Weigh****chers, at goal but looking to clean-up eating but this whole points thing??

So I have been at or under goal for years, and currently my weight is fine. My issue is that I do a good job eating the right amount of calories, but a lousy job of making the calories clean-eating. Enter weigh****chers. I by happenstance realized that the point system is based on exactly what I need to improve on. Zero points for lean chicken and 8 for a donut for example. This is ideal for my situation. My conundrum though is getting past not tracking calories. Does anyone have experience with this program? If you keep within you point goals do you really keep the calories where they need to be?

At the moment it has assigned me 23 points for the day plus the weekly 42. I am at 26 for today (this is how I know how much the donut was). I also tracked my calories on MFP and am under my 1200 target a tad, so I guess it works... but I did not really touch the zero point food too much. Do folks like us actually gain on this diet???

I've been curious on how the Freestyle Program works.....are people following it having as much success as they had on the "points" programs?? I just can't imagine having all those "free" foods. Don't tell me something is free.....I'd end up eating chicken and eggs all day long.....!!

That is what I am wondering too. I attribute my making it to goal to tracking/weighing and keeping a close watch on calories, protein, carbs and fiber. In my heavyweight days, I would had a whole lot of free food- espeically anything sweet like fruit.

I have been trying to follow it for 2 days now. Struggling. My calories are right in check, but I am over on my points (sugar beast). I dunno. Was hoping someone out there has done it for a decent length of time and has a sense on how it does.

I do really like the format in that it recognizes that a protein forward diet, lose the crappy white carbs approach is effective. That is what worked for me at least.

Dear Happy Teach.... Gonna put it out there for you to consider.... You need a good old fashioned refined carb/sugar detox. Someone with your medical history really should try to eat clean, as they call it. I bet the Freestyle program would work really well for you, once you detox yourself off those sugar-flour-fat combo carbs. I know for me sugar is a losing battle. I have to really be careful. I've just come off a good 10 -11 week sugar fest. It took a good number of days of mega clean eating to get through it, but once I made it past day 3, it was much easier. Just something to consider. (BTW, you knew me as Kairk way back when. That's why I know your medical story.)

Well hello there D! I agree- but still need to overall be consistent with more than just calories :) Sugar for sure is an endless battle.

I had trouble adjusting, to Freestyle, at first. I had to change the LINGO, for myself. The foods are not FREE...they are ZERO POINTS foods...That made all the difference, for me...I continued to track them

While that might be true initially eventually you would get tired of the same foods and stop overeating on them, and also all that protein would make you less hungry.

I would for sure tire of those items. Not at first, it would take a while. I think today might be my first day of actually hitting the point target. Calories still Ok and all, but shee****hink I am just going to have to accept the fact that I have to track it twice- once in MYP since I know what works well for me calorically, and another time in WW to try to get a handle on reducing sugar intake. Ugh.

I just finished a community-wide Whole30 challenge. Whole30 is basically low carb, but is considered a "cleanse"....all dairy and grains are excluded and no artificial sweeteners (no diet soda or artificial sweeteners). I followed it as best I could...but I did have creamer in my coffee.

So many different programs out there. I have success when I follow them....until I get to 218 lbs. There I remain. I've got an appointment on the 20th at a Weight Loss Surgery Center.....going over options/suggestions. Maybe sign up for non-surgical plan.

My biggest problem, pre-surgery, with WW was that the "leader" told me I could eat certain foods until I felt full. Well, pre-surgery, I didn't know when I was full.