I would really like to lose about 30 pounds. I have tried WW’s in the past and lost 8 pounds. Then they came out with their points plus program. It was very frustrating b/c I had just got the other program down packed. So I went off of WW’s and needless to say I regained my 8 pounds. I have a coworker who was also doing the WW program and when they went to the new program she started just counting calories and she says it works for her, however, she’s in maintenance mode. I’m also thinking about just counting calories vs. having to pay for WW’s. So my questions are: has anyone done WW’s in the past and then gone to counting calories? Which method worked best for you?
Weight watchers is essentially calorie counting. It just assigns one point to approximately 40 calories. (Their formula is a little more complex than that, but it's a very good estimation). It's just easier for people to count and remember to 30 instead of 1200.
I used the website www.sparkpeople.com. I needed to lose 30 pounds, two babies and then junky eating.
When I used it, it was free, help you design a program for you, as far as calories and exercise. You put in how much you want to lose and in what time frame not more than 1.5 pounds a week.
Then you track your calories...they have every food known to man in their calorie data base. And they just count the calories apple or oreo they don't judge what you eat just tell you the calorie count and subtract it from your days number of calories.
You can also track your exercise if you do 30 minutes of cardio...plug it in...walk 10 minutes, put it in...it also rewards you will streamers and such for drinking 8 glasses of water a day as well...
There are great forums for book lovers, dog lovers, grief support groups, those that are losing the same amount of weight as you, etc etc etc...
I lost those 30 pounds and haven't looked back...good luck...oh, and it was all free...did I mention free??
I am using the free website/app "My Fitness Pal". It is amazing! It's a calorie counter that also factors-in calories burned doing exercise. I had about 20 to drop post-baby and have 5 more to go! It's not a diet, nor is it a "program" that you have to pay for. The app makes you conscious of what you are eating/ how much/ portion size, etc. Oh and it's FREE!
My sister has done WW on-and-off over the years and it does work. It's pricey, though and "counting calories" is the same thing! Two ways of measuring the SAME concept.
WW's is great but counting calories is much simpler and works! There are a ton of calorie counter apps out there if u have a smart phone but if u just want to get started, try: webMD. They ave a toggle for fitness & health or something like that. Anyhow, you put in minimal info re: your current weight, activity level and how much you want to lose. It'll spit out how many calories u should be having & how many calories u should be burning through exercising.
Good luck!
If you were to see a nutritionist they would set you up counting calories within the framework of the food pyramid. They would teach you how many calories should be in 1 serving of a starch and tell you how many starches you should consume in a day. It is a more balanced diet approach.
The problem I always had with Weight Watchers is that they give you enough rope to hang yourself. You can eat all your points in cake and cookies but there was never any accountability that you eat your 7 fruits and vegetables, 2-3 milk servings etc.
Personally I always found I was more satisfied and had less food cravings when I followed the nutritionist plan than WW.
Another sparkpeople.com fan here. I make sure every day that what I take in is less than what I burn and lose 1-2 lbs per week. I can either keep track on my computer or my phone. Really easy to do, and it makes you really aware of how many calories are in stuff you're eating -- and it also charts your weight loss and has a way to plug in your height/weight and goals to give you the calories you should be eating each day. I've lost almost 60 lbs this tracking method.
I only want to open everyone's minds and suggest that the short term diets can be hard and may have no results when you're dying to have fast results from it. this video on this link http://www.beyonddiet.com/bd/landing?food=avocado educates on how certain foods you eat actually hinder the diet process, even if they have 0 calories. It has to do with the ingredients in the food, and how they process slower, or stick to your body longer. It turns out we're really being deceived by a lot of "low calorie" food. Again I'm only trying to help. I hope that at least one person takes the time to look into this. If anyone is open to learning more about what foods to knock out altogether that hinder weight loss, then look into Primal or Paleo eating. it just makes sense!
Hi, 2:
Have you checked out Overeaters' Anonymous in your local area?
Then there is thee 17day diet that Dr. Phil promotes.
Good luck.
D.
One of the pluses of WW is accountability. Once a week, while losing, you have to get on a scale and be held accountable to other people. You also get to sit in a meeting full of nice people.
Can you do it for free, via sparkpeople or on your own? Sure but i tried it that way for the same 30 lbs that kept coming back. I lost it again with WW and have been in maintenance mode for almost a year. I am training for a half marathon. I run for fun. Can sparkpeople do that? ;)
