Old Al

First off, I am not really a Clydesdale. I don't want to misrepresent myself. I am a long time lifetime member of Weight Watchers and am at goal weight. For the past few years I have been using the Calorie King online program for their food diary feature. I would like to know if anyone that has used the Weight Watchers online program could share what they believe are the positive and negative features. I went to a WW meeting today and weighed in. I am considering using their online program and not renewing Calorie King.

Does anyone have any thoughts on which is better or the pros or cons of either one?

Thanks,

bnoles

Hi Al,

I have used this one for the 5 months and lost 41 lbs so far. The best part is that it is FREE and FREE is GOOD!

https://caloriecount.about.com/cc/account/index.php

UpL8

Hello Old Al --

First off, I am REALLY an Athena...that said, I am working on 'improvements' where my general health and weight is concerned. I have absolutely no experience with Weight Watchers and don't foresee acquiring any such experience in the future. Same goes for Calorie King. I am somewhat cheap in my approach to weight loss/maintenance and can't reconcile the idea of spending a lot of money subscribing to any of these programs/services to ultimately learn what I should intuitively already know...that for weight loss I need to eat less (and yet better) and exercise more.

Still, I do find that knowing what I need to do and putting it into action are not the same thing. To that end, I use LIVESTRONG.COM - the free version (there is, of course, a paid membership option). I feel that the Livestrong site suffices my purposes. I can and do track my caloric intake on a daily basis, the site has diabetic-specific tools (I have diabetes) as well as food diaries, forums, fitness-tracking and other, very proactive features that are making my fitness/weight loss goals easier to reach. At least, that's how it seems to me.

I started using the Livestrong site about a month and a half ago and in that time I have lost 14 pounds and I have also watched my average blood glucose numbers decrease. It's a great tool and I have recommended it to my coworkers who are giving it a try and are getting decent results in their own right.

I know this isn't addressing your original question(s), and I am sorry for that, but if you wish to check out alternatives to sites specific to weight loss/maintenance, you may want to check out Livestrong as well!

Good luck!

CommuteCommando

I did it for a year at $18/mo. The tools are O.K., but I find that the food database at MyFatSecret is better, and the online tracker allows you to track sodium intake; WW didn't when I was with it. WW's Community forum is better than MFS, but is nothing compared to BF Clyde'Thena. (I'm talking about the interface features. I kind of miss some of the people on WW, except for a small number of trolls. You will find those every where.)

MyFatSecret is free, and WW throws just as many ads at you. You just have to readjust to counting calories, instead of points. The free thing is great for me since my wife no longer has cost as an excuse for not changing her habits. Getting her on board will help me if I'm not tempted by the crud she keeps around. Sadly, she likes that shtuff, so I still have work to do.

amishboy51

Al-
I attend WW meetings, so I'm not an online member, but I do use e-tools, which is a large part of online membership.

I think it's an excellent program, b/c it includes daily healthy guidelines; you're not required to eat anything, but they recommend daily intake of important food groups, like dairy, certain oils, etc. Another good thing is that it's relatively easy to "live your life," e.g., going out to eat, eating at parties, etc., and stay on plan. Another feature that I like are the community boards; several are dominated by guys, so even if you think there are too many women or don't care for meetings for other reasons, there's plenty of opportunity for sharing with others and receiving feedback and encouragement.

One negative is that it doesn't always produce results as quickly as we'd like, but the thinking is that slow, steady loss is better for the body and increases the chances of learning to eat this way permanently. That said, many guys average about a two-pound loss weekly. In sum, while it may not be perfect for all, I strongly recommend it.

wfournier

I tried it, but really found that at least with how I was using it free option worked just as well.

chefisaac

I have been on WW since the 27th of Dec 2011 and have lost around 50 pounds. I use both the WW online program and also go to the meeting.

The online program: I love it a lot. It is easy to track my food and my activity and points. I use it both with my computer at home and work computer along with my phone so it is easy. They now have a bar code scanner app that is pretty neat. You can scan the upc code of something and it will give you the points plus value.

If there was a negative to the online program, I would say it was the forums. They really suck. You have to click on the topic link to view the post which is annoying. They do not use stickies so you get the same questions over and over (which is not a bad thing, just annoying since there is better ways to to do) and the posts are only kept for a few days until they are archived, which again is not a bad thing, just annoying.

The meetings: I find that the meetings, for me, are great because of the support really. Keeps me on track.

I hope this helps. Feel free to shoot me anyother questions if needed.

CommuteCommando

The one issue I had with WW is the insistence on consuming massive amount of dairy products. The science behind the necessity to get essential vitamins and minerals (calcium) from dairy comes from scientists working for the dairy industry. These nutrients can be had form other, often better, sources. I don't like milk enough to drink as much as they prescribe, and my docs have taken me off cheese, which I like. (Skim milk cheese is ok, and I'll eat it when jonesing for a fix. The fat free carp is unthinkable. I tried it

chefisaac

They can recommend it but you do not need to follow it. It is not the key to overall success really.

CraigB

I've been a WW member for over 2 years and I can't say I've ever seen any evidence of insistence on consuming massive amounts of anything other than fruits and vegetables. They have some guidelines for consumption of different food groups that you're free to follow or not, but even those I wouldn't call massive. A little low-fat milk on my morning cereal and a thin slice of swiss cheese on a lunchtime sandwich and I'm pretty much there as far as dairy is concerned.

RedC

I've been on the online program since the end of January and I didn't see the evidence of insisting that I consume massive amounts of dairy either. I can't go to meetings (the only one in my area that takes place when I'm not working conflicts with my Friday morning ride) but I've lost 32lbs so far and my riding is better and faster since I lost the weight. My riding buddies say they hate me because they no longer get a break waiting for me at the top of the hill. I can't complain about WW but I do need the guys on BF to keep me focused.

CommuteCommando

They had these "healthy checks" in the online tools that included an equivalent of 8 glasses of milk. There were constant reminders to get in your healthy checks. I called it insistence, you can call it what you will, it is what it is.

I have also started to embrace the "real food" philosophy, and do not feel that WW, and most of it's membership, was very keen on the idea. Many of the recipe ideas, for example, included artificial sweeteners. I found that many of the tips on WW were worthwhile, but didn't meet my particular needs. They let you track dairy consumption, but not sodium. They did have a couple of catch phrases that I agree with whole heartedly; "diets don't work", and "nothing tastes as good as thin feels" are both good philosophies IMO.

Like someone on twelve steps, I am swearing off forever on bacon and sausage due to hereditary cholesterol issues. I would like to completely quit all beef and pork products, but that is a long process of getting wife and family used to the idea. We now have "separate kitchens" in our house, and my wife and I now eat separately in the same room.

chefisaac

Pork, for me was the tough one. I still eat it every once and a while. I do it for cholesterol reasons as well. Beef I do not have much of anymore either.

The recipes for WW are ok but to be frank, you do not need to follow them at all. Thats why i like WW and perhaps being a chef makes it a little easier. I shop more for the seasonal veg and fruit offerings. We stick with chicken and fish a lot.... chicken more because the fish out here is expensive compared to when I lived in Washington State.

If you ever want to throw some ideas around for what to cook, let me know.

pdlamb

Huh? I just checked, and the "healthy checks" only has room for 3 dairy servings per day, and you get the gold star or whatever after two. Are you confusing the 8 glasses of water with milk?

CraigB

Same here. Maybe things have changed over time, but in the two-plus years I've been on the program, I've never seen more than 3 dairies per day. And it's never harped on at meetings, beyond the usual recommendation of eating a balanced diet.

himespau 

My wife used the online thing for a while (I think she still has a subscription). At the beginning she used it a lot and was very religious about it. Last month or two, not so much. I think going to meetings gives an accountability that just checking some online boxes lacks making it easier to quit. On the other hand, you can just as easily stop going to meetings.

jasonmg1981

I tried WW online for men and my biggest complaint with the system is the amount of time you spend logging food. Some foods are easy, and it does get easier once you know the points of certain foods. But, if you cook your own food and log every bite in the computer, it tends to be a very draining process. I have never used any other calorie counting program, so I cant really compare it to anything else. You can save favorite foods and build recipes, which makes the tracking process easier.

himespau 

I almost mentioned that. My wife could sometimes spend a half hour a day just trying to get her food logged in (that time suck was one of her reasons for gradually quitting).

CommuteCommando

This sounds like it may warrant a new thread.

CommuteCommando

No, I am going by an aging memory. It's been over a year. What I am sure about is that it is more than I wanted to consume.

chefisaac

I log everything everyday and often, since I am a chef, never cook the same thing and have not noticed it taking long to log the food. It is pretty simple really and can be streamlined easily.

chefisaac

It can be streamlined so it does not take that long. I eat 6 meals a day and spend less then 20 minutes logging it.

chefisaac

Anytime, just let me know.

CommuteCommando

When I get lax, and don't log, I don't loose. For on the go, smartphone apps rock! WW has one. The one I use with MyFatSecret is very good. It really helps when you are able to log while eating out. As far as starting a new thread, I was going to give the Chef an opportunity to do it, Otherwise, I'll start.

chefisaac

Let me get healed and back on the bike and I will start a thread perhaps.

I love the app too!