Weight Watchers - Advice

K

kimmy0169

Cathlete
Hi,

Do you think the new points target with the Weight Watchers Flex Plan is too low for those of us who are already working out everyday. I asked my leader about this and she gave me the whole speech about getting the information in week 3 or 4. What about us who are already working out? She also encouraged people not to swap activity points for food. Am I missing the point, but doesn't the body need the extra fuel to run properly? I also inquired about those whose target is 20 pts. and whether or not she thought a 1000 calories a day was enough for normal body functions. She said yes. I am not knocking weight watchers as I have lost weight with this program before, but it appears they are "subtly" encouraging rapid weight loss now as oppose to safe and healthy, and the points target get lower and lower. I lost weight on the original 123 plan. Everyone in the room seemed more concern with "break neck speed weight loss". If you can offer any advice as to how you use the new WW Flex plan and do Cathe's Tapes it would be much appreciated.
 
Hey Kimmy,
I used WW to lose 23 pounds. I completely got off track this summer and am going back to watching what I eat. I went ahead and ate to the high end of my point range to a little more depending on the intensity of my workouts and I lost the 23 pounds at a healthy rate. I am a member on line and something I have noticed is the ability to earn more workout points where before you could only earn a maximum of 4 points I believe. I would definitely figure out what your activity points are and eat most of those points. There may be days when you "bank" them, but you should not bank all activity points every day. I like the flex points too. I am finding that I am able to lose now by guestimating. I eat low points one day and high the next, but it is important to eat healthy foods when you are hungry and to not starve yourself. I am finding that I plan to eat smaller meals/snacks though the day instead of three big meals. I can't comment on the meetings as I don't go to them. I just joined on-line, read all the information that I could and put it to use immediately. If you are already exercising I don't think that you should quit until you get to week 3 or 4. Trust me, you will lose even if you are eating more than they say you should because you are working out to Cathe and that intensity needs to be taken into account. I hope I helped you?! Good luck!:)
 
I used WW to lose 99 pounds, then I hit a plateau that lasted two years (with 60-70 lbs left to lose). I was a die-hard non-believer in eating more. It took me two years to get the nerve to try it, but I finally broke through the plateau. So my experience has been YES!, those of us who are already exercising hard need more calories.

Shari
 
If I understand the new system, you get so many points everyday (in my case it was 18 to 23 points). In addition to that, you are given 35 "flex" points for the week. That works out to 5 points a day for activities or whatever, right? In my experience, 5 additional points on a day that I did say Pure Strength Back, Biceps & Abs was NOT enough.

I worked out 5 or 6 days a week, 35 points throughout the week is ok but I needed a little more. I always ate about 5 more points a week on top of what WW said I could do & still lost weight.
 
I thought from what my mom was saying on the flex points you have your target say 22 + 35 Flex Points and you also can earn activity points. For me it seems like they added more points then take away.
 
I guess I will have to tweak the program to ensure my body is getting enough food. Although, starting WW the same weekend of Labor Day was not the best idea (BBQ's, Going out with friends)! I believe that I can make this work for me because there are no restrictions. I guess I will have to wait until week 3 to find out how to calculate activity points. I think on my strength training days I will keep my target at 29 just like the old program.

Thanks for the input.
 
I started WW's again when they came out with the new Flex Points. I think I may have finally found a prorgram I can do for life. You can now count all of your activity points earned per day, but you must use them on the day you earn them, you can't bank them. i SAW, i THINK ON THE yA-yA'S PAGE THE FORMULA FOR YOUR aCTIVITY pOINTS AT HIGH INTENSITY AND IT IS THIS: yOUR WEIGHT X duration of excercise x .0008077. Most of Cathe's tend to work out to 7 activity points. My target is 20, plus I use all of my activity points. I also used 29 of my Flex Points last week, and I still lost 1 3/4 lbs. This week I only have 2 Flex Points left. I can tell I will lose this week too, although my weigh-in is Tues., and because it is my right before TTOM, I don't know if I will weigh, or wait until next week when I can attend the meeting. I am not able to go this week.
Lori S.
 
Hey Lori S.,

You have inspired me to keep with the program. Thanks for explaining how to calculate activity points.

Kimmy
 
No problem, Kimmy. I am totally in love with htis new program. If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask me.
Lori
 
Hello,
I live in Australia and have not seen this program here.. we have the 123 success and pure points but not flex points so far.
I am curious about this program.
I have often felt when I have been doing WW that I should be getting more because my exercise was always much more extreme than the other people in my WW group but since all the leaders would say that you just do your half hour walk/exercise per day and get your 2 points that you had to eat, not bank, I always got discouraged.
Weight lifting/toning gave you no points and there was no allowance for a marathon walk/run or session of speed skating.
Can I then assume that with flex points that you get your daily points (has that number changed at all?) my number is 22.
You get your points for exercising and you get an extra 35 for the week? (I have seen 35 a couple of times..)
Do I get that right?
Could you give me a basic idea of how this all works as I cannot work it out and I am very curious. I hope they bring this one to Australia!
Thanks so much. ;-)
Kelly
 
Kelly: I hope I can answer your question. Under the old system, I was 18-23 pts per day. Under the Flex, I am at 20 pts for the day and then 35 flex pts for the week. So, about 5 per day flex pts. So, really a total of 25 per day (as you see, more pts than before, hooray!)

But I could even eat all 35 on one day (Plus my 20) if I wanted to as long as I didn't go over 35 for the week in flex pts. PLUS the activity pts. I think the "20" was chosen b/c it was the middle of my range before. Not sure what your range was, I'd choose one in the middle for your daily pt goal.

That is the general idea. Plus they are more realistic on activity pts...you can go higher than 4 per day (that was the old system)...I regularly figure in 10 pts for my breastfeeding, additional. I count it as an activity pt.

Hope this helps!

Jen
 
Thanks Jen..
So, you are in actual fact getting to eat MORE food now.. plus you can still eat the activity points! That can equate to a lot of food.
I wonder will weight loss slow down now?
I think if one is working out as strenuously as they do here you should be getting more points to play with anyhow and I know breastfeeding is a big job so you are so right in giving yourself extra points there as well.
Comparisons are difficult as I think some of our foods are different in points to yours and we don't have a points range per se, just one number.
I wonder if I can adapt the flex program to suit me.
Thanks for your help Jen.. you've given me much food for thought. (pardon that awful pun!)
Kelly :7

PS) When I fed my babies I was lead to believe that you shouldn't do any thing too strenuous with the upper body or chest muscles.
Are you restricted at all in what sort of lifting you are able to do because you are feeding?
 
I did weigh myself this morning even though it is getting to my heavier time of the month, and I still lost one lb. I was thrilled. One night, I used 12 Flex Points and ate some ice cream, and at the movies Sat., I had 2 med. buckets of air-popped popcorn for 14 points. I think the Flex Points is wonderful......
Lori S.
 
I haven't really found any slowing of my weight loss, but I have only been on the flex plan about a week. I lose about 2 lbs a week. I have about 5 to go. No, I don't think there are any restrictions on weight lifting upper body...how interesting you were told that! I just need to watch out that I don't lose my weight too quickly, to keep my milk supply up. I think it is a nice perk that sitting and nursing a baby burns calories! :)

Jen
 
Under the new Flex plan, I too, lost weight last week. In fact I lost 1 1/2 lbs. Unfortunately/Fortunately I found out I was pregnant over the weekend so I have to watch my weightloss now. But I think its great.

I think what WW tried to correct was the calorie deficiencies that were not healthy for us, especially those of use that exercise at such a high intensity. I remember going to the meetings (before I joined online) and my leader along with over half of the people there looked at me like I was crazy when I told them I averaged 6-8 APs everyday. I don't think my leader believed me.

I ate all my 35 flex points over the week. I wouldn't recommend eating all of them on one day, especially if you exercise regularly. You may need that fuel on other days.

Before last week you couldn't count nor bank more than 4 APs per day. I obviously wasn't eating enough b/c I hadn't lost any weight in the past month, until they changed to the Flex points and I lost my weight last week.

I would highly recommend this new program for anyone looking for an easy plan w/o doing a major overhaul on their current way of eating. I love the new Flex plan. I think I'm going to cancel my online membership until baby #2 is born. But I will definitely be using this plan in the Spring!
 
Under the old 1-2-3 plan the ranges were 2 pts higher for everyone than they are now, but 2 points of that was assumed to be the 20 minutes of walking (or whatever). When they went to Winning points, the ranges moved down 2 points to compensate for pulling the activity requirement out. I heard that the weight losses tended to slow down with the Winning points and they think people, especially in the 18-23 range just weren't eating enough food. So when they moved to the single target plus 35 flex points, they gave back those 14 points. So under 1-2-3 the range was 20-25, under Winning the range was 18-23, and under Flex the target is 20 (for those in the lowest weight group).

Sueter
 
This plan sounds great and it seems everyone is losing weight. I am still debating it. I really want something simple and easy to use but still able to eat everything.

If I do go with the program, would it be beneficial for me to buy the home program or is the on-line program enough?

Thanks
Rhonda
 
My leader at WW encouraged the members to NOT use the AP. She said it will not give you a rapid weight loss. I dont need rapid. A lb pr 2 a week is sufficient. I have about 30-40 lbs to lose and it doesnt matter to me if it takes me 10 months or a year to lose it. I do Cathe everday and sometimes I am ravenous! I have used the flex and the ap and still am losing a lb a week. They may seem like they are all about quicker weight loss now but I will eat when I am hungry and lose at a slower steadier rate.;-)
 
Rhonda I did the online program. I found it much more beneficial. That's if you can't make it to the meeting. I like how the online caculates your points and saves it. I like it much better then going to the meeting but that is up to you.
 
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