Calorie Counting vs. Weight Watchers

As I have stated in earlier postings, I have tried many diets, but can't seem to find a diet that fits me and my lifestyle. In my last posting I briefly touched on the fact that I've recently joined Weight Watchers and it has been going really well. I have tried a lot of different diet plans, but I have not been able to find the plan that fits me best. At different times throughout my life I've tried to completely give up sugar and carbs. Naturally I started eating both of these things again; of course I enjoy eating all things that are bad for me.

So when I started my weight loss journey, I wanted to find a diet plan that was realistic for my life. After all, I wanted this diet plan to become a way of life. At first I decided I was going to count calories and allotted myself 1200 calories a day. For awhile I followed this very closely and did begin to see results. But as time went on, I felt that trying to eat 1200 calories a day was just crazy and impossible. Slowly I let myself slip and I stopped counting calories and just tried to monitor what I was eating. Of course this didn't work either.

For two months I didn't follow any plan, just tried to monitor my eating. My weight stayed the same, I didn't gain any weight, but I also wasn't loosing any weight. In an attempt to shake up my diet, I went to a local vitamin store for some advice. Other than adding a protein shake to my diet, the best advice that the salesperson gave me was to try some diet pills. I was very tempted to buy them, until I found out that the pills gave you a double dosage of caffeine, a racing heart, a higher body temperature, and trouble sleeping. After kindly declining these diet pills that sounded like the equivalent to speed, I left the store knowing that Weight Watchers was going to have to be the next step. After months of avoiding the idea of spending money on Weight Watchers I decided to join. And it was the best decision I have made thus far.

I have been on Weight Watchers for 4 weeks and I have lost 5 pounds! Weight Watchers has been the most realistic diet  lifestyle plan that I have ever tried. I get assigned a daily point allotment, which is calculated based on my current weight. Every food item has an assigned amount of points and then I just add up the amount of points I consume each day. Each week I also get extra points, which helps to cushion the blow if I happen to slip up on my diet. With WW I don't feel like I am depriving myself. It's not about completely eliminating carbs or sugar, it's more about deciding what's worth it. I feel that this plan is much easier to personalize and make fit into my life.

When I log into the WW website I navigate my way to the food tracker. This is where I can track my daily amount of points. If I already know the value of points I can quickly enter it. Otherwise I can check the amount of points in foods that have already been entered into the system. And if I don't know the value of points I can use the points calculator and enter the fat, carbs, fiber and protein. Ideally I want foods that are low in fat and carbs and high in fiber and protein. I have recently purchased a smartphone, so now I can access the tracker on my phone. This way I can track what I am eating the minute I put it into my mouth. It's also nice because I can calculate the amount of points in foods when I am at the grocery store or at a restaurant and this helps me to make selections that are lower in points.

In addition to tracking food, I can also track my activity. Though I could probably drop weight just by counting points, WW does encourage exercise in order to achieve a healthy and balanced life. At night when I am calculating my dinner points, I also calculate my activity points for the day. It's very reassuring and motivating to see how many activity points I can get in one week. Tracking my activity causes me to be more accountable and it has almost become a weekly competition with myself to get more points!

When it comes to actually eating, the great thing about WW is that fruits and vegetables are 0 points, which has encouraged me to eat way more veggies. When I was counting calories I felt that I had such a small amount of calories to work with each day that I would sometimes avoid eating fruits and veggies that were higher in calories. Also I found that with my low daily calorie intake I was having trouble fitting in all of the nutrients that I was suppose to have each day. By adding a healthy oil to my dinner, I had already used about 1/3 of the calories I had allotted for dinner. But with WW I have been able to add healthy oils and still have a very filling dinner.

Also when I was counting calories I found that I was not able to snack or indulge. If I wanted to have a piece of cake during the day, I was pretty much looking at having celery for dinner. But with WW if I eat something that has a lot of points during the day, I just make sure to have a dinner that has a low amount of points, which is so much easier when veggies are 0 points. With WW I am able to have my piece of cake and eat dinner too!

Side Note: I have no affiliation with Weight Watchers other than being a happy customer. I just wanted to share my dieting experience, and how satisfied I have been. Also, WW is probably not for everyone, just like counting calories is not going to work for everyone. When trying to lose weight it's all about finding the balance and plan that works best for your individual body!