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Gogirlgo
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 Posted: 08/30/04 - 11:15 Post subject: WW activity points
Can anyone explain the logic behind WW's activity points?
It makes sense to me that if you do a certain amount of exercise, you get these extra points you can eat. Fine. The problem comes when you get less for doing more. Suppose you take 32 minutes to run 3 miles and you get 4 points for that. Then you work harder and harder and you get to where you can run 3 miles in 27 minutes. You're obviously doing much more work than when it took you 32 minutes, yet b/c WW only counts the minutes, you would get less points for more work.
I realize mostly WW is catering to people who are only recently getting into exercise but it seems like it's not taking into consideration the needs of all its users.
What do you think?
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jrjo
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Posted: 08/30/04 - 11:19 Post subject:
Not to sound elitest, but once a person gets far enough on the fitness learning curve, understanding the algebra of food calories eaten and exercise calories burned, they've moved out of the WW target market. Seems like WW and just about every other canned diet out there is designed to take the thinking out of actually doing the "real" math.
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Gogirlgo
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Posted: 08/30/04 - 12:09 Post subject:
| jrjo wrote: | | Not to sound elitest, but once a person gets far enough on the fitness learning curve, understanding the algebra of food calories eaten and exercise calories burned, they've moved out of the WW target market. Seems like WW and just about every other canned diet out there is designed to take the thinking out of actually doing the "real" math. |
Right, making it easy is certainly their priority. I'm just pointing out how additional intensity gets lost, and then it's really hard to know exactly how one has done pointswise.
Do you have a site to help figure the real math?
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Running Brewer
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Posted: 08/30/04 - 12:15 Post subject:
G3, maybe figure the calories you are burning on your runs now and compare them to the higher intensity runs. From my experience, as I get faster in my training runs, my intesity (i.e. heart rate and calories) don't appear to change much. My body is just in better shape and I go faster.
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Gogirlgo
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Posted: 08/30/04 - 12:56 Post subject:
Thanks, you, I'll give it a try.
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Kimba90
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Posted: 08/31/04 - 15:49 Post subject:
I've been doing WW for about 3 years now, and I think the AP's don't really apply well to active runners ( or active atheletes of any kind.)
One of my long runs, I calculated I earned 29 activity points. My food points for the day are 22.
Since I am not running at the moment, I have hopped back on the WW train and am watching my portion sizes and such. But 2 AP's for 40 minutes of biking?
Oh, back to your question, no I don't know how to scientifically count the harder excercise.
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crazyrunningelli
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Posted: 09/06/04 - 15:55 Post subject:
hey there.
my mom is very into weight watchers and has lost 60 lbs on it over the past couple years or so. she hardly exercises, and by looking over her charts and point calculators, it looks like WW doesn't really look at athletics as a priority. i think what was said by kimba90 is true and WW is more geared towards those who are starting from square one with nutrition and exercise, so you may want to look beyond the program and research some more about calorie expenditure, basal metabolic rate, and aerobics (the internet is great for this).
i'm not knocking WW by any means (it's a great program and i've seen it do wonders for my mom and others), but it's definitely selling to a target group of people.
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Gogirlgo
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Posted: 09/12/04 - 13:31 Post subject:
Yep, it does time over intensity. One of the people there told me not to even consider my activity points in the food point count.
 WAAH?
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DCRunningDiva
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Posted: 10/14/04 - 08:18 Post subject:
| Gogirlgo wrote: | Yep, it does time over intensity. One of the people there told me not to even consider my activity points in the food point count.
WAAH? |
I went to WW last year when I was training for my first marathon (the one I ended up not being able to run because of my knee). I was running miles and miles and miles and eating all my activity points. Then I was finally told that I should only eat a certain amount of activity points per day. I don't remember what that number was but I want to say 10 points.
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