Weightwatchers "new approach"

[ValentineWiggins]

Hi all

I did weightwatchers a couple of years ago (before the big points makeover ) to great success. Failed miserably when they changed the points system...now I see they have a "new approach". Foes anyone know if this is just a new marketing slogan or has something changed again?

I did WW in 2007 and lost 3st using the old points system. I then had a baby and ended up back where I started. Anyway attempted the new points but my heart wasn't really in it and tried again on the old way but still failed.

Yesterday, I signed up online. I am determined this time. I've downloaded the app onto ipad and just worked out the point the 'new' way. It still seems to be the pro points. I think this new approach maybe a marketing slogan.
I'm almost at the end of my 2nd day and it's been ok. I was not keen on re learning the points but it has given me more to think about. The app is really good for tracking.

same here, marking place - i found the new one pants after last child having previously got down to slimmest ever been on old way.

Good for you btw Nancy - like the sound of that determintaion! I have just been out for a pathetic 2 mile run - after having run 26 of the buggers in 2009 - but at least I did someactivity after a year of doing nothing.

It's really nothing much. Something to do with changing the saturation of processed, unhealthy foods available everywhere, and moving more. No change to the plan itself, more of an ethos thing.

I'm not familiar with WW, but can anyone tell me what the 'old' involved, and how the new one seems different? waistbands are a bit tight here

The 'old' way was based on points. All food had a points value and you are allowed to have so many points per day. Your points allowance was worked out on how much you weighed, the heavier you were the more points you'd need. Then as you lost weight your points would be gradually reduced, so you'd continue to lose weight. Fruit had a points value, salad you could eat as much as you like and most veg had no points value either, so you could eat as much as you want to. If you had a meal out that week, you could save your points and use them to cover the meal out.

The 'new' way is still based on points. You are given a daily amount, so I'm allowed 30. So every day of the week I can eat 30 points. You are the given an extra 49 points to either split over the 7 days or save or use in one go for a meal out/ treat yourself. The daily points can't be saved only the extra 49.

On the new plan, most fruit has no points value (unlike the old plan.)
There used to be another way where you didn't use points but I'm not sure how that worked as I've always followed the points.

Just about to start day 3! Good luck all of you!

I've rejoined to lose a few lbs put on over this miserable winter (long story) and while I lost 1.5 stone v easily on the old system I left when they introduced propoints as I actually put on weight, though now they have rejigged things a little I am happy to try again.

The big difference is that you used to be able to fill up on carbs and now you can't. They used to describe 70g as a portion of pasta, now it is 50g. Protein based food are lower points than they used to be. Cheese isn't treated like it is poison. Alcohol is. Does that help?!

I couldn't lose on Pro Points..I think it's the "free" fruit that was killing me...I can easily eat 4 pieces of fruit a day - which is at least 200 uncounted calories! If you presume that Pro Points works out around 1200 calories that's a big old chunk of unaccounted for energy!

ethelb have they actually rejigged the propoints again?

Nah, the points are the same it's just some added guff about routines and habits.

For what it's forth with the fruit thing apparently it needs to be single portions of different fruits and not just like 5 bananas a day!

I don't eat that much fruit anyway. Rots your teeth and doesn't fill you up. I found the 49 extra points bit useless. I am going to ignore them this time and exercise for extra points like I did last time. Oh, and keep my own tally of 'saved' points as they don't let you tranfer points from one day to the next which I thought was stupid. As long as you don't actually starve yourself I found it quite normal to eat quite different amounts each day and feel normal healthy and lose weight.

Other than that its a great diet!

Thanks for the explanation NancyClancy

Hi all. I have been doing WW since June 2011 and reached my goal weight just before Christmas. I go back for the first time on Monday and am actually a "New member helper" so can hopefully help explain the "new approach".

If you have done WW in the last two years then there should be nothing new in terms of propointing. It is exactly the same - although they did reduce the minimum daily allowence from 29 to 26 PP in Autumn of last year as they found some folk were sticking as they got close to goal weight and 26 was still enough for folk to feel full.

The new approach, as others have said, is much more about looking at our environment, routines and behavior, and is much more focussed on making permenant changes to accomplish lifelong weight loss.

There is also alot of looking at how we are overwhelmed with the availability of food choices and helping us to manage this. There is a part of the new approach where they talk about weight gain "not being your fault" which I struggled with when we got to trail the new approach a littler earlier than it was released. But they dont mean it in its true literal state they mean by failing to be aware of the pressures around us and changes we can make, it is not surprising that we are living in an increasingly fat society.

Sorry, have written alot here. I have been using the new approach for a couple of months now and it does help to get you head in the right zone for long term weight loss, BUT it does take some getting used to. The propoints plan is the same though and for starters you just need to focus on that.

Hope this is helpful and I havnt just sent you all to sleep

There are no half points now. With the old system lots of items included half points but with propoints there are no half points. Its a bit confusing on some things like ww bread, 1 ppt for 1 slice but 3 ppts for 2 slices. Sounds difficult to comprehend but you really do get used to it.

Hello WWers I started back on WW online yesterday, got a fair chunk to lose because essentially I've been eating whatever I like over the last two years (stress, redundancy, depression, so my mind wasn't really on healthy eating).

I am bloody starving tonight :-( Not bothering to eat fruit and veg because I just don't think it fills you up once you're actually hungry. I've had my five a day though. I think I'll feel better a week or two in once I'm used to it again - I've hardly felt hunger in the last couple of years

HellonHeels, the first couple of weeks I bloody hated weight watchers!! Purely becuase I had always just grabbed the nearest bit of food when I felt the slightest bit hungry for years - and now of course, I was having to think about what I put in my mouth, and sometimes that meant gasp, NOT eating something I wanted to - like erm, cake

Of course, thats the reason I was a fat bird and thats the reason I had to get used to realising my hunger was there for a reason and I needed to recognise that sometimes I wasnt hungry, but bored, thirsty, tired etc

Keep reading all the stuff and keep the faith - it gets better, and so will you

Just read this, i'm starting WW tomorrow along with my mum. Going to go to a meeting though rather than online as I think it will motivate me more. I'm a size 14 and have about 1 to 1.5 stone to lose so not loads but I want to be back in a nice small size 12 as I was a few years' ago.

Really looking forward to it. I've bought a slow cooker, a George Foreman and just been to Lidl to stock up on veg.

I've also just eaten my very last bacon sarnie dripping in butter and ketchup

I just don't know, I lost 2 stone in 2005 using old system but couldn't do the new system, everything seems to be worth more points and I was hungry come night time. I haven't got a huge amout to lose am in the same boat as tanfastic.

I'm going to do a lot of home made veg soup. I don't think that will be many points but i'm not sure yet. I will cook a lot from scratch so I am thinking it will be difficult to track my points

Thanks dobby that's a really helpful post.

I am still hungry but not minding it too much today. When I last did WW I was successful (not so successful maintaining!) but realise I never really addressed the 'stuff myself' tendency - I snacked all the bloody time on low point yoghurts, point free food etc. This time I don't want to eat overprocessed food, artificial sweeteners etc. so the result is reduced quantities of nice normal non-diet food - I am feeling it, but think I'll get used to the reduced portions. When I look at my tracker I am still eating a lot!

Tanfastic bacon is only 1 point a rasher if you grill it - a few rashers with salad, a splash of ketchup and unbuttered bread won't break the WW bank. I used to use Hellmans ultra light mayo for sandwich purposes instead of butter. I fancy a bacon sandwich now!

Oh bloody hell that's great! Thanks. I have been to Lidl this morning and stocked up on a load of veg and good stuff to eat and some WW ready meals for work lunches or when i'm stuck and haven't got time to make something.

I highly recommend using esource and the other online tools for recipe ideas. There are lots of things there that are low points and very filling.

BTW my two best buys were my propoints pedometer to see how active I was (and collect extra activity points!) and my WW scales. neither cheap compared with "Normal versions", but very useful . The scales I use every day and they have really helped me to get a better idea of portion sizes.

I lost over 10st (half my body weight) over 17 months online and just reached my goal when ProPoints was introduced in November 2010. Since then the weight has gradually crept up so I'm making a big push. DOn't find it too hard if I can put my mind to it.

Day 6 and the raging hunger has finally abated!

Am quite enjoying my cooked from scratch dinners, would just like to eat a lot more of them! Friday is my weighing day, will be interesting to see how I've got on.

I've just joined ww on Sunday and I'm really struggling ! over the last 19 years and 4 babies I've gained 6 stone ! I actually lost 4 on slimming world upto may last year for my 40th and was very happy with that but then stopped going and gained 2 stone of it back :-( I've tried slimming world again but can't do it so I'm trying ww now , it's really easy to figure out but I can't get my head ( or stomach) round how little I can eat :-( I suppose it just takes some getting used to not being a piglet anymore :-(

hi just looking for others who are on weight watcher and may like to chat am a mum of five children happy married to pat and have a lot to lose have some mobility isues and would love to hear how others are doing i i joined ww 3 weeks ago and have lost 8.5 lb