Weight Watchers! How do you like the new plan?

[swquilts]

I just started Mon and I'm already into 11 Flex points...:rolleyes: I'm just wondering if/how anyone else is doing?

[MrsReber]

I was wondering how the flex points worked. They had a new session starting at work and they were introducing that plan. I was going to sign up out of curiosity, but I didn't. I'm curious to see how this plan works and what others think.

[hmclaugh]

I have been doing WW for awhile and I do not see much diffrent about it. They have lowered the points but at the same time given you two more then what you had if you use 5 flex points a day. My question is do you have to eat all of the points target each day or can you eat under that? What I do not like is the new tracking journal. I hate that. It is two small not well designed at all in my oppinion.
Hieka

[swquilts]

I heard that you are supposed to eat all of your target points in that day, no more banking. I agree, the new journal is AWFUL!!!!

[Anita4162]

Hi,
I did Weight Watchers as a meeting member for awhile and am doing it now online as my time is limited. I just read up on the new flex points system and think it's really just a variation on the "banking" system we used in the past. As for the question about using all your points, you really should eat all the points (use the minimum allowed) in order to keep your metabolism functioning at optimal levels, but there's nothing that says you need to use the flex points up as well. I wish CL would give points values to their recipes.. maybe I'll send a note asking them to do that... they'd probably need permission from WW, but I don't think that would be much of an issue. Good luck everyone!!
-Anita

[MrsReber]

That seems odd. If you eat all your points in one day, why do they call it "flex"?

[slknight]

Originally posted by MrsReber
That seems odd. If you eat all your points in one day, why do they call it "flex"?

You have a target that you need to eat in one day (like 26), but the "flex points" are an additional 35 points for the week. They are flexible because you can eat them when/if you choose. There are no more restrictions about using a maximum of 10 (or whatever it was) banked points a day. With the flex points, you could use them all in one day if you wanted. Or 5 per day or whatever. You don't even have to use them if you don't want.

[MrsReber]

Interesting, but I'm not sure if I see how different it is. I would earn 4-5 points a day through exercise so it sounds about the same as before. I'm interested in seeing how people like it, though.

[slknight]

You can still earn exercise points too. I think the difference is that you can blow all 35 extra in one day with no guilt and still be "on program.":p

[Barrie]

I think the main difference with the flex points is that now they're giving us the 35 flex points up front (i.e., at the beginning of the week), rather than banking points each day. I'm doing the online program too and other than that and the whole "target points" thing, I don't see any difference in program.

[pbutterfly]

I agree that it's basically just a 'reframing' of the same program - instead of banking points from your range everyday, you now are given 35 'pre-banked' FlexPoints up front. This, as pointed out, gets rid of the 10-banked-point-max in a day rule as well as avoiding the dreaded 'reverse-banking' that was illicit before - wherein if your schedule was that you needed extra ('banked') points early in the week - before you'd had the chance to bank them you were in trouble previously, now you can use the FlexPoints without wondering if you're somehow going off-program. (that was convoluted, i hope i made sense)

I found the journals before too small, and these are smaller, so I'm going to continue to use my own notebook for journalling.

Overall, I'm finding so far that having a 'target' of one number keeps me more focused than having a range did.

Oh, and the official material's answer to the "Can you go below your target number of Points for the day?" is - Yes, on occassion, though it's not recommended as a general rule... and no member should ever go under 20 points for the day.

lynne

[masimmons]

I've been doing my journel on-line for a couple of months now and so am not experiencing the downside of the new journal (or whatever its now called.) I like the new way of looking at the points. It does elimate the guilt of going over. I also like it that all the activity points can be counted. Before, you could only subtract 4 of them. I figure if I really work out, I should be able to count all the points. I have question though, in my last meeting, the leader mentioned that some of the food points have changed but then didn't elaborate. Does anyone know anything about that? So far, nothing has struck me as a change.

[slknight]

Originally posted by masimmons
I have question though, in my last meeting, the leader mentioned that some of the food points have changed but then didn't elaborate. Does anyone know anything about that? So far, nothing has struck me as a change.

The only one I know of is carrots. In the old, old points version, they used to be 0. Then in the most-recent points plan, they were 1 point. They are back to being 0 points.

[ebobbitt]

But did you notice if the carrots are cooked they are 1 point? I thought that was rather odd.

[MrsReber]

Okay, so the points are the same. Are the target points the same for each weight range? If the only difference is that you get 35 points up front and there's no banking, then I can try this on my own. After last weekend, I need to get back on track!!

[pbutterfly]

Pizza also went down in points.... but my leader said to be careful and look things up carefully, since some serving sizes changed as well. I didn't buy all the new books, so I'm still using the Winning Points values (which is also okay to do, if you don't want to invest in the new books).

MrsReber, The target numbers are:
less than 150 pounds: 20
150-174: 22
174-199: 24
200-224: 26
225-249: 28
250-274: 30
275-299: 31
300-324: 32
325-349: 33
350+ : 34

[MrsReber]

Thanks for posting those. I think the old value for under 150 was 18-23 points. I have to check my book. Pizza going down in points is a good thing, too. I normally make my own pizza which amounts to 4 points per slice (smaller slices at home). But yikes- that means I could eat 55 points in one day! I'd have to be good the rest of the week, though. And I can still earn exercise points on top of that. It just seems like too much food. But that's a good thing :D !

[heide]

I'm still adjusting to the new system. I do really like that I can use all my activity points before I have to dip into the flex points. I typically get 6 activity points a day for exercise, so it always bothered me that I couldn't use all of them before. I also used to eat at the top of my range fairly regularly, so now the lower target is something that I've had to get used to. So, I guess, I'm just still working it out. It's not hugely different from banking, but it still is a little bit different.

[scout1222]

One of the Points values that changed:

CHOCOLATE - used to be 4 Points per ounce. Now it's 3!

Yeah, of course I'd notice that.

[JRM24]

These flex points remind me of the old...and I am talking old WW program were they were called floaters. Now I am aging myself!!

[ParisMadeleine]

Bonjour!

I am new to the CL boards but I have been doing WW for 8 months now (67 pounds down). I began the new program last week and just love it. I love to cook and dine out so the 35 FPs make it a lot easier to fit in the rich foods that I love (closet butter & cream user here).

I love that there are other WWs here. How's everyone doing? Do you incorporate many CL recipes into your everyday plan or save them for a special meal?

:D Paris

[heide]

Paris, CL recipes are definitely part of my everyday plan. It would all be too boring if I just ate chicken breasts and brocoli everyday and saved interesting light recipes for special occasions.

Btw, congrats on 67 pounds down! That's fantastic!

[CindyWeightWatcher]

Geez, as you can see from my name I am into WW.
I have to admit that in past four years as a Lifetime
Member I did not weigh in this month. I'm still under "goal"
but higher than I want to be because I set goal
at the highest allowable weight. Anyway, when
I was on WW, my points were 23, now its 20, so
the flex points is just a "reframing".

[Chiffonade]

I don't. That's why I don't go anymore. When they get over this points gimmick, I'd look into it again. I lost weight with WW many years ago when they weren't latching onto gimmicks. I've got enough math to do in my checkbook without having to add and figure out on a slide rule what my meals are "worth."

[pbeyers]

I'm having a hard time adjusting to my new points target and I am nursing a 10 month old who is eating solids. That has changed dramatically! Last week I got an extra 10 points per day for nursing and now if your baby is eating any other food you are expected to eat the normal range. I have been starving. I also think the new journal makes it hard to plan in advance. If things change, I have to erase the whole day to start over. I have been through WW changes before so I am sure I will adjust.

[ParisMadeleine]

P - depending on how much your baby nurses you may want to adjust your points. If you were losing on the old nursing program you may not want to change. If you are not getting enough food it could affect your metabolism negatively not to mention the baby.

I had a really good week although I maintained at WI this morning. I am looking forward to getting to goal this spring if all goes as planned.

[pbutterfly]

I'm finishing up week 2 on FlexPoints, and one thing that I am finding that I have to be really careful of is eating too much! Because the 'target' is two points above what had been the bottom of the range, and yet there are still 5 FlexPoints per day (if you distribute them evenly), in the end there are MORE points allotted for the week than there had been.

(Example, in case that wasn't clear: Old points range was 26-31 points, which meant over the course of the week I had a maximum of 31x7= 217. With Flexpoints I have 28x7=196 +35=231points.)

Problem is, if I eat those extra points, I gain. :P

Anyone else finding this?

lynne

[MrsReber]

Originally posted by pbeyers
I'm having a hard time adjusting to my new points target and I am nursing a 10 month old who is eating solids. That has changed dramatically! Last week I got an extra 10 points per day for nursing and now if your baby is eating any other food you are expected to eat the normal range. I have been starving. I also think the new journal makes it hard to plan in advance. If things change, I have to erase the whole day to start over. I have been through WW changes before so I am sure I will adjust.

I went with the extra 10 points the whole time I was nursing, regardless of whether my son was eating other foods (which he was). I still lost weight. It was horrible when he stopped nursing AND I went under 150lbs all at the same time. I lost about 13 points a day! I'd eat maybe 5 extra a day. To cut out the whole 10 might not be good for the baby. Even though it's not exclusive breastfeeding, you are still burning extra calories to produce the milk.

[ParisMadeleine]

Originally posted by pbutterfly
I'm finishing up week 2 on FlexPoints, and one thing that I am finding that I have to be really careful of is eating too much! Because the 'target' is two points above what had been the bottom of the range, and yet there are still 5 FlexPoints per day (if you distribute them evenly), in the end there are MORE points allotted for the week than there had been.

(Example, in case that wasn't clear: Old points range was 26-31 points, which meant over the course of the week I had a maximum of 31x7= 217. With Flexpoints I have 28x7=196 +35=231points.)

Problem is, if I eat those extra points, I gain. :P

Anyone else finding this?

lynne

Lynne -

It's actually the same number of points as 123 Success. I eat all of my flex points and my activity points every week without any problem. But everyone is different so find what is right for you.

[HeatherTx]

I am a lifetime member but have gained 10 pounds back so I am trying the flex plan this week. I am pretty sure I won't eat 35 extra points a week but it is nice to know the option is there. I REALLY like not having to mess with banking.

Am I right that you have to eat your activity points the day you earn them now? I just got back from vacation so haven't gone to weigh in yet this month. I know I will get the info then but does anyone know now? :)

[JanetJ]

Yep, you can't save or bank your activity points anymore. At least I'm pretty sure that's how it is.

I know I would gain if I ate all of my flex points, Lynne. I haven't tried under this new plan, but from past experience I know I need to stay near or just under my old max (25) to lose.

[ParisMadeleine]

Heather - yep all AP need to be eaten the day earned or they get discarded.

[heide]

I can't imagine eating all my flex points because I usually have about 6 activity points a day and I'd have to go a ways over every day to eat that many points. That being said, I'm still adjusting and went a little out of control over the weekend because I had all these points! and I'm sure I'll be up this week. I had a 22 point day yesterday but that was an anomoly. I've got to get it figured out in my head and get everything back on track. Focussing on my target plus maybe using my activity points has to be the answer for me, but we'll see.