 Welcome back to my channel and welcome if you're new here. My name is Jen I'm a certified weight loss and nutrition coach and I'm on the WWW blue plan today We are talking weight watchers versus counting calories pros cons Which program or way of eating or lifestyle is better for weight loss? So I'm here today to share with you all the nitty-gritty on weight watchers versus counting calories There's good and there's bad for both aspects and we're going to narrow down and determine What's the best path for you to choose for your weight loss? So if you are excited for today's video, please give it a big thumbs up It really helps out my channel and I really appreciate it. Also, if you're not subscribed I would love to have you join my community So hit the little subscribe button right down there and the bell next to it So you're notified whenever I upload. I do upload videos at least five days a week So you don't want to miss out make sure you're checking out that description box down below where you're going to find my nutrition coaching website I do macro and calorie calculation So if you choose to count calories or even if you just want to know the calories You should be eating every day, which by the way, we should all know that make sure you take advantage of that service on my nutrition Coaching website. I have group coaching one-on-one coaching So there's a little bit of something for everyone so check that out also in the description box You'll find links and discount codes to all of my favorite things my second YouTube channel all about real talk nutrition and weight loss And also the link to join us over on Facebook We have an amazing supportive community on Facebook, so we'd love to have you there as well So I'm excited for today's video and I know that a lot of you are because I have gotten this question time and time again So let's jump in While people use countless methods to lose weight I want to talk to you today about the two that I follow I kind of work at the WW or Weight Watchers program hand-in-hand with counting calories and macros as you know I really focus on calories and protein I don't focus a lot on carbs and fat and I do try to hit my fiber goal every day Which is between 20 and 25 grams of fiber, which is what we should all be consuming Daily when it comes to fiber so because I'm extremely knowledgeable in both Weight Watchers WW and calorie counting I wanted to share some pros and cons of each program with you today and then let's help figure out what one should you choose What is the best program for you? So we're going to talk about that as well So I want to start first with Weight Watchers or WW So a little back history on myself and my journey on Weight Watchers or WW So about 15 years ago. I actually lost 125 pounds on WW Weight Watchers That was the old program where everything was taken into account. There were no zero point foods You even had to track your fruit. So I was very successful on that program I did not even exercise until I had lost 50 pounds So I did not rely on exercise to lose that 125 pounds over the course of the last 15 years I've gained a lot of that 125 pounds back. So about two years ago. I rejoined WW I recommitted to try to take off the weight that I've gained back that I had lost about 15 years ago now in 2019 I was on WW strictly, but I didn't work the program to the best of my ability I didn't lose a whole lot of weight in the year of 2019 now I didn't gain weight and I didn't maintain weight I did lose weight But it certainly wasn't the amount of weight that of course I would like to see over the course of 12 months So in 2020 I set some amazing goals about weight loss and just life in general and healthy lifestyle and being committed And consistency in my program. I've had far more success in 2020 even with a global pandemic In my weight loss. It was about recommitting and staying consistent I'm continuing on losing weight with WW but about six months ago or so I really started to look a little bit deeper into calories I just felt like I wasn't eating enough calories on the WW program And when I did my research and did a few what I eat in a days I realized that I was very very much under eating on WW so I started to get really involved in figuring out calories and macros and at that time I came up with a calorie goal and a protein goal and since then I have been focusing double on calories and WW also during that time I received my weight loss and nutrition certification So I was able to get even more knowledge in the bank when it comes to calories and nutrition and weight loss So I feel like I can speak openly and freely and knowledgeably on both WW and on calorie So that's a little bit of a backstory about me Again, I am still following the WW blue plan and I'm also double tracking calories and macros I like to kind of see where I fall and I always always say knowledge is power And for me, it's really important to know weight watchers points and calories And see if I can balance those out to be successful on each program So now let's talk about weight watchers If you are new to WW or you're considered joining, we would love to have you Of course, there is a link in my description box for free month on the WW program So you can give it a try see if it's something that you'd like But when you sign up for WW you are actually given a survey or a questionnaire You answer those questions honest and truthfully and then weight watchers will assign you a color of program There are three colors in weight watchers. There's blue. There's green and there's purple Each of these programs have zero point food lists Each of these programs have the same points across the board other than the zero point foods That's where your points are going to vary your daily points will vary also on all three programs I get a lot of questions on why I have more than the minimum number of smart points So smart points are not only given based on weight. They are also taken to consideration gender Height and your age and your points do change as you progressively lose weight Now I'm a pretty tall individual So I don't know that I would ever have the minimum number But I may have one or two points above the minimum number once I hit my goal weight So not everybody is assigned the same number of smart points. It varies on the things that I mentioned So on weight watchers, you're giving a points target and that is your goal every single day to meet that points target You're also giving a list again of zero point foods. They vary from 100 to 300 zero point foods Now I don't want to go too much into detail Other than this on ww. I am going to link down in the description box Two videos that I put out last november. So november of 2019 when Ww changed their programs over to these three colors. I recommend that you watch those videos I go in depth on what the three colors mean and the zero point foods. So I will definitely link those down below for you So now let's talk a little bit about counting calories. So when you count points on ww They encourage you not to track your zero point foods So you don't have to weigh and measure those you don't have to track those Now if you choose the calorie counting approach, you have to track everything that you consume So things that are zero points on ww. You have to track those on calorie counting You need to weigh and measure those and track those accordingly into whatever calorie counting app that you're choosing to use I use the lucid app. I absolutely love it. I have the premium version. There are other apps out there There is my fitness pal and spark people There's a lot of ways and apps out there available to you to help track your calories So with calorie counting again, you need to track literally everything I will tell you that I choose not to track non starchy vegetables So things such as lettuce or cucumbers or broccoli. I don't generally track those They're very very mild in calories and they provide a ton of nutrients So I figure that three five ten calories isn't going to make that much of a difference Now there are people that out there that will say you have to track everything even the two calories For the cup of spinach So we need to work the program the way that it works for us So if you feel like you want to track everything then absolutely do that If you want to kind of follow in my footsteps and only track things that are more calorically dense and not track Your non starchy vegetables, then that's an option as well Now I do track everything else that I eat. I weigh I measure I track and with calorie counting I don't just track calories. We also track macros macronutrients consist of carbs fats And protein and then there is fiber kind of off in the distance. That's really important as well I don't watch my carbs or my fats. Those are kind of irrelevant to me I kind of like to see where I fall every day But I'm very focused on calories and protein and I do again like to have at least 20 to 25 grams Which is recommended of fiber every single day So let's talk about which of these ww or calorie counting is more effective for long term weight loss Now if you choose the calorie counting approach, you're kind of on your own There isn't meetings to go to there's not a designated app to use now You can take advantage of someone like myself Who's a weight loss and nutrition coach to really kind of help steer you towards the correct caloric intake and macronutrients But you're on your own to track those in whatever app or whatever fashion you choose to do that Now if you choose to follow ww, there is an app that comes along with the program There is also digital and in-person meetings. You can weigh in every week if you would like to in fact It's encouraged So there's a little bit more one-on-one individual support when it comes to choosing the ww program So ww was actually founded in 1963 and as you know, there are so many celebrities like oprah that promote the ww program It has a great proven track record the idea behind ww and the idea behind giving us zero point foods Is to help guide us towards making healthier decisions Some other things that have made ww so successful is it helps people make better choices You only have so many points in a day and what I love too about ww is it's extremely flexible You choose how to spend your points if you want to have snickers all day long for your points Then you certainly can do that and you should still see a loss on the scale because you stayed within your points Now does that nourish your body the most effective way? No But in theory you should be able to eat snickers if it's within your points and see a loss on the scale However by giving us zero point foods and making healthy options less points It's navigating us towards those foods. It's a very smart approach to helping people make healthier food choices For example, a banana is zero smart points on ww on any of the three ways to work the program Now a banana is about 100 calories a miniature candy bar is anywhere from four to six smart points on the ww program And is also 100 calories. So if you're on ww, which one are you going to choose? You're obviously going to navigate towards the banana because it's zero points Now if you're counting calories and a banana is 100 calories and a candy bar is 100 calories Now you have more options. You have a little bit more freedom. You could certainly eat that candy bar I want to talk about choosing foods when counting calories when we get a little bit further into today's video Also following ww like I mentioned you have digital and in-person workshops And you also weigh in with a instructor at these workshops every single week. So it's a great source of accountability It's a great source of partnership with ww. We grow to love our leaders or our coaches We grow to love the individuals that check us in at the workshop. We make friends I know for me I have made several friends that I see on a regular basis from my ww workshop In fact, that's how I found jazzer size. So for me going to a workshop and having that friendship and that camaraderie Is a huge part of why I love the ww program. So let's recap about ww So there's in-person and digital workshops and weigh-ins weekly So again, it helps build community and camaraderie and friendship There's an app associated with the program It provides a lot of flexibility with the zero point foods and giving you a set number of points and weekly extra points every week But you choose to eat whatever you want to eat as long as it stays within your points and lastly ww Definitely definitely helps guides you towards healthier food choices because they fall really low in points or zero points So the whole idea is to have you choose those foods over Point heavy foods or processed foods that just have a lot less nutrients and a lot more points The push towards healthy foods is one of my favorite things about the ww program So now let's talk about counting calories So like I mentioned, there are apps that you can record your calories in one thing you don't have with counting calories Is support you don't have a workshop or a group to attend once a week or every couple of weeks However, there are communities on facebook instagram and here on youtube Of fellow calorie counters that you can grow relationships and form bonds with that will help you kind of like ww workshops Help ww participants kind of help you along your calorie counting journey Also with calorie counting it provides a lot of flexibility honestly more flexibility than ww Even though that program has tons and tons of flexible options calorie counting is basically calories It doesn't really matter the other nutrients that make up those foods. It's all about staying within your calories However, when you calorie count, it's extremely important to watch your macro nutrients, especially Protein you should have a set protein goal every single day That is to the front and center the number one thing that you reach every single day And by reaching that protein goal, you'll find that you're choosing healthier foods You're eating less carbohydrates Naturally because you're so focused on the protein goal that there just isn't enough calories in the day to exceed a carbohydrate goal You also choose healthy fats with your calories So even though the flexibility to eat junk food all day is definitely there with calorie counting Because like I said with weight watchers you could eat snickers for your 2000 calories a day And if you're in a deficit, you're going to lose weight But if you give yourself a protein goal and even a fiber goal and you reach those goals every day There isn't a lot of room in the calories to eat all of that junk food So it definitely provides more flexibility It definitely helps when you're in group situations or going out to dinner or at parties or during the holidays Sometimes counting calories during the holidays is a great option Because of the added flexibility of being able to indulge over the holidays and still lose weight So now let's talk about is w w are counting calories easier weight watchers is designed to be extremely easy to follow They designed a point system so that you didn't have to worry about calories necessarily Now I do think that calories still matter even if you follow the w w program You certainly don't want to be in a surplus of calories because you're going to gain weight But you also don't want to be severely under eating because you're going to do damage to your metabolism And eventually your weight loss will stall which is what we're finding a lot with people on w w So even though they designed this point system and made it really easy for us Again, it's still important to have knowledge of calories and macros Their app is awesome as well It allows you to track calories and exercise and fitness and of course the food that you're consuming And the points that you're eating and the points you have left throughout the day So the app is a great tool and is extremely simple to use There's even restaurant foods and a barcode scanner that isn't always accurate But there is a barcode scanner to make shopping at the grocery store easy You just use your w w app scan your food and it tells you it's smart points value In addition, there are thousands of recipes in the app and there is a support group called connect Which is another way for you to get additional support on the w w program It's kind of like facebook for w w the w w Points are basically a simplified version of counting calories And a lot of you say what's the difference between points and calories? There really isn't calories are taken into account when determining a smart point along with other things like saturated fat and sugar And protein but calories are a component of a smart point w w has just in a sense dumbed down counting calories and making them points again Prevents you from having to track every little thing All you do is track points and you don't necessarily have to worry about Exactly how many calories are in the food that you're consuming now with calorie counting It is equally as effective sometimes more effective because of the chance to under eat severely on w w Or even the small chance to overeat on the w w program Just think if you eat too many's air point foods, they still have calories So you could be in a calorie surplus, but you're more likely to be in two of an extreme deficit on w w Now with calorie counting you don't have the option of under eating or overeating because you are given a calorie goal Every single day and you stay within that calorie goal and again counting calories offers a lot more flexibility But counting calories can be said to be more time consuming Especially if you are someone that tracks literally every little thing that you eat It can take a little bit more time to enter that individually versus entering some points in the w w app So it's kind of about preference when it comes to w w or calories There's one camp that says w w is simple and easy because they've done all the work for you And then there's one camp that says yes, but I'd rather count calories Have a little bit more food flexibility and know exactly what i'm eating every day and making sure i'm hitting A healthy amount of calories every single day. So which one would work best for you That is a personal individual decision that you have to make not everybody's weight loss or healthy lifestyle journey is the same We all have individual needs desires want goals So you really have to think about what would work for you. It doesn't matter what works for me It doesn't matter what works for your sister your mother your brother an influencer on instagram youtube or facebook It doesn't matter you have to figure out what works for you both weight watchers and calorie counting are effective They are both effective ways to lose weight both weight watchers and calorie counting Guide you towards healthier food and help you change the way that you eat You still can't eat fast food every day for every meal on calorie counting Because you'll be out of calories before you're out of meals for the day And we all know that processed food fast food is higher in points on the w w program So both these programs will guide you towards making healthier choices If you're looking for a lot more support and one on one attention Then weight watchers may be the best option for you due to the fact that they do have the digital and in person workshops There's the app. There is 24 hour coaching on the app that you can ask questions. There's connect Also, if you are somebody who kind of just wants to know the numbers and do the program and ask Questions or watch videos or research on the internet then calorie counting may be the best option for you Now if you go the calorie counting route you still have support You have me you have nutrition and weight loss coaches that you can sign up for One on one sessions with and ask your questions I can help figure your calories in macros so that you can see the most effective weight loss on the scale Every person that I have figured macros and calories for that have stuck with those macros and calories Have seen bigger weight losses than they've ever seen on any other program So whether you choose w w or calorie counting They both work if you work the program and work the program the way it's intended So the bottom line is I don't have an answer For you on whether or not you should choose w w or calorie counting You have to look into your soul and yourself and really decide Do you want more support individually one on one in a group go to a workshop? Or do you want to have the flexibility of kind of eating? Whatever it is that you want to eat during the day and use people like myself or the internet as your support That's basically what you have to figure out Both weight watchers and calorie counting is a great way to lose weight It's a great way to develop healthier eating habits And like I said, if you work the program the way the program is intended to work You're going to see success on the scale. You just have to choose what program is best for you So I hope you enjoyed today's video kind of going over the pros and cons of both w w and calorie counting And hopefully this helped you make a better educated decision on which program you want to follow Now there's nothing wrong with following both programs I actually really enjoy having the option to track points and know where I stand there And the option to track calories and macros and know where I stand there again Just choose what's best for you if you have questions or comments Please leave those down in the comment section below. Make sure you're checking out my nutrition coaching website If you choose the calorie route, please take advantage of the macro and calorie counting If you want one-on-one guidance with calorie counting take advantage of my one-on-one coaching sessions That's a great way for me to help guide you in the right direction when you're counting calories Also, make sure you check out online any specials that w w may be offering They're usually offering some fantastic deals to join and don't forget about the one month free down in the description box So if you enjoyed today's video would mean a lot to me for you to give it a big thumbs up Make sure that you are subscribed. I'd love to have you join my channel Check out my second channel as well for additional nutrition and weight loss and real talk We'd love to have you over there as well Also in the description box, you're going to find links discount codes to my favorite things And of course the link to join us on facebook another great way to get support whether you're on w w or calorie counting We welcome everybody. So head on over and join us there Thank you guys so so much for watching and i'll see you in my next video. Bye