Weight Watchers is a commercial weight loss program that focuses on balanced low fat nutrition, exercise and group counseling. Its latest diet creation is called “TurnAround” and is based on its successful “Flexpoints Plan” and “Winning Points Plan.” Every item of food from pizza to ice cream to carrots to bread has a points value based on its nutritional content. You may eat as you like as long as you stay within your allotment of points.
This new program is basically the same as the old, but uses the points in a slightly different manner. You are encouraged to use an online resource called “eTools,” along with a points “calculator” and recipes provided by Weight Watchers. To assist the dieter in their lifestyle changes all members are encouraged to attend group discussion and counseling sessions, mostly in person, at local Weight Watchers centers.
Weight Watchers programs have historically been good programs, but they are increasingly relying on gimmicks and slick marketing. The new “TurnAround” plan is basically the “Winning Points Plan” with re-freshed marketing. They advertise aggressively, trying to convince overweight people that they can lose weight without sacrificing the foods they love.
The points-based plans control portion size by allowing calories that should be consumed on healthy food with very small portions of potentially unhealthy food. This strategy gives the dieter a false sense of the real nutritional changes they need to make in their lives for long-term success. If one seriously wants to lose weight and keep it off in the long-term, they need to think more comprehensively about the foods they eat.
The program does not put a priority on exercise, which is essential. Long-term group therapy impedes the development of self-reliance and self-discipline, which is clearly the most important trait in those 5% of dieters who succeed in the long-term.
Bottom Line:
The points-based method of Weight Watchers is outdated and doesn’t go far enough to promote healthy lifestyle changes. Just because a certain food is within the “points” doesn’t mean it’s going to help us lose weight or is healthy for our bodies.
As modern dieters, we should focus more on PORTION control and the QUALITY of food we’re stuffing in our mouths. You will have far greater success with diets like Nutrisystem and Medifast, as these diets RETRAIN our body to eat smaller portions and to eat more frequently throughout the day. After only a couple of months, you’ll have the tools to last a lifetime, free of diets and weekly meetings.
Hi, I've battled my own weight loss for years and have experience with hundreds of weight loss programs and fad diets. When forming my list of the
I am actually a Weight Watchers leader, and have led many people to their weight loss goals. So I know that weight watchers is a great program. However, I myself was finding it hard to count points, and then track them. The Core plan, which offers you “freedom” from tracking, was not possible for me either. (On core, you also have to know when your full and then stop eating…okay, if I knew when I was full, I probably wouldn’t have weight to lose in the first place.)
I have just recently started Nutrisystem, and love it. I’ve read a lot of bad comments on the taste of the food, and I couldn’t disagree more. Now, I’m by no means a picky eater, and never have been, but my desire to lose my post-pregnancy weight (from my third child) far outweighs my tastebud’s desire to party at every meal. Hey, I’ll eat it, just to nourish my body. And on a side note, I’ve lost 5 pounds this past week on Nutrisystem. Something I couldn’t do with the weight watchers plan.
I’ve been on Weight Watchers two different times. I really do not like counting points anymore. It made me constantly obsessed about counting points. I was not able to stay on the plan. I actually felt hungry all of the time! I’m thinking about doing the South Beach Diet or Nutrisystem where I don’t have to count points.
Weight Watchers may offer a balanced plan, food, exercise, etc, but it does not get at the emotional issues as to why people overeat and without that there is no point because you will regain. I think WW may provide you some help if you are not well versed on nutrition and the weigh-in group support process is your thing.
I have been searching for statistics for several weeks on how many people actually succeed with WW. All I could find was one study done in England showing that each year only 6% of clientele reach goal and many of these only had 10 lbs to loose to begin with.
Statistics show that people who loose weight who were obese and keep it off for at least 5 years is only about 5%. To state that people choose not to loose weight or are not taking personal responsibility is irresponsible and shows a lack of understanding.
Obesity is a serious problem that requires serious work and while WW may work for some, most people fail which further adds to their already low self esteem. Look at the pictures on the walls at WW meetings of the people who have lost a lot of weight, in small print they all say *Results not typical. There is a reason for that.