So this past week I started the great debate in my mind. Which is better? Calorie counting or Weight watchers points counting? How to decide what method to follow????
I started my weight loss journey years ago with some rudimentary calorie counting. I started with good old pen and paper and a calorie book. But then I started to use a website, I believe the website that I used was fitday.com. Eventually I switched over to Weight Watchers and I had great success with the plan. I even made lifetime. But at some point I had issues......I know that some of the issues that I had were in my own head , my attitude and behaviors. BUT, I also know that when they changed the plan and added so many additional free foods (fruits for one) that I struggled. I worked the system, even before they added so many free foods. And it worked for me when the free foods were limited.. Yes, I ate green beans (free) and Sourkraut (also free) and a Wasa cracker (the one I got was free points) EVERY. DAY. FOR. LUNCH. I ate green beans and sourkraut so much in the year or so it took me to lose my weight that I didn't eat those things for a few years afterward. But the free foods were limited and so I was limited and restricted.....which for a food addict is a good thing!
When weight watchers stopped working, I started counting calories using myfitnesspal.com. This works too. Recently though I had figured out that my body is whacky! I only lose when my calories are down at about 1200 to 1400 calories. If I hover around 1400-1600 calories I maintain and anything over that I gain. I know...I know....this is not typical. By the numbers I should be losing at 1500 calories...but I can't help it! It is what it is!
But a month or two ago I decided to rejoin weight watchers. And I had success for the first few weeks but then it just became a constant struggle. I want to know why??
So about a week ago, I decided to double track. I did that for most days this past week. And I remembered a few things and learned a few things. Number one....I love the fruit and all of those 'FREE" fruits still do add up in calories. Number two......my daily points, without my weekly points usually take me right to the 1500 calorie mark. I have already ascertained that I don't lose at that caloric level! So maybe it is no wonder that I am not losing. Those first few weeks on weight watchers, i was gung ho and I ate below my points goal each day......so I was most likely eating down around 1200 calories! Then when I am 'spot on' and expecting a loss because of being spot on with my points I am really sitting at 1500 calories...which is maintain zone for me. And Heavens...those weeks when I drill into my weekly points (which I could never eat many of my weekly points....or activity points even way back when I was losing the weight the first time) I am up in my gain zone!
It all makes sense for me! So that leaves me with the question........weight watchers points or calorie tracking ? I haven't decided yet. They both have certain aspects that I like. I know that double tracking is just to unwieldy and time consuming. But I just hate to make that decision! Hmmmm...maybe I will just push off that decision for another week..or two!