for.
Also, if you signed up, you should have access to all the online materials and there are some really good message boards via the WW sites. "On the MOmentum Plan" is generally comprised of nice people who can give you all sorts of helpful info--the program's not difficult, but you'll probably have questions here and there the first week.
I have a question for you. From the stats you gave us it doesnt appear that dieting is really what you need (sure some tweaking to eat better and maybe a few lbs), but rather a good exercise program. You can be thin and still have "fat". Ever heard the term "Skinny fat"?
Its muscle that will stop you from jiggling, not just losing weight. I would venture to guess that at your current state your focus should be measurements of your waist and body fat % because numbers on the sale can lie and be misleading.
@lefeymw: That's what I was thinking--it seems that you're already pretty small-framed and thin, but toning would serve you better than going on a weight loss plan based on diet.
I exercise a lot, it is my eating habbits that are the problem. There's a six pack hiding under my little donut (pooch around the belly button) and I know it cuz I can feel it, lol. Its my diet that's killing it, you've never been able to see my six pack because I'm just plain terrible at dieting. A structured plan and increased accountability should help with that though, at least I hope it will.
Its worth giving it a try. Also, women can carry their weight in different spots so that could be part of your problem. Your body likes to hold onto its extra weight there.
Also belly fat is usually indicative of too many simple carbs (think white bread and rice) and alcohol (really carbs too). Switching up the types of food you are eating will do you wonders I bet! Which going to WW could or could not help you with because you choose your food. Use their guidance but focus heavily on the veggies and proteins and whole grains and you will see a difference.
Definitley make sure you eat all your points each day! One point is about 50 calories so if you have 22 that's really only 1100 calories so you don't want to eat less then that.
You'll also get 35 "bonus" points that you have the option of spending each week, I don't usually use mine but it's nice that if you are going out one night you don't have to worry so much about it.
My biggest advice is just write down what your eating! You can see a big difference from the weeks you do write it down and the ones you don't.
@lefeymw: Oh I know that's where my body holds the weight! Its been there since I hit puberty, unfortunately, but my diet is crap. I eat healthy food...I juust also really like snacks, lol. I figure I'll give this a try and hope for the best!
oh and I LOVE juice. Not good for you juice, like fruit punch, lol. I need to nip that issue in the butt! All it is is empty calories!
Correction: 1 pt. = 50 calories, with zero fat and zero fiber. The number would change pertaining to fat and fiber, so don't go around calculating calories from points and vice-versa thinking that 1pt=50 calories is always true.
MandaMack, I DO find that I have some bloat and that I did gain more weight in my midsection when I was eating too many processed and refined carbs. Nothing's off limits, but you should make sure that you research the "Good Health Guidelines" which you'll have to follow if you want to be "on-program." DON'T try to implement them all at once--usually they recommend that you pick 1 per week, starting with the easiest and go week to week adding them on. I mention this because the GHGs don't include refined carbs anyway.
OK, just to clarify, I get I should always eat all my daily points, and if I work out should I make sure to eat all my activity points too?
My hubby was trying to be supportive in saying that I look find and don't need to lose weight. He said, "it doesn't matter what other people think, just what I think." And I said no, while I'm glad you like me as is, my opinion matters most and I'm not happy with me. And of course he wants me to be happy, so he's supporting my weight watchers decision.
Holy cow! I would only get 16 points per day? Definitely not the program for me; that is way not enough food for this little bunny!
I will say, I can commiserate with feeling heavier than FI thinks I should feel. He gets upset that he can't make me feel beautiful. One thing that has helped me is feeling strong; it sounds like you are already feeling strong, but make sure you keep a focus on fitness versus weight when you start the program! Sometimes it is absolutely about food intake and diet, and it's important to fuel yourself healthily and well, but it's about so much more, too.
Bunny, you would not get only 16 points a day. IT doesn't go down that low.
MandaMack, you *can* eat your activity points, but you don't have to. Treat them like your 35.
This morning was my first meeting and it went really well! Everyone was really welcoming and the leader was great! Not to mention I weigh a few pounds less then I thought I did, so you can't complain about that! And to top it off, the one other person who was just starting this week is a younger woman with a small weight loss goal too, so we could really relate to each other.
Thanks to everyone for their input! I'm really happy with my decision to join, and fi finally understands that I really would like to lose some weight before I'll be happy with my body so he's trying to be as supportive as possible and has agreed to try and help hold me accountable for my bad eating habbits (which I need).
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I see that a lot of bees are doing weight watchers! And I was wondering what draws you to it? I don't think I completely understand how it works, so how would you explain it to someone like me (I know there are points but how are they calculated? How much do you get to eat? Can you figure out a point value for any food?) Do you guys do it online or in person?
The thing is, I don't need to lose a lot of weight, I just want to jiggle less. At this point I'm 5'8 and a small street size 6. The problem is, in order to jiggle less, you really have to diet, and I'm just not good at dieting.
Would it be weird for a thin person to joing Weight Watchers? And how much does it cost?
Thanks for all the info...you guys are really inspiring!
And a poll, because we all love polls