Counting Calories VS WW points

[annettemarie]

I got The Biggest Loser game for Wii for Christmas and there's a big emphasis on counting calories. I'm wondering how this compares to WW's point system. Which one is better? Why?

[Mommy2Austin]

I had better success counting calories than I did with WW. When I counted calories I could also calculate the number of calories I burned exercising and make sure I didn't over exercise/under eat or under exercise/overeat for my day. With WW the bonus exercise points were too arbitrary because one day I might go for a mile walk and another day I might do Tae Bo. I burned more calories doing Tae Bo obviously and if I didn't eat enough to compensate I would run into the dilemma of stalling my weight loss.

[annettemarie]

Maybe I'll just try it and see. The game even has a place for you to put in your calories. And it would save me $$ if I didn't do WW online. I don't know though. WW lost me the first 30 pounds, but now I'm just kind of stuck.

[Mommy2Austin]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

Maybe I'll just try it and see. The game even has a place for you to put in your calories. And it would save me $$ if I didn't do WW online. I don't know though. WW lost me the first 30 pounds, but now I'm just kind of stuck.

I'd have to do some digging on my PC, but I could find you all the stuff I used when I was calorie counting. I lost 70 lbs from Feb. 08 until May 09 (when I got pregnant)with Calorie Counting

[annettemarie]

Wow! That's impressive! Sometimes I think it's not even that one method is better than another-- it's the tracking and the accountability, and mixing things up when you stagnate. I'd love it if you could show me what you used!

[Mommy2Austin]

I'll get it all together and PM it to you

And I agree I didn't let myself get stagnate. I changed up what I ate and how I exercised to keep myself from stalling. It wasn't until the month before I got pregnant that I hit my first real stall at 190.

[Liquesce]

I think it depends on your personality. I really enjoy micromanaging, list making, that kind of thing, so counting calories, keeping track of which calories come from what sources, calculating calories consumed versus calories expended, and being able to see it all plotted out in charts and graphs ... it's kind of fun for me. For someone who's slightly more sane than me , WW points takes less of a time investment in that sense and might be a lot easier to enjoy. And I think we all can probably agree that if you can't find anything to like in your diet or fitness plan, you're not going to stick to it.

[annettemarie]

Well, my therapist suggested that WW points would appeal to my OCD. I'm not exactly sure what to do with that.

[babygrant]

I did WW's online for a few months and I didn't like it for two reasons:

1. I could eat a bunch of crappy foods and still be within my calorie range.

2. It taught me nothing. When we couldnt afford my membership anymore, I still didn't learn how to calorie count properly, so I gained back the 10 pounds plus 40.

[flapjack]

If you're stuck, I'd find a way of getting to a meeting or two (or three.) Certainly in the UK they waive the joining fee for people switching over from online membership, and you might find the accountability helps.
You could track your calories using babyfit.com, though, seeing as you're still breastfeeding. Tis free

[annettemarie]

I used to go to the WW meetings, but it's really difficult with my husband's schedule. Plus, the meeting lady was way perky. I don't do perky.

I'll check out babyfit!

[Mommy2Austin]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

I used to go to the WW meetings, but it's really difficult with my husband's schedule. Plus, the meeting lady was way perky. I don't do perky.

I'll check out babyfit!

I just skipped babyfit and used Sparkpeople. Everyday I added a cardio everyday when I was nursing (until DS2 started eating solids later in his first year) called "Breastfeeding" and had it burn me 300 calories a day. It kept things so I didn't lose track of the fact that breastfeeding DOES burn calories (when done exclusively) and contributed to my weightloss greatly.

All my info somehow disappeared because my husband is OCD about the computer. I'll work on recreating it...it might be a bit because I have the flu

[Linda on the move]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

Wow! That's impressive! Sometimes I think it's not even that one method is better than another-- it's the tracking and the accountability, and mixing things up when you stagnate. I'd love it if you could show me what you used!

hey Annette!

Calories are more precise, WW points are like rounding. Points work for me, and I can't count calories for an entire day. I just can't. It's just too anal.

Either way you can get to the same place -- being mindful of what you are eating and balancing how much energy you put into your body with how much energy your body needs.

How do you like the Wii game?

[rose angel]

Try counting calories on Livestrong.com It will keep track of everything for you. I switched from WW online to it. It will also appeal to your OCD side :LOL I didn't like paying for WW and STILL having to look at the dumb ads.

[sinsaratea]

Rose angel- thanks for that reccomendation! Just went onto Livestrong and I LOVE it! Just as good as WW but free!!!! thanks!!!

it even had cracker barrel stuff on there which I had today [oops].

[rose angel]

Originally Posted by sinsaratea

Rose angel- thanks for that reccomendation! Just went onto Livestrong and I LOVE it! Just as good as WW but free!!!! thanks!!!

it even had cracker barrel stuff on there which I had today [oops].

Cool, glad you like it

[Danielle283]

I've done both, and had better results counting calories.

[rootzdawta]

The simplicity of WW appeals to me tremendously. So far, I've lost 18 pounds on it. And I have learned a lot in terms of how to get more bang for the point. A lollipop is one point and so is a slice of whole wheat sprouted bread.

[annettemarie]

I tried counting calories for a few weeks and went back to WW. The simplicity combined with the online tools, which REALLY appeal to my OCD , sold me. I was feeling guilty about the money, to be honest, but DH has said it isn't an issue so I am taking him at face value.

The couple weeks I counted calories I didn't lose a pound. When I went back on WW, I lost 8.5 pounds in two weeks. So I guess I am sticking with WW.

[rootzdawta]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

I tried counting calories for a few weeks and went back to WW. The simplicity combined with the online tools, which REALLY appeal to my OCD , sold me. I was feeling guilty about the money, to be honest, but DH has said it isn't an issue so I am taking him at face value.

The couple weeks I counted calories I didn't lose a pound. When I went back on WW, I lost 8.5 pounds in two weeks. So I guess I am sticking with WW.

LoL . . . I'm pretty OCD too and yeah, WW really jibes with my personality. I literally keep an e-tools window open in my browser all day long.

I felt guilty about the money too but the results are really making it worth it!