Having done both ww and myfitness pal at various times, i find my fitness pal much more manageable these days. First, the app is so well designed and so easy to use that it is practically mindless. Second, the new ww with unlimited fruit and vegetables was bad for me - i love fruit and ate too much of it. Third, i think ww overestimates exercise...i found my fitness pal to be more accurate.

I agree that anything under 1200 calories a day (without medical supervision) is a really bad idea. You lose water weight, then your body goes into starvation mode and starts to break down muscle instead of fat, which only does your weight harm in the long run.

I have another vote for My Fitness Pal before WW. It'll suggest a daily calorie limit for you (mine is 1200) and then you get credit for exercise. Burn 300 calories, and you can consume a total of 1500 in food. You might also want to give www.sparkpeople.com a try, which is also free. They have some great online tools/apps, plus forums if you feel like you want accountability and that sense of community support. I recently purchased their new book, The Spark Solution, which is a detailed plan for a 2-week weight loss boot camp, plus advice for how to do weeks 3-4 and beyond. I've been using the My Fitness Pal app in conjunction with the Spark Solution plan, and am having success (lost around 5.5 lbs so far, and am going for a total of 15).

But, if those aren't your thing, then go for WW. As another poster said, they seem to be good not just for that initial weight loss, but for maintenance over the years. Some people prefer to track points vs. calories, too, which could factor into your decision.

With whatever you do, good luck, and don't give up!

For a few pounds it works, but its just water weight that comes off the first few weeks. So be careful and make sure its not just that.

I have always been slim, but a few years ago I noticed that my weight had crept over my personal comfort "limit." I wanted to lose 5 pounds and decided to join WW. I had never done any weight loss program before.

I joined on-line, so didn't attend any meetings or anything like that. (I absolutely had no interest in meetings.) I am a data geek by training and trade, so I found that I loved tracking points, LOL. And I found it really useful. It was clear after tracking points for a few days that some of my normal portion sizes had become too large. I also liked the clear information about trade-offs. I found I was able to pinpoint certain foods that weren't "worth" the points to me and cut them out entirely. I also liked being able to track how many points exercising earned.

I lost 5 pounds in a little less than 8 weeks and kept it off for about a year without any trouble. Then they crept back again. So now every once in a while I reactivate my account and count points for a while, drop 3-5 pounds, and then stop. What I have found is that there is really no "unexplained' weight loss for me. When my weight goes up it is because I am eating too much of the wrong things. Counting points helps get me back on track. I could count them without WW, but I like the data analytics they provide, LOL. It's a great tool.

Anonymous wrote:You won't be liked at Weight Watchers ~ being 5 pounds overweight (only). I mean don't expect to make a lot of friends - you've hardly struggled with your weight - at least not what they are going to believe. You won't have much in common with your group if you're a new member with only 5 pounds to lose. But, you can learn from the program, sure! I would suggest you do Weight Watchers Online instead.

This is far off the mark. I respectfully disagree. Weight watchers would be perfect for losing that last five pounds and then helping you to maintain the loss. Go for it.

You won't be liked at Weight Watchers ~ being 5 pounds overweight (only). I mean don't expect to make a lot of friends - you've hardly struggled with your weight - at least not what they are going to believe. You won't have much in common with your group if you're a new member with only 5 pounds to lose. But, you can learn from the program, sure! I would suggest you do Weight Watchers Online instead.

I did my fitness pal and it took a few weeks but then i lost a pound a week. Considered weight watchers but also worried about commitment. Give the free app a try first. I was amazed at just how many calories i was putting in my mouth.

Going under 1200 is a terrible idea. And starving yourself to get to a certain weight and then upping your calories again is a good method to lose water weight and regain that or actual weight back.

OP when you're already small losing weight becomes even more about the quality of what you're eating. If you don't already, introduce a veggie smoothie into your diet. Or juicing if you prefer. Do you exercise? Weight lifting along with a great diet will get you where you want to be.

If you stick with Weight Watchers or calorie counting you WILL lose weight. For a woman, I'd suggest 1000 calories a day until you get the weight you want. Be sure to get plenty of protein and calcium for healthy bones and muscles. Once you are at the weight you want, try maintaining at 1500 calories a day, or whatever amount works. You can "move" calories from one day to another if that helps you stick with it.

have you tried tracking calories using something like my fitness pal? I would do that as weight watchers is just another way to count calrories. If yuo want the accountability then WW may be good for you.

th elast 5 is also hard to lose and usually reqires being pretty strict.

I haven't been able to lose the last 5 pounds since I've had my kids (it's been a few years). It may be just 5 pounds but I'm not happy with how I look and feel. Is Weight Watchers a big commitment and more for larger weight loss? Is it worth it to sign up for "just" those last few pounds?
Thanks