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Weight Watchers PointsPlus and Snack Girl - Success?

May 6, 2011   64 Comments

Snack Girl has had a free subscription to Weight Watchers for a couple of months now, and she is ready to tell her story.

Weight Watchers Points Plus Review

But, before I share, I receive many e-mails like this one:

I am contemplating rejoining Weight Watchers but hesitate because of many reasons. I am 74 years old and weigh 132 pounds.

I would like to lose about 10 pounds. How many points would I be allowed if I joined this new program and do you think it would be helpful for such a small amount of weight? Thanks for any help.

He/she didn't give me a name so let's call her Sadie. Sadie, I wish I knew what to tell you. My thinking is that if you think it will help (and it won't ruin you financially) you should just give it a try. It certainly can't hurt. Losing a small amount of weight does seem to be tricker than losing a large amount.

There are MANY things to like about PointsPlus. As I did the program, it taught me a lot about my own eating habits and where I could improve. Here is a few things that I really like:

  • The emphasis on fruits and vegetables - most are FREE so you don't have to count them.
  • The meetings where you commiserate with your fellow dieters.
  • The recipes on the website are healthy, easy, and delicious.

Every week, people who lost weight share their success in the meeting. My favorite quote from a meeting - "I lost weight because I am eating more fruits and vegetables." Hallelujah! This is seriously a win/win. You get healthier and lose weight at the same time.

My other favorite quote - "It drives me crazy how my son keeps stealing my grapes and blueberries that I have purchased for my snacks." (said with a smile)

Ummm, hurray! So, now, your son is starting to get on the healthy snack bandwagon (and he doesn't even know it).

Now, I have to talk about what I didn't like about the program. I think that the level of support for a struggling individual isn't very high. The meetings are full of positive energy and ideas - but they lack weekly reflection on the negative.

Perhaps, I am expecting too much from a program that costs $10 per week. For your money, you get A LOT of information and resources, but there is no personal touch.

I guess I would have liked to have a "sponsor" like in Alcoholics Anonymous. Someone, you could relate to - and help you when you fall off track. This idea is more of a "non-profit" idea then something that WW could implement.

There is a "program leader", but she has many people that want to talk to her. I found her answers to my questions rather, well, short.

I think this program works the best for people who have a good friend who is following it with them.

Also, I believe WW blames the individual too much when it doesn't work for them. Maybe that person did everything right, and still didn't lose weight? No program is going to work for 100% of the people who try it.

Okay, enough complaining!!

I DID lose weight on WW, and I found that the insight I gained from doing it invaluable. I learned that I need to snack less often, and drink less beer if I want to be thinner.

I quit the program because I absolutely hate food journalling - which is my problem not WW's.

Overall, I think it is a fantastic program to try and see what you can learn from it. I am eating more fruits and vegetables as a result - and about 4 pounds lighter.

Please share your thoughts on Weight Watchers PointsPlus.

This program was received for review consideration. No other compensation was provided.

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64 Comments:

WW works... I have used it off and on over the years... when I am on it, I lose... although, I don't see to lose as quickly on the points plus program. I think the support depends on the location and the leader. My leader is great, and is willing to stay after and help with any questions or concerns and even has a walking program that leads...

@mandysueva - Thank you for this comment. I do believe that it works for most - and I have also heard from some that PointsPlus is a bit slower than the old program. My thinking is that the weight loss is more sustainable than before. Perhaps it takes longer but it is easier to keep off.

I love weight watchers . I lost 110lbs and I have kept it off for 4 years... How .. Weight watchers has taught me how to eat and live life!!!!!! Email with any questions... becdanto@yahoo.com

I lost 30lbs on WW but then plateau'd. I found their food journaling cumbersome which means I would do it at the end of the day (when I am done eating). Also, I ended up eating less than 1200 calories some days which is not healthy. I found it almost impossible to achieve the new lower point (for when I was in 150's weight) and still feed my family in a way that was healthy (and that they would actually eat)

I switched to sparkpeople.com a few months ago. I think it has a few advantages - 1. Better support system. I can go online anytime of day when having an issue and find someone to commiserate. 2. It's FREE 3. The tools to journal your food are much more user friendly 4. The teams are great because instead of being in a group of geographically related people, you can surround yourself with people who have similar weight loss/lifestyle goals. 5. Better mobile apps 6. Much more lifestyle change oriented. I rarely feel like I am dieting. 7. The ability to journal and track goals outside of weight loss.

I joined Weight Watchers after your first post on it this year. Your explanation made too much sense to me and since March 6th, I'm down 14.8 pounds.

I agree with your buddy system or support. I'm flying solo and that doesn't bug me. What keeps me going is NOT listening at the meetings. I don't agree a lot with what the leader says and I make my own "adjustments" to the program. (most of the times at the meeting I try for one comment it gets a cold response so I read the weekly pamphlet and learn from there)

I will say it's the first time the food journaling has worked. In fact those days when I'm not totally healthy I make sure I log everything even if I give it on paper '1 point' because then if I feel defeated I can look on line and see the journal and own up to it. I also don't like their snacks... too processed for my tastes.. so I stick with the fruits it makes life a lot easier.

I've failed a lot of times on weight watchers before .. and who knows I may still fail but I'm not worried about it. I'm taking a positive step toward my health and if that positive step means I need to get up early on a sunday morning and step on someone else's scale (that makes me 5 lbs heavier than my own scale) .. So be it. Owning up to someone else is the healthy step I need to take right now. Hopefully one day owning up to myself will be all I need.

I think WW is very much what you put into it. For instance, I have found plenty of support by uh, talking to people before and after meetings. After all - that is benefit of attending them. I also use WW online and I have found support there as well (if anything there is almost too much negative support on those boards sometimes). (Which is why I find the comment above about sparkpeople above a bit puzzling. Is very much developed based on WW e-tools. But to each their own!)

Since I use the online tools for tracking, I can look at things from a longer perspective; and my wl has been the same from Sept-Dec (old program) and Jan-now (new program). In my meetings, the people who really struggle with slower WL on the new program are those who really focus on FRUITS being free and load up on them - and forget uh, veggies are mostly free too. And also forget that you have to eat *other* things.

Before doing WW, I had tried a number of other plans, and finally a nutritionist suggest WW for me. I think what works well for is that I don't have to count calories, protein amounts, etc - since I have diabetes, I have certain levels of protein and fiber that I really do need to try to hit ever day. Trying to figure that out myself is tiring. But WW does much of that work for me. (And my now 5 range A1cs prove it!)

I think that "personal touch" really depends quite a bit on the meeting and the leader. My leader remembers my name after just eight weeks (two of which she was gone on vacation. and i NEVER wear my name tag!), remembers what comments or questions i've had from week to week, and i've never felt short changed when it comes to needing to speak with her about what's going on with me personally. We also have a really great group at my meeting, too, so when someone asks a question EVERYONE, not just the leader, gets to chime in with their great suggestions and I find that incredibly helpful. In those 8 weeks, I've lost just under 22 pounds.

I have done WW many times before, but this time I was "hungry" (pardon the expression) for someone to inject some positivity and community into what can often be a kind of lonely and frustrating process, and this time that's what I feel like I'm getting.

I didn't mean to come across like I was bashing WW. I still tell people to use WW. We all need to be healthy and we should all use the tool that works best for us. WW just stopped working for me - I plateau'd and could not find a healthy way around the plateau (like not going under 1200 calories per day), even though my plateau was more than 10 lbs above my pre-pregnancy weight.

Sparkpeople has gotten me over my plateau. Also, many of my health goals were changing and I like that sparkpeople provides me a way to monitor those as well (such as eating more monounsaturated fats)

The mobile app for WW, which I needed for the change to PP, constantly crashed on my phone, meaning I couldn't use it to check points on items while I was shopping for groceries. I will say that the recipe builder on the WW site is a bit more user friendly.

I am a bit of a control freak, LOL..so the sparkpeople interface works best for me. There was a time in my life (pre-motherhood) where I was more of a free spirit and during that time, WW worked EXCELLENTLY as points were definitely so much better than calories during that time.

My point was that there are FREE options as well (since not everyone can afford $17 per month in this economy) that can be really helpful too. We are all trying to be healthy :)

I have no problem with the app (I use a blackberry) and the online tools are great... and I pay 39.95 per month, so it is only 10.00 per week

I have lost 24 pounds since mid February on WW Points Plus. I love it. It is super easy and with Snack Girls recipes and WWs recipes I am always eating new and exciting foods! It has helped me big time with my portions too. I recently went on vacation and I actually lost weight on vacation because I wasn't pigging out anymore!

I am on my 9th week with the program and I have lot 12 pounds. What I like: eating REAL food, room to eat something "bad" (like a Cabury Creme Egg or a Chickfila Sandwich) when the craving hits, the meetings are okay, I have 4 other friends and my husband doing this so that helps, and I love the online support of Snack Girl and Hungry Girl. Oh, the ww e-tools are fabulous! I love tracking and planning what I eat online. I love the recipe builder, too. And because I am a charts person I love seeing the weight chart and keeping track of my measurements. That is worth the price of ww to me!

I am eating much healthier and my husband is losing weight, too, around 15 pounds or so. (We are in our 40's.) We are exercising more and experimenting with new foods. When he left for work this morning I told him to prepare himself for a new veggie tonight - roasted purple cauliflower. He made a face, but even though we joke about the veggies, I think that we really are enjoying food more than ever.

I've been very happy with WW Points Plus. I can eat anything I want. What's been successful for me is the tracking. I do it online, so it's an easy click. I've lost 16.6lbs in 8 weeks and have felt great.

I joined WW online last November after seeing great results in my daughter and her husband. My HMO offers a discount, so it costs about $17 a month. All online, no meetings. Good tracking tools. There's a community board for support, but I don't use it. I've lost an average of 1.5 pounds a week. I compete with no one but myself, I've tried new recipes, I have more energy now. I'm getting tired of tracking, but there is also a Simply Filling program, where you eat only foods on WW's list, which I plan to try soon.

I like myfitnesspal.com (and the free app). It's free and is really easy to use. Same concept as WW, to stick to your set calories/day even with working out (eating back what you burn) and losing 1 lb/week.

Thanks HauteMomNC for the sparkpeople.com info - the cost factor really is important in some situations. I'm going to check it out!

I love the free Lose It app I use on my iPod Touch.

I'm guessing it's the same concept as myfitnesspal or any others, you tell it how old you are, how much you weigh, your goal, how fast you want to get to your goal, if you're male/female, etc. You get a daily calorie allotment, which you can increase by exercising. I love it!

I started WW Dec 28/10 and have lost 22.5lbs and 22 inches, mostly because I see a trainer once a week and go to the gym. At the beginning I attending a couple of meetings but none since, I really didn't find them helpful at all. I really like the tracker and figuring out what pts are for what foods and what I am gonna eat. But I agree about the support, I thought there would be more one on one but you kinda are on your own. Its working for me, better since I can ask my trainer who has just rejoined after having a baby.

I've been on WW for 3 weeks now and have lost 7.3 lbs. I pre-paid for 3 months of their on-line program (there was no way I could handle meetings) to force me to do it. I do like the idea of the new program and never would of joined the old one due to their emphasis (my perception) on processed foods and artificial sweeteners. I joined because I knew I was bs'ing my self about what I was eating and wanted to be held accountable. I don't know if I will last past the three months because I am a "buck the system" kind of gal, it's time consuming and quite frankly, I know what I need to do to be healthy. I do appreciate what they are trying to do though.

I love WW. I joined 9 weeks ago and have lost a total of 12 pounds. I gained weight twice or I would've lost more and I know why I gained, it was totally my fault. I like the meetings myself. I tried doing WW online but there was no one to hold me accountable so I didn't do well at all. Now I know that I have to face my leader and my friends when I weigh in on Tuesdays and that makes me want to work harder to lose the weight. I've tried every diet known to man and WW is the only one that has ever worked for me. I constantly find myself wondering how many points are in food, I shop for healthier foods, cook more, and no longer crave fast food. I now get sick even thinking I'm going to have to eat at a fast food restaurant. And let me tell you, if you look in the Dining Out book and see the points of some of the restaurant foods, it will definitely give you a different prospective.

I am a WW online user only and to be honest i have a great support system from the other online users. The message boaards serve the same purpose as a sponsor would. I have lost a little over 25 pounds since starting in Feb and plan to be a lifetime member.

I was successful at WW 14 years ago - but sadly gained it all back. I went back last fall and was very adept at using most of my points on carbs and didn't lose anything after a month.

Since then saw a nutritionist and learned my 50 year old metabolism doesn't function when it's so loaded with carbs and that I need protein and healthy fats instead of all the processed junk.

I used Sparkpeople for several months with varied success. Finally went back to WW this week to try the new program. I paid for the month in advance and will decide if it's worth it or not.

So far I'm realizing that although I had already changed/improved my eating habits (by eating hardly any pretzels, dry cereal and saltine crackers) I was eating too much of everything else.

I don't know to be pleased or irritated that with nearly 50 to lose to get to the top of my weight range I get the fewest daily points @ 29. But so far I'm getting by eating about 33 points a day (3 days later, ha! check back in a month!) and I'm not starving. But I won't hesitate to use the full 49 extras if I want to.

Time will tell!

Sue,

I too did WW about 10 yrs ago and couldn't loose more than 17lbs. So I stopped...

I joined again in October 2010, lost some, gained some, then the new plan took effect. I have lost a total of 36lbs (halfway there) and I LOVE the program. I just turned 50, diabetic, and must take Steroids, so I count PPs and Carbs..seems I do better with fruit in the am, but by afternoon(when the meds kick in), I have to be extra careful. My favorite protein is cheese....so I have difficulty there because we usually have the full-fat stuff at home and my husband refuses to eat anything "unnatural" and low-fat, and that's not cost-effective to have 2 of everything, but I'm worth it! I like natural foods and all the items available at meetings is processed, so I don't eat them often. Otherwise, I am able to calculate my foods and practice portion control...I have found that I love roasting vegetables for snacking and it keeps me satisfied. One day at a time...

Just adding my 2 cents...

I'm a WW lifetime member, and it does work, but it takes work to follow the program. I joined before all the apps & etools, and so I haven't really used those (because I now get to go to meetings for free, and don't really want to pay extra for them). But, I've found the 3-month bound journal (about $6) helps me to track - I keep it on the kitchen counter with the points calculator. I don't always track, but when my weight is creeping up to above my goal weight, I get right back on.

As far as meeting support, if possible try a different leader, it might make a big difference. Also, I agree about joining with a buddy. I also think the website has good chat boards.

Thanks Snack Girl for all your great emails - I always try to read them - good stuff - keep it coming... Will you still give us Points Values?

Yes!! Please keep up the PointsPlus values...I love your ideas!!

I joined WW on Jan. 5th, 2011 and I've lost my first 30 lbs. I absolutely love food journalling because it's holds me accountable and I think twice about how I want to spend my points. I'm 45 years old and was 70lbs. overweight. I'm very much looking forward to reaching my goal and I have every faith that I'll reach it this year.

I promise to keep adding PointsPlus values - I want to support WW members - and I like to know, too!

I joined ww and it was a total waste of money. I really thought i was tracking correcty but apparently not. i lost...maybe 2 pds in three months. i totally agree it needs to be more personal. i joined online. i need help and don't know where to turn

I like the accountability of the weigh-in --- doing it on my own using SparkPeople didn't work for me. You do get tips from other members at meetings - but not every meeting/leader is going to be a good fit - if you have the option of different meetings to try I do recommend doing that.

I need the meetings!! I'm currently at a plateau and know I need to exercise more..but no way am I gonna quit! I think of it as a bank account and I can't afford to overdraw....feel free to email me if you would like too!

nulungs95@gmail.com

I recognize counting Carbs and fats will help you eat healthier, BUT...if you are old and short, your out of luck point wise. I get 19 points daily. I find it difficult to feel satisfied on 6+ points a meal! I am a diabetic, so all the free fruits are not good for my blood sugar. I have a refrigerator and freezer filled with foods I bought when points were lower. My 35 calorie bread went from 1 pt...to 3. I am eating a 90 calorie bun now that is 2 Pts. Makes

little sense to me. I'll try to hang in for a month or so and hope I will lose weight. I am upset my popcorn went from 1 to 3pts...my Skinny cow fudge bars went from 1 to 3ps.(I have 3 boxes in my freezer) now will have to give up a meal to eat one!!

I thought 29 points was the fewest anyone got for a daily count. Can anyone confirm that?

The plan states the lowest PointsPlus amount is 29...any less and you are not getting enough nutrition...that's almost 10 PP per meal and then an additional 49 per week, making it possible to eat 36 PP per day..

I just confirmed 29 as the lowest as well in the Getting Started Booklet ... so Sally, enjoy your ice cream!!

(snack girl, sorry to hi-jack!)

I COMPLETELY agree with your comment below!!

"Perhaps, I am expecting too much from a program that costs $10 per week. For your money, you get A LOT of information and resources, but there is no personal touch."

Thanks for the review.

When I started food/calorie journaling enjoyable, not it's just a chore and I rarely will ever (probably once a week) will do a chore. I know I need to work out that habit, but in the meantime, I just think that eating healthier and exercising is best. Some days pants fit tighter, and some days they don't. I don't give it much thought because as long as I'm eating healthy, I don't really care.

I lost 60+ pounds on the old Points program with WW. I fell off the wagon and stopped going to meetings and journaling for about 2 years and 15 pounds crept back on. I have recommitted myself to the program again, but honestly haven't been doing too well with the new Points Plus program! I wish they gave you the option to use the old progam as well! For support, I had a GREAT meeting place where I used to live, but the city I live in now, not so much. I am trying to do all of this on-line and do want to go back to the meetings, but again, the meetings they have close to me are bleh. I think I am going to start stalking the WW boards - I got a lot of support back in the day when I used to post and read them before FB became so popular! LOL!! I agree with you about the beer - all I have to do is SMELL a beer and I totally undo my whole week! Why don't they come out with a DIET full bodied beer (and not that crappy "light" low calorie stuff that is just yellow water). It's 2011 and we can do dna, but we can't figure out how to do a diet dark beer?!?! :)

For those of you thinking those 100 calorie treats, (regardless if they are part of the WW plan), are going to help you lose weight, you are sadly mistaken. Get rid of them and watch your weight go down. Those treats are marketed well and trick people into believing they can still have the very things that make them fat and lose weight. They are not a healthy choice so TOSS THEM & MOVE ON!

100 calorie treats are a joke! Half the time, you can have just a smaller portion of the "real thing" and feel more satisfied.....just portion them out in snack bags and put them in the "back of the freezer"....

The new WW Points Plus is a great program - if followed correctly it drives members towards making healthier choices, reducing portion sizes and getting lots of activity. The keys to success on this program (and any diet plan, really) are consistency and commitment. Tracking food honestly is very important and will help identify where things have gone off track on a bad week. The one thing I dislike about WW is how they seem to push their pre-packaged foods - many of which are highly processed with (in my opinion) questionable ingredients such as artificial sweeteners. Fortunately, it's very easy to follow the program without eating any processed foods or artificial ingredients, which is how I choose to do it. So far I've lost 35 pounds in 5 months on the program and love the support I get both online and at weekly meetings. I would recommend it to anyone that is truly ready to make a lifestyle change - but not to someone that is looking for a quick fix.

I have been at this since the end of February and have lost 15 pounds. I journal faithfully and it really is an eye opener to what you will and won't put in your mouth. I snack on alot more fruits and vegetables than I ever have in my life. I just feel that the 1/2 hour meeting goes too fast and that it isn't as personable as I thought it would be. I don't even know most of the people in our group or their names. Would have thought they would have gone around and had us introduce ourselves each week and maybe say one thing about the week that helped or hurt us...or something of that nature to make everyone feel a part of the group and to get good tips. Instead we watch the leader flip her chart and listen to her talk....everything she says is in the little weekly magazine that gets handed to us at weigh-in.......

i've been a WW lifetime member for 4years now. it's now a habit and a lifestyle. i really have learned alot about modifying recipes, getting my calcium in, exercising, etc. i have NEVER EVER TRACKED MY FOOD.....EVER. i would have failed miserabley had i not done the WW CORE program....which has now evolved to the SIMPLY FILLING TECHNIQUE with the PointPlus launch in 2010. (for some crazy reason, they dont talk about this method much in mtgs.) u eat foods from the POWER FOODS LIST without counting...BUT...u only eat if u r hungry and u STOP when u r satisfied (this is the HARD PART....we have stopped listening to our bodies signals). u only count the non-power food things (wine, butter, cake,etc)....and u have a limit so u use those "fun points" wisely. SFT is great when u HATE tracking.

i think the new program is FANTASTIC.....i eat less processed crap. the WEIGHING IN has kept me accountable (lifetimers weigh in once a month).....and it's the MEETINGS which keep me encouraged. u r NEVER pressured to talk in mtgs (this would scare people off).......u participate only if u want.

snack girl, since u quit does this mean no more PointsPlus values on your recipes? gosh i hope not.

@dee, i went to MANY different WW mtgs until i figured out who i "clicked" with. my FAV leader ever didnt even go over the WW stuff until the last 5 min. there was TONS of interaction....and that's when i learned the most. each leader has a different style. some are awful, some are FANTASTIC!

My meeting are nothing like what some of you have described. When I first joined, the leader had me stand up and introduce myself and everyone was so welcoming. She does go over everything that's in the weekly book, but we have a discussion about it, people always share tips, and our meeting lasts longer than 30 minutes. The meeting is supposed to start at 6pm but we can get there anytime from 5 to 545 to weigh in. During that time, we all sit around and discuss things. Then the meeting starts and we are usually there for about 45 minutes and my leader will gladly stay over if you want to discuss anything. And if you do gain weight then she will ask you if you know what happened, if you say no, then she will ask to see your journal and she will offer suggestions to help you.

I would be horrified if my leader asked to see my journal if I gained!! It is for me to keep track, not a report card. I gained 2 wks in a row and lost it all the 3 wk... I know I could ask her should I need to, but only if I choose.

Love Weight Watchers Points Plus.... I took me a year to finally lose 26 pounds. What really got me over the hump was a new leader and Points Plus. Not only are the leaders helpful...but those receptionits are trained to help you too! So ASK Questions....And 29 is the lowest points for a daily allowance...and EAT those extra points...that is what they are for.

She doesn't ask to see your journal if you gain, she asks if you know what happened. If you say no, then she will ask to see your journal so she can help you figure out what you did wrong. You don't have to show her, she just offers to help.

Sounds like U found a good match at the meetings and with UR leader; that's half the battle....

Speaking of pushing WW foods - one of our members was looking at the soups in the grocery store one day. Compared it with some of the other brands. Sure they had 0 pt soup from WW, but it had more sodium than any of the others on the shelf. And they do the same with their frozen dinners. I haven't compared since PP came on the market, but it was interesting.

I have found in regards to the WW foods (the food foods/not the snacks) that I really do shop and compare. I know that with the breads, for instance, I can get other variety breads that are just as good and end up being equal (or lesser points) for less money. (I admit I love some of their snacks, though). I am lucky that I have a leader who doesn't push their foods.

For those that tried the WW program in yrs past and haven't looked at recently, keep in mind you now get way more pts then you used to and it is now favoring protein and fiber heavy foods over carb heavy ones, too. I just came back to re-look at this thread, and see there are some people had problems with low points or had a hard time getting in enough protein under the old plan (my nutrition wants me to get at least 16g per snack and 20 per meal so I know that feeling!)

I lost 25 lbs on the old program kept it off a couple of years and slowly put 20 back on.

I started the points plus in January and I am losing again but EXTREMELY slowly. It makes me wonder if the intention is to keep people hooked to the payments longer. I'm seriously thinking of switching to something else. Upsetting as I have been a real WW proponent for several years.

how much weight you can loose at a time is going to change as you get older as well. you simply cannot loose weight as quickly as you did - even a couple of years of ago. I have been seeing a registered nutrionist since before I started doing WW, and she (well, her and the two others I have seen over 10 years) have both given the same ranges - 1-2 lbs a week is normal for a diet, but .5 week is considered good and normal for a "lifestyle change" - which is really, what the goal of WW is.

I love WW!! I started following the old program about 3 years ago, on my own and lost 100 pounds. I wanted to become a lifetime member, so I joined officially and lost the remaining 20 lbs for a total of 120 pounds. I have since gained half of that back, but part of it currently was buying a house with my fiancee, getting married and now 6 months pregnant. I haven't fully committed to the new Points plus program, but plan to join after the baby is due in August. I love the program and everyone has to realize that every single diet plan won't work for everyone. It's based on your wants, needs and your own self discipline. If you have the will power to only join through the online meetings/Journaling, then awesome, and good for you, but if you need that support of going to a meeting every week, and weighing in, then I highly recommend the meetings with a leader and the support from people who are going through the same thing you are. Everyone has good weeks and bad weeks, but you move past that and continue on your journey. I was 22 (currently 26) when I first took the plunge to follow the plan on my own and was committed at 22 to get the weight off.. and I'll be just as committed at 26 to get the weight off again, and continue to keep it off after the baby is born. Good luck to those of you who have tremendous luck on WW and good luck to those who have found what works best for them, whether it be sparkpeople, apps, Dr. Oz, ECT. Enjoy and stay focused. Determination, and will power will you to where you want to be!!

I have enjoyed reading these comments. I started the new points plus last week. Tomorrow will be one week. I have not lost a pound in fact, I think I've gained. I have tried to stay within my point allowance (29). I have gone over a couple of times, but I have not exceeded the extra points. Should I try to lower my point allowance? I guess I am eating too much. It seems like I am eating all day long. What is an example food schedule? Those that have gone through this before me (that I've talked with) say that you lose more weight the first week, so I am disappointed. I weigh around 140 and have about 30 pounds to go to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight (I am short). If any of you could give some advice I would really appreciate it. Thank you! And good luck to everyone.

LCM, I think you should stick with the plan and do not lower your points. I think it also helps to avoid carbs and processed foods and focus on "real" food. I eat about 5 times a day, two of those being smaller "meals". Be sure to drink your water and exercise. The plan is designed to lose 1 -2 pounds a week so do not be discouraged! Stick with it!

I agree, U need to stick to a plan U can live with...then U won't gain it right back...I didn't lose my first week and I have lost 36+lbs!! I have another 50 to go... I take it one day at a time...

Thank you Wayside Wanderer and Angie. Both of your comments were very helpful. I actually had my first week weigh in today and was very surprised that I had lost 2 pounds, so I am hopeful for this week. The hard thing about this week is that we are leaving for vacation. I am a little anxious about making poor food choices and/or overeating. You all have a wonderful weekend!

LCM,

Try to make it about the company and doing fun things....instead of about the food..drink lots of water and yes it's okay to pay $3 for a bottle of water instead of a coke!! One of my crutches...pack some crystal light or equivalent travel sizes if you have trouble with drinking just plain water....It's amazing how sipping water can distract me from "snacking" on all the junk food..and relax so you can have a great time!! =)

there is a 12 step program (like AA) for people with eating problems-Overeaters Anonymous. See www.oa.org. I and several people I know use both WW and OA with good success. OA picks up where WW leaves off: with emotional and spiritual support and a tried and true method for working with life problems that often drive overeating.

I started WW PointPlus program (online--not meetings) three and a half weeks ago and I love it! I've been dieting all my life an losing and regaining the same pounds all my life. I wanted a program that would help me lose weight and keep it off and not keep going down and up. This program is amazing! I've never eaten so well and with such a great variety of foods. I'm already within the normal weight range so I started with "29 points"--the lowest number, but nevertheless, I'm never hungry and I'm having so much fun! I love, love, love using the PointTracker on line! I start each day and plan out the day, entering all the points for the main meals but leaving the snacks open. I print it out and leave it out on the kitchen counter so I can keep track of the number of points I have left. I've lost four lbs. in three weeks and I am thrilled!

The best part, is that my husband and adult son have jointed WW Online for Men and they, too, are losing weight--5 lbs in three weeks for my husband, and four in two weeks for my son. My son is taking medications that have caused him to gain 75 lbs. in the last few years--nothing has worked for him in spite of seeing a weigh-loss physcian--until this program. He loves it! Of course, because of his age, height, and weight, he has 53 points to work with each day!

The trick for each of us is learning which foods work for us and which don't. My husband is very sensitive to carbs and even too much fruit so he chooses to balance carbs with low-fat protein such as string cheese (low fat). We're all convinced that WW PointPlus is a lifetime program. We're going on vacation later in the summer for five days and I've already figured out the restaurants and the points of the various meals we'll eat. I'm a little scared that we have to eat out so much, but convinced that we'll get through it and do fine. Best of luck to all!

Hi Lisa! I have been doing weight watchers and combining it with the emotional/exercise tips with H3Daily. I have recently hit the 50lb. loss mark and have gained my dieting sanity back with this sensible plan. I am not saying it has been a easy road. I have had to do a lot of emotional work to get to this point as well. I view it as a lifestyle change and that attitude has helped me weather the storms of positive change:) Weight watchers is a wonderful tool for so many including myself. I advise others to not limit themselves. There are so many resources out there and make sure to try and find what works best for them in helping one become the best version of themselves.

My husband, adult son, and I started Weight Watchers Online in mid-May of 2011 and we love it! Keeping track of points on line each day is actually fun and this is a program we intend to stay on indefinitely. To date we have lost the following: my husband has lost 18 lbs, my son has lost 12, and I've lost 12.

The great thing about WW is that you can eat whatever kinds of food you like and learn to avoid those that don't help you to remain full and yet lose weight. Because I was already in the "normal range", I've had to be on 29 points from the beginning (the lowest amount) and haven't been able to add any points ever. If I had added fruit or too many vegetables I wouldn't even have lost 1/2 lb. per week as I have done. Certainly, I couldn't have added the extra 49 points per week or used activity points and still lost weight.

The other thing to note is that I have never been able to eat too many carbs and have always had to balance carbs with protein and a little fat. So a snack for me might be a low fat String Cheese with some whole grain crackers or fruit. I always add some protein/fat to each meal and this keeps me full and losing weight.

What's so great about this program and the reason that we will stay on it for the rest of our lives is that it's the only successful way to lose and maintain your weight while eating a wonderfully varied diet! We have never eaten so well, eaten out every week at restaurants, and had so much fun with food! We are unafraid to live our lives fully! Our son, who is on a medication that causes severe weight gain, has lost weight slowly but steadily and we know that WW Online may save his life. This truly is a wonderful program!

I have been on diets for years since I was 14 years old and lost weight many times before--but always gained it back because I didn't know what to do to maintain my weight. WW Online will help me maintain my weight for the rest of my life! I got blood work done after I had been on the program for three months and the results were the best in my life--and the same is true of my husband. We know we have a system that will keep us healthy and happy

Hi there, I am wanting to do the WW program from home. As I cannot afford to join right now and pay $17.00 a week for the meetings. I have the old pocket guide from 2010, I was going to purchase a used Points Plus package as I heard it was a great program but now I am questioning it as I am reading alot of mixed reviews. For members that have done BOTH programs what are your feelings on this? I am going to start program Sunday.

Thanks

I didn't have any problems with the switch - I just had to tweak a few things. Yes, the overall points you eat a day went up, but since the values of food went up it evened out. INHO the people I saw in meetings struggling the hardest with it were people who relied pretty heavily on snacks and prepackaged food to make it on the old program. My WL didn't change when I made the switch, so I will say that my blood sugars only continued to improve. At the time I was doing an at work meeting, and really the 30 some people we had there - plus 10 or so lifetimers - all reacted well to it.

I lost 35 lbs on the old points system with WW and I am a lifetime member. The system really worked for me. It gave me a new perspective on the food I eat. I maintained the loss quite easily on the old program. It's been almost a year since I've been using the points plus program and I have been creeping back up. I've gained 10 lbs over the year! I am thinking about going back to the old system. It worked well for me!

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