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:
Realize that Weight Watchers is not a diet. If you need to lose more than 10 pounds initially, Weight Watchers is not the answer. It’s more of a way-of-life and maintenance program after you’ve reached your goal weight.
To lose 10 pounds or more, I recommend “bootcamp” diets like Nutrisystem or Medifast, where you are forced to eat smaller portions. Yes, the food isn’t 5 star gourmet. Yes, the portions are small. That’s exactly the point and it will force you down to your goal weight. It’s tough, but it’s only temporary. Is 1 or 2 months of strict portion control worth being skinny again? If not, how bad do you really want this?
After you’re down to goal weight, control your lifestyle with a program like Weight Watchers. It will provide you with the tools you need to succeed longterm.
Hi, I'm a dietitian with experience in hundreds of weight loss programs and fad diets. When forming my list of the
For years I’ve been looking for some way to lose weight. After admitting that I was a complete pig, weighing somewhere around 348 lbs., I concluded that continuing my lazy and gluttonous lifestyle could be hazardous to my health. So I decided to look around at the possible diet plans on the market. Weight Watchers with its 1-2-3 Traditional Meeting Plan looked like the perfect way to lose weight. It seemed so easy!
Step 1 - Eat
Step 2 - Exercise
Step 3 - Lose weight
Easy right!?! Wrong!!!!
The experiment that was to revolutionize my life went horribly awry! After the first meal (”Meal A” for future reference) I knew I was in trouble. Well, lets sum this unforgettable experience in two words. “Explosive diarrhea.” Almost ten minutes after eating their prescribed weight loss meal, I felt like I was passing hand grenades. THAR SHE BLOWS!!!!
“Meal B” wasn’t too much better. It consisted of a petite “steak” (I use quotation marks because you can hardly call a 4 oz. piece of meat steak) and two sides of vegetables. The snack-sized meal actually wasn’t that bad. A little after eating I began the prescribed exercise, jogging/walking around my block. Yet once more fate was against me in this Weight Watchers diet as I passed out from hunger. I’m lucky the first car that passed by didn’t hit me. I guess a 348 lb. man lying in the middle of the road is pretty visible, but still, this program just wasn’t working for me.
When I arrived at my first support meeting everyone there began to laugh at me. Now normally I’m not one to get upset by people making remarks about my weight, but being so fed up with the way this diet was going, I went to bathroom to cry. Maybe they were laughing at a stain on my pants or something, but still, a support group is no place to laugh at people. Apparently a few of the people at the meeting had recently eaten “Meal A.” The bathroom was packed.
After recovering from the utter humiliation of the laughter I went back to the meeting. The people apologized for laughing, assuring me that it wasn’t me that they were laughing at. At the meeting we discussed what problems we were having with the diet. I’m really not the kind of guy who likes discussing my problems. My problem is quite simple really. Every time I see a pot roast I have an uncontrollable urge to “put it in my belly.”
After hearing about my experience with this program, you can make a decision about whether or not it is right for you. The miniscule amounts of diarrhea-inducing food could either help you lose weight or drive you insane. That’s a 50-50 chance!!! Now you decide, is this for me? Good dieting.
I really didn’t think that this weight watchers program was worth the money. I actually gained weight during the course, and found it unpleasant and useless.
All the meetings can provide is advice, someone will tell you, “don’t eat so much food”, and “do exercise”, but it’s really up to you. Therefore it requires self-motivation. I found it difficult to motivate myself, and thought that paying $10 would entitle me to more help.
Another problem was that i found one of the women at the class to be a bit aggressive. This rather ruined the meetings, I was actually quite scared. Although i’m sure this is not the case at the majority of meetings.
I went to the classes for 9 weeks. Total cost, $90. Total gain, 10 pounds. I recommended this form of weight loss only for the well motivated and strong willed. To be honest I really could not be bothered.
If you have to have the group dynamic than this program is for you. I felt like we were all a group of cattle following a diet plan and spouting the corporate line–’drink your water’ each your points. bla bla bla. Once I got to lifetime (now maintenace) they quit caring for you. All the big money is in the ‘losers’. Once you manage to lose your weight and manage to KEEP it off they forget about you.
Dear “Complete Pig”
I enjoyed your post. Though you have had no luck with WW, I thought I’d offer a few tips.
1.) Dieting is not “easy”. It takes commitment and consistency. To be a success, you have to understand this “new” way of eating and living is permanent.
2.) “The minuscule amounts of…food” are actually appropriate portions of food for an adult. You have been vastly over eating for some time, so your perception of what is “enough” food is quite skewed.
3.) You’re going to be hungry, get used to it.
4.) You can do it, if you want.
Good luck!
I’ve been on WW for over a year and reached my goal weight about 3 months ago. A misconception of WW is focusing on Points or meetings. If you really pay attention to what the program offers it teaches about moderation, portion control, execersise, support and most importantly CHOICES. If you don’t get that from this program then you won’t get it from any other program you try.
it is so sad
my wife just started what she would call a “life changing experience” with ww. She hasn’t been a member a week and she is ready to quit. Not because of physical requirements, but by the way she was treated by 2 different area weight watchers.
she joined last friday, with a dear friend of ours who is a Cancer patient, basically taking CHEMO for a little more time, and who wanted to worry about something else besides here condition.
my wife is a beautiful mother of 3, one a new born 5 weeks old.
she goes to the first location, with our friend and our newborn and signs in, pays her money (which included her first “meeting”) and goes to enter the meeting.
But she is stopped!! Why you might ask. The lovely skinny little chick who just took her Cash
refused to allow her in the meeting because of her SLEEPING NEWBORN!!!.
and says, “You’ll need to go to the meeting in a different location, we don’t allow children in here, the next one available is on monday” at said location.
Oh, well thanks for saying something before you took my money, 35 dollars may not seem like a lot, but that is 3 or 4 packs of diapers.
so my wife goes to said location on monday.
before she walks in she is told she must pay again, for the meeting. pay again? she was not able to go to the one she already paid for, because sleeping Newborn children are apparently ‘weight loss poison’. she tried to explain that she had already paid. The lady proceeds to tell her that that was for last weeks meeting, and that she needs to pay for this weeks meeting.
my wife was besides herself, what do you mean you are going to charge me for a meeting “THAT YOU WOULDN’T ALLOW ME TO GO TO IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!”
she hadn’t even been allowed to go to 1 meeting but is going to be charged with 2!!
she did not pay.
and never will again.
when she was weighed in, that was exactly what it was, a weigh in. no one talked to her about weight lost goals, like they should do.
during her one and only first meeting, it was conducted by a new person, by herself. She couldn’t answer any question that my wife couldn’t answer herself, a total fish out of water.
my wife wanted some support to help her to loose weight, what she got was a company more interested in the bottom line than actually being fair. acompany that really does little to communicate with brand new people.
because of the way my wife was given the runnaround, she has decided to never go to another meeting,
overall ww is a joke, we’re switching to nutrisystem.
After reading these reviews I’m at a loss as to what to say. I’ve been a lifetime member of weight watchers since 1988 and feel it’s the best thing out there on the market.
We do whatever we please and then when the solution takes time, commitment and self discipline to resolve, we get upset because “they” can’t fix it quick enough.
What happened to personal responsibility? Nobody made me eat that pint of Haagen daaz.
Granted, this may not be the best way for all people to lose weight, but my way wasn’t working for me. How’s things working for you?
Anytime we change ours food habits, our body has to adapt.
Sorry to hear that the lady with the baby had such a bad experience. She should call the ww toll free number and maybe they can do something to help.
As a lifetime member I have always been treated well.
Whatever plan ya’ll choose, I wish you the best of success. I can’t wish you luck because luck has nothing to do with it. It takes alot of HARD WORK, DEDICATION, and MOTIVATION to change our unhealthy habits. ALL the best.
After reading the comments left by others, I felt a need to tell my story, even though it is old. At 273#s, I knew I had to do something. For three weeks I sat in my car, watching WW members going into a meeting, waiting for a man to go in, preferably one bigger than me. Finally, one did go in, and I followed him. He signed in, weighed, and left while I was filling out paperwork. I never saw him again, but he got me into a meeting.
The weigher explained that my goal weight would be 170#, a loss of 103. I couldn’t emagine losing that much, but stuck to the diet for the first week, and lost 14 lbs, getting me to 259. From there, I just thought of it as working my way (weigh?) down a ladder, a 10 pound rung at a time.
I never felt hungry on the plan, and for the most part enjoyed the food, meetings and program in general. I made up my mind to stay on the plan religiously, and to lose weight every week. I succeeded in those goals, taking 52 weeks to lose 105 lbs. I actually had a fear at the end of not being able to stop losing!
After I reached my goal weight, I decided that the best way to stay with the program was to become a weigher, which I did for over a year, until I was transferred to another city. Being a weigher, I heard every excuse imaginable as to why someone had not lost weight that week, and because of that, I refuse to make an excuse today. If I gain or don’t lose, it is only because I failed myself. It’s not because of anything or anyone else.
I’m really confused by all of these reviews.
Why would a *Weight Watchers meal* give anyone the runs? Weight Watchers doesn’t tell you what to eat; it preaches portion control. If you get the runs after a meal well, then, maybe you’d better check the efficacy of your refrigeration system. Moreover, why would a 350 pound man (IIRC) pass out from hunger; he’s pretty likely to have some fat stored for energy. Do you think that maybe, just maybe, he jumped into vigorous exercise too soon, and this all wasn’t WW fault?
As to those horrible meanies who wouldn’t allow a woman with a baby into a meeting, *everyone* paid for the meeting, not just your wife. When that adorable sleeping infant wakes up and starts screaming bloody murder, he’s going to disrupt *everyone* And that’s just one kid; imagine a dozen. That’s why WW very specifically designates certain meetings as child-friendly. Hey, I love me kid; I really do. He stays home with his dad while I’m at WW. OTOH, if the weighers saw the child, they should have warned mom.
But what’s most puzzling is the reviewer’s suggestion that NutriSystem is a better diet plan. Why? Because WW doesn’t *require* exercise? WW certainly *encourages* it strongly, but let’s face it, short of hiring someone with a whip to go after members, you can’t *require* anyone to exercise. And the fact is you *can* lose weight w/o exercise, if you’re willing to eat less. In any event, NutriSystem doesn’t require it either. What NutriSystem does is infanticize people — we’ll feed you from this jar (frozen dinner), and you’re incapable of choosing a different jar, or making your own (fresh) food. Let me ask, what happens when you go to that first wedding or busines lunch? What happens when you reach goal and have to make yourself dinner? Have you learned proper portion size? Have you learned to select food over the course of a day or week, planning so that if you’re going to a fancy restaurant with your spouse on Saturday, you think ahead and don’t order in pizza on Thursday? Of course not. You eat what NutriSystem puts on your plate and then, when you’re sick and tired of it (after 9 weeks in most cases, you admit), you’re right back where you started, having learned nothing.
You might get the idea that I like WW. That’s right. It treats me like an adult — I eat what I choose to eat, when I want to eat it. It forces me to think about what I eat each day. If I choose to eat a big lunch, I’m going to need to eat a low point (calorie) dinner. It also teaches me to think of my long-term eating. If I have a treat today, will I have enough weekly points left to have a treat over the weekend? You can’t have treats all the time; you have to choose. It encourages people to eat 5 or more servings of fruit and vegetables each day, 2 servings of dairy, 6-8 glasses of water, & exercice. It rewards low fat, high fiber (more healthful) eating, & exercise. It is teaching me how to eat for life.
I can believe the negative comments written about the WW program!
Many years ago (17), I needed to lose a little weight, about 10 lbs, and had a girlfriend that had been on Nutrisystem for a month or so and was looking amazing already. I signed up. Bottom line, yes I did lose the weight, but you had to purchase their food. I love to cook and this doesn’t give you that luxury!! I only had 10 lbs to lose to get me back to where I was comfortable. I also tried Phen Phen……not good, makes you feel really weird, almost like speed, and it affected my memory and mood.NOT GOOD!!!
Several years later, after 2 children, I had more lbs to lose. It took me that last time looking in the mirror at my 25 pound overweight self, not recognizing that face and body to say OK…time to do something NOW!!! I noticed in Poway (San Diego,CA) near my house, was a WW location.After checking the meeting times, I decided Saturday 7:30am would be great for me because I could slip out quietly leaving behind my sleeping husband and two kids, and leaving me the whole rest of the day!
I walked in the door that first time to WW and didn’t know a soul, but I was determined to lose the “extra Marci”. Each week we received a new successive informational booklet with a new recipe as well. I loved this!! My goal was 113. It took me about 4 1/2 months, and my success motivated about 5 of my girlfriends too. We started going to the meetings together and would go to the local farmer’s market after to buy fresh produce, flowers and amazing pita & hummus. We all were successful, and we all became lifetime members. We all went weekly, we STAYED FOR THE WHOLE MEETING, and we all supported each other. The leader at the time was wonderful, her name was Marie, and the people that attended the meetings were also very supportive. There were often times mom’s with their new babies in attendance, and it was never an issue with anyone.
After a couple of years, health issues (chronic pain caused by endomertiosis, depression……then a total hysterectomy)caused me to gain 40 extra lbs.
I tried going to L.A. Weight loss, where you pay up front (they say so you stay with the program) I think it was about $700.00, but I was feeling desperate. The reason I went there was because of the much faster results they claimed. Boy was I pissed at myself about 2 weeks later!! (so was my husband)I HATED IT!! It was humiliating to look at everything you ate and drank with the counselers.The shakes, snacks and cleansing drinks were nasty. I decided to actually use my long held membership at 24hr Fitness, and also decided to get a personal training package. I also came back to where I really needed to go…WW.
When I lost weight with WW the first time, I did very little additional exercise. When I finally came back this last time( this was nearly 2 years ago), I was working out and following the core plan. I LOVE THE CORE PLAN!!! It is a way of a healthy lifetime diet. I have maintained at about 113 for quite a while now. I get asked all the time by moms at my children’s school ” how did you get so skinny”, and “what kinds of food do you eat” and it truely is so simple. The core works, and WW works!!
By the way, I am 41, 5ft 4in, pain free (but forced menopause), and I take a couple of abdominal patchs for hormone replacemnt as well as levoxil for hypothyroid disorder. I feel great and you can too.
I just wanted to say that I agree with Barbara and the many other supporters of WW. I have been a lifetime member for two years now. It took me two years to meet my goal and become lifetime. During that time at the encouragement of my leader, I began to exercise regularly as well as learn to eat the right things and in the right portions. I am still exercising five days a week, one hour a day. That may not seem like much, but I am in the best shape I have ever been in. I need to be accountable to achieve my goal and it eventually I became accountable to myself and not relying on others asking me how I am doing.
We all need to take responsibility for the way we eat and what priority we put on our own health. One of the lessons I learned from my WW leader was the day she asked if we could take a pill after every mean that would guarantee that we would be healthier and want to eat the right things would we do it? We all said yes. She said that pill is exercise! That convinced me. I needed to add exercise to my routine of eating healthy and it made a huge difference. No one is going to put a gun to your head and say exercise in any weight loss program but WW defintely includes that as a basis for losing and maintaining your weight loss.
For those reading this, good luck to you. Use whatever works for you but don’t be discouraged because someone else is. Look at the positive side. It took me two years to get to my goal, but now it is two years later and I am still doing well in keeping the weight off and I still exercise! So set a goal and go for it!
Weight Watchers is not a diet. It is a support system for changing your lifestyle and does not pretend to wave a magic wand over your fat and make it disappear.
Americans suffer from the vast amount of nutrient poor, calorie rich foods available in fast food joints and supermarkets. We are served giant portions and refuse to believe that anything that comes in one package is more than one portion (chips, cookies, donuts, candy). Our bodies are made to crave fats and sweets, because at one time it was hard to come by these calories.
But once grown, our bodies need very little in the way of fat and sugar calories to sustain. It doesn’t matter if we LOVE extra cheese pizza and eating a pint of ice cream in one sitting. The body simply doesn’t need it and so it will get stored as fat. Weight Watchers uses their point system to teach you appropriate portions and amount of food to eat in one day to maintain your weight. If you are used to eating gi-normous super-sized portions you will feel hungry in the beginning. As your body adjusts, you will start to understand what it feels like be satisfied without feeling stuffed and you will feel lighter and have more energy.
The meetings act as a community and the leaders give support and advice–but you have to do the work of changing yourself if you want it to work for you. It is a simple biological fact: you either get to eat huge portions of whatever you want, or you get to be healthy and lean.
The upside is that you really can have some amount of the fatty, rich or sweet foods you crave. But you quickly learn that if you want to feel satisfied, you will need to eat more fruits and vegetables, many of which are zero points. I lost 35 pounds in six months at WW by adhering rigorously to their program and I ate chocolate (1oz.) nearly every day! I learned that the enjoyment of sweets and fats has to do with how I savour them, not how much of them i stuff into myself. Prior to WW I would just consume enormous amounts of whatever and I am not even sure how much I enjoyed them!
My only complaint about Weight Watchers is that they continue to focus on packaged and processed foods and their dining out book lists mostly very mainstream fast food corporate type eateries. While their newer “core foods” program addresses this I think they could help people focus on organic whole foods even more than they do.
Finally to the gent whose wife was turned away with her newborn: While it was a bummer this happened, you can hardly write off the whole program since she never really tried it. If I were your wife I would have either asked for a refund at the first meeting or gotten a voucher for the first one she was not allowed to attend. You can’t expect the receptionist at a different meeting or venue the following week to know what had previously gone down….
Weight watchers is okay, but my husband is having a hard time trying to lose weight with their point system. I feel the diet needs to focus more on lowering the amount of carbs, especially the bad carbs.
With all the pasta and desserts out there you can be within your alloted points but still pack on the weight if you keep eating the wrong foods. My husband does a very good job watching his points, but seems to gain weight on weight watchers, because he’s eating some of the worst carbs out there. I just feel like WW would be much better if more emphasis were placed on the good/bad/dangerous carbs people are eating.
I was in weight watchers in the early 2000’s. I lost a few pounds, if I recall…maybe as many as 14? I had quite a few more to go…
I reached a plateau while I was with them, and I stopped losing. I was also hungry pretty much all the time. Honestly, that probably was my own uninformed/poor food choices, going for what tickled my taste buds, rather than what satiated my hunger and was healthy.
The thing was, it seemed that the “points” method of calculating food limits kind of encouraged that in people already predisposed, or ignorant of how to eat well…not that it is a totally bad program, just maybe too easy to fudge around with your food and not learn to eat right.
There was a good woman leading our group, who was also a good example of having lost and kept off a healthy amount of weight. She also encouraged us to increase our fiber intake to help with a healthy diet and feeling full, so I have no complaints about the personnel. The group support I would say would depend on the group dynamics, which are different from place to place, and usually depend about 50% (give or take) on the leader. Our meetings were mostly good.
Overall, I wouldn’t say this is a “bad” program-pretty reasonable price if you can get a large group, or if your workplace helps out with a wellness program. But I do agree with the review, that it is pretty “gimmicky” and kind of puts the reality of changing eating habits up in the atmosphere somewhere; you have to work hard to get it, and/or your group leaders/members have to be willing to make suggestions.
And let’s be honest: sometimes it’s easy to sit back in a group and let others do the talking, or fake that all is ok, if we’re afraid of our mess-ups, or so beat up by the things that have made/kept us overweight that we can’t be real.
That’s where I was in 2000. I left weight watchers, and didn’t go back; I regained all my weight, plus about 22 lbs…not through any fault of weight watchers, but my own issues.
I don’t think I’d do weight watchers again, because it didn’t fit my personality-since then I’ve learned to enjoy much healthier foods, and have dropped about 8 of those extra 22 lbs, and kept them off since about 2004. I am working more honestly with the deeper issues, and I think that I will lose the rest I need to over time through gentle persistence and self-respect as I continue to change my thinking/exercise/eating habits.
In any case, I would suggest more research before making a commitment to any weight-loss program, and take whatever gentle steps you need to heal and respect yourself-after all, it’s your life, not just your body.
I have finally found a program that works, the Healthy For Life Program. It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle change. Following a low-glycemic plan that dosen’t spike your blood sugar. A plan that will help you with your health needs, lowering your cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes and the side effect is weight-loss. What a plus!
OK, I read everyone’s reviews, both good and bad. I am still trying to decide if I should join weight watchers.
I am a female, 44trs old, 5′6″,194lbs,smoker, total hysterectomy 2006 (which caused me to gain 20lbs so far!) and I have hypothyroidism (slow). I try to watch what I eat and I just keep gaining weight!
Any advice out there?
I am currently participating in the online version of Weight Watchers. It’s the best to have happened to me. I don’t agree with the notion that WW is pushy in any way or that it doesn’t promote exersise. The reason people gain weight after leaving the program is not because of the program’s structure, it’s because most people on the program were at some point emotional eaters.
Michelle, thank you for sharing your story. I would like to know if you were working on your issues while you were on WW. I believe it’s not the case and it was a timing issue. I’m glad you have kept the weight off with this new program. So realize, not just you, but everyone that reads these kinds of reviews, no diet plan will work in the long-term if your mental health is not in gear with the plan as well.
Mental health meaning the reasons why we are overweight in the first place. I strongly believe that with any diet plan ( I don’t consider WW a Diet plan), therapy should be accompanied in order to track your emotional progress as you are loosing weight. I wouldn’t have succeeded with WW if it wasn’t that I was mentally and emotionally ready to make myself and my health a priority.
As a lifetime member of weightwatchers, I highly recommend this change of lifestyle.
7 years ago, Weight Watchers helped me lose almost 100 pounds. I have put back on 20 this year mainly due to an injury, that prevents me from working out. I am in my 40’s, currently a size 10 and have always struggled with my weight.
My best advice is go to the meetings….seriously! I scoffed at this too when my Dr. advised me to do this. If the Group Leader does not get your attention, try an alternative meeting until one does. Besides having children, this has been one rewarding experience all the way around.
Michelle: I started WW last year, after also having had a hysterctomy in 06. (age 49, 5′3″, approx 180+) I have since lost 20+ lbs, and have managed to maintain that for the last 6 months by going to the weekly meetings/support group. The accountability for me is actually having to weigh in…it motivates you. Like you, b4 I joined, I could live on 3 yogurts a day and still gain….the few lbs I lose each wk consistantly is what comes off and stays off……I’ve dropped 3 sizes so far!
I am 48, have had issues with my weight all of my life have even lost a total of probably around 160 lbs. twice in my life time just to gain it back from child birth, (eating for 2 you know, what a bunch of poo), quitting smoking, ya-da-ya-da-ya. The truth of the matter is I love to eat and all the wrong things of course, and little or no exercise is why I gained it back both times 80lbs a time folks not 160 but either way it’s all bad.
These reviews especially the negative ones blew my mind. I do feel for the lady with the newborn but like others she should have left the baby with someone to concentrate on the meeting, etc. This is a “YOU” decision, whether “YOU” want this for yourself or not. It’s totally up to “YOU”. I just recently joined WW and I was so impressed with the lady that took the 3 of us newbies out to go over the plan with us while the others were in the meeting. She stressed everthing the plan is all about, watching what you eat, portions, getting your water intake, watching the sugar, exercise, everything you SHOULD do while trying to lose weight. I don’t think there was anything this lady left out! She was very thorough, nice, she made you want to come back! I have followed her advice to the hilt using the flex plan and I feel so much better not eating all that junk food. I can tell my skin looks better from all the water I am drinking and the veggies are doing a lot of good also, I’m not hungry, I spread my snacks out and of course the water helps keep you full too. Making smart choices for my meals, it makes me think about what I want to really put into my body now. I’m ready to make that life long commitment to lose the weight and become a life long member of WW.
And for those of you considering a choice on how to lose weight please remember you have to WANT to do this for yourself, just like quitting smoking or drugs, food is our addiction and only we can make the decision on if we want to stay over weight or get healthy. WW is going to be my 12 step program for my weight loss and to get healthy and stay healthy.
God Bless and Good Luck!
How many times have I had to listen to my husband say, “Just because you’re on a diet, doesn’t mean I’m on a diet.” Oh brother. Now he says, “What happened to my Butterfinger?” …because HA-HA I’m not on a diet! I bet he wishes I was on a diet, now! Well, they were miniatures, and only a few points.
It’s a shame some people have been disillusioned by the payment practices of some Weight Watcher’s groups. It’s a really, really large organization, and as with any group of people, you’ll find some that you like and some you don’t - as well as some who are doing a better job and some who are not. If anyone really feels ripped off they should go to the Better Business Bureau, or threaten the person who took your money with that, and see if you can get your money back or complain to the Corporate office (11 Madison Ave. NY, NY 10010.) After all, if someone isn’t doing their job correctly, you should stop them from taking advantage of anyone else, right?
I really like our Weight Watcher’s at work program. We paid $168.00 for 12 weeks up front (or in 3 monthly payments.) One of my co-workers couldn’t attend, and felt she should have been refunded, but the policy is “You have paid for your 12 weeks, attend at work or any other meeting (even every day if you like) but the money is for the period of weeks, not the # of meetings you are able to attend.” This should have been explained before you paid though. If your meeting leader can’t attend, they extend your subscription for another week. They should give you a starter packet with booklets, your weight card and a “points finder” at your first meeting. In fact, the other side of the points finder does have a “points booster” now, to help you calculate how many extra points you earn when you do exercise.
I signed up twice, lost 20 pounds, reached my goal and did my 6 weeks maintenance (between Thanksgiving and Christmas, of all times, yay, me!) Now I’m a Lifetime Member and I never have to pay again as long as I weigh in once a month. $336.00 may seem like a lot to some, but I feel like:
“Two 12 week sessions of weight watchers at work… $336.00
Not buying new size 16 clothing… $0
Reaching my weight goal, becoming a lifetime member and not paying WW anymore, even though I can go to all the meetings I want… priceless!!!”
I have been a lifetime member of Weight Watchers since 1999. When I made the commitment to lose weight through Weight Watchers, I knew it wouldn’t be easy. No diet is. You WILL lose weight in this plan, IF YOU FOLLOW THE PROGRAM. Weight Watchers makes sense - eat healthy, watch your portion size, drink lots of water and exercise. Any doctor or nutritionalist will tell you the same thing. Yes, you will be hungry at first, but once your body adjusts, the hunger will subside. Yes, you will have weak moments as we all do, but if you eat too much today, eat less tomorrow. I began feeling so good once the weight started coming off. My energy level increased, I stopped having problems with water retention, aches and pains went away due to exercise, and my clothes fit looser. I gained confidence as people began to notice the change. My leader was so supportive and helped me all along the way. I still go to see her, and she still praises me when I see her. Once you reach your goal and you try to maintain your weight, your new lifestyle really becomes a challenge. I’m addicted to food the same as many other people are. I still have cravings and struggle with not overeating on a daily basis. Its easy once you reach the weight you want to go off a diet and get back to old eating habits. However, this is a lifestyle change. That doesn’t mean that you can’t ever eat the food you love, just do it wisely. Don’t deprive yourself, or you’ll become resentful. I’ve learned to spread my meals into several small ones, and never allow myself to get too hungry for fear that I might go off the deep end and eat everything in sight. I faithfully go to be weighed in every month, and if I see the scale going up, I get right back on track, start journaling, and get those few pounds off. If the scale has gone down a pound or two, I reward myself with a special treat. More than anything I enjoy feeling good and having lots of energy to do the things I enjoy. Its been hard work, and I don’t think I could have done it without the support I received and continue to receive from Weight Watchers. The final results were well worth the money spent. If you decide to give Weight Watchers a try, just remember that you are going to have to work to see results, and only you can make this program a success. Good luck!
There seems to be a misconception as to the purpose of Weight Watchers. It is not a diet but a way of life. After over eating for most of our lives the WWer has a great deal of weight to lose. However the biggest problem is reteaching the individual how to eat correctly, to be able to lose weight and then MAINTAIN the weight loss. With diets like nutrisystem, you eat the prepared portion of food and if you follow the plan you will lose weight.
However, once you reach you goal weight and stop eating the prepared dinners what do you do? Can’t go to a restaurant because they don’t have the proper prepared portion of food. So give up restaurants. You have not learned how to prepare proper size portions of ALL foods so guess what in a short period of time you have gained back the weight. With weight watchers you are continually having to learn portion control for ALL foods. This includes the empty calorie foods, candy, sweets, desserts, vegetables and all other foods that normal and overweight people eat..
You can eat anything or combination of anything so long as you meet all the other basic requirements i.e water consumption, vitamins, necessary oils and fats, correct number of portions of fruits and vegetables and your individual points target. In the process of the losing weight you learn what the size of a real portion of any food should be. With diets once you reach the desired goal then you either teach yourself the proper behaviors or eat the prepared (program) foods for the rest of your life and give up all the problem foods forever. What a blueprint for failure. So don’t confuse a lifetime reprogramming of eating behaviors with the simpler role of temporary weight reduction. Comparing Apples and Oranges.
Exercise is stressed in the materials and the program as a way to increase weight loss and body sculpting. Every year the stress for exercise is increased. I am a Weight Watcher and have been for 4 years. I have lost 62 pounds and have kept the weight off for three years.
I beg to differ. I have been on the program since January and I have lost 10 pounds. I consistly lost one or two pounds a week and now I am 10 pounds later. You are right it is not a diet it is a lifestyle change. By eating more fruits and vegetables and drinking 6 - 8 glasses of water a day, the weight came off. I also track my points, at first this was pain but in time it became easier. My husband also has his eating habits and he has lost twenty-five pounds. I am still sliming down and recently was able to get into a pair of jeans two sizes smaller than what I normally wear. I also do kickboxing once a week and am also training for a 1/2 marathon walk in April. I occassionaly indulge in pizza or a rich dessert but then I just right back on the plan. If you stick to the plan and also incorporate exercise into it I believe you will get the results you want.
I have been a Weight Watcher since 1974. It is not a diet, but a healthy life style. It teaches a well-balanced nutritional eating plan for a lifetime. You are surrounded by others, that become your friends, that share your experiences and provide the support needed for success. I incorporated an exercise program with my nutrition program in 1980 and have continued both as a natural part of my lifestyle.
Weight watchers is one of the best.
My only complaint is the weight to become a “lifetime member” is low, so a person is paying, even if they are at a healthy weight for them.
Also, I think 1,200 calories is a little low. It would be more managable at 1,500
To Diana Crabtree-In regards to the lifetime member goal weight that you have to have: i’ve been told by our WW leader that if you provide a doctor’s note indicating what he/she feels is a healthy weight for you they will honor it. They will always honor your doctor’s opinion, so try that-get your doctor to give you a note as to what he/she feels is a good weight for you. In fact, I was a lifetime member, had a baby, and then they give you 6 weeks to get back to your goal weight (wihtout paying again) starting immediately after having your baby-this was impossible for me, so I had a doctor’s note indicating that I need so many months to get it off, and I was able to get back to my goal weight in the time my doctor felt appropriate and not pay.
I agree with view # 25; Weight Watchers is not a diet but a nutrional life style change! I loved Weight Watchers it helped me lose 12 pounds. I eventually could not afford it and had to drop membership. I do not see the value of on-line membership; where does the support come from doing it on-line.
I agree, the WW program works, if you follow the plan. If you get all your requirements in (5 fruits and vegetables, water, oil etc.) you aren’t always using your points on bad carbs. My thing is breads and chips, salty things. I decided to try the Core plan and I love it. I wasn’t sure if I could do it because you have to count breads, chips, etc, but I haven’t had a problem with it. It allows me 35 points a week for the breads and 100 calorie packs, and other things not on the core plan, so I don’t go overboard on these foods. I find myself eating a lot more fruit for snacking on rather than chips and I haven’t been hungry. Plus you can have the 94% fat free popcorn on the core plan if you need that salt fix.
Personally, I think Weight Watchers is the best program out there for weight loss and lifestyle change. Sure it’s not a “diet” but that’s the point, and that’s why it actually works.
I lost 60 pounds on Weight Watchers and did a good job keeping it off. That was 7 years ago, and in that time I’ve only gained 20 pounds back, total. And that fluctuates.
I think it’s a fantastic method because even if you don’t strictly adhere to it after you meet your goal - you can’t erase what you learned about food, and that guilt will linger for the rest of your life every time you consider eating some of the things that you KNOW are really bad for you.
I had success on Weight Watchers, but it is way too expensive and I hate all the stuff they try to sell you at the meetings. When I first started going to the meetings it was $10 a week, now it’s $14. They keep insisting that if you don’t go to the meetings you will not be as successful. I’m just sick of all their gimmicks.
I just recently joined Weight Watchers with 5 other family members. We all LOVE it! It’s not a diet but a new way of learning how to eat. After being on it for a few weeks you begin to automatically know what you should and shouldn’t eat and the portion size. I tell my family members that we will always have to watch what we eat so if you really want a certain food…eat it! Just count the points and have only the amount you are allowed. I think Weight Watchers is great!!
I had a vist to my doctor on 2/21/08 because I felt tired, rundown - no energy. I weighted in at 271# that day. My blood pressure was high 140/93, luckily everything else was okay. And he told me - you’re carrying around another person, you should be tired - you need to get rid of that other person you’re carrying around - so slowly and safely let her go. I thought about that and the next day joined weightwatchers on-line. I think the point system is great because it’s nutritionally sound and a sensible way to learn to eat in the right portions and still enjoy life. I am allowed 31 points daily with the extra 35 a week. I signed up at the local Curves and work out 1/2 hour - 3 days a week. Some days I never even get the 31 points and I feel perfectly satisfied. I think that it all boils down to what is more important your life or pigging out.
Today I returned for a 2 month check up - my blood pressure was 120/83 and I am down 19#’s. so no matter what you do to get healthy - it’s a lifetime committment. Those of us who have struggled with the weight for years need to just let it go. Eat to live and not live to eat.
I have been on Weight Watchers for almost a year and lost 50 pounds safely and slowly. It is more of a way of life than a diet. I eat mostly healthy foods like chicken, brown rice, broccoli, whole wheat bread and pasta, turkey. However, if I want change once in a while, two slices of pizza, instead of a turkey sandwich and salad for lunch is not bad for you. Weight Watchers works if you stick to the plan. But I do agree it’s not for everyone. But Weight Watchers did show me how much I use to eat and what I was eating. Now I eat better, and have cut back on my portions, except if it’s broccoli, I eat more of that now. I have a healthy lifestyle now. I even quit smoking. But everybody is has there own opinion. Not saying that I’m right, this is just my opinion.
I have been on Weight Watchers for just over 2 years. It is NOT a diet, you are right about that. It is a way of life. I started on the Flex plan and it taught me portion sizes. I did not give up anything! I ate smaller portions of things. I have since switched to Core which is, in my opinion, is a healthier way to eat. I can still have the little things that I love like pizza, chocolate, even ice cream and cake. Weight Watchers has taught me HOW to eat and to lose the weight and keep it off.
I have lost 118 pounds ~ a whole person and I am within 8 pounds of my goal weight. I am healthier and happier. My mother is 72 years old and has lost 110 pounds. She is now off of her diabetic medication and they have reduced her high blood pressure medication in half!
I joined WW because my family was pressuring me to loose weight. I only had 35 pounds to loose. So far I lost a total of 8.2 pounds. The weight is coming off slow. I do however don’t count my points. I have been watching what I eat and drink plenty of water. I can’t seem to gave up my sweet tooth. I joined a gym which I exercise 3 to 4 times a week. I feel better about myself and hope one day i could start counting my points.
Some pretty interesting comments here. At 35 years of age, I decided to join WW last week. I have been what I call the “roller coaster” type for about ten years now. I currently weight about 195 lbs and about every two years I get down to around 165 lbs. So… I sat in my first meeting and heard everything the leaders had to say. Guess what??? The only thing I felt was a bit of embarrassment that I had to be there in the first place. Every, and I mean everything the leader had to say was simply basic laws of nutrition. Energy in vs energy out. If you consume more calories then you burn you will gain weight, bottom line!! The key to weight watchers is paying a small amount of money to keep you in line, to hold yourself accountable. I think this program is dead on for ones who want to lose weight but love to eat a piece of cake every now and again. Oh negative ones, take a look in the mirror and figure out if the program is the problem or you are….
WW is an excellent way to lose weight. But, more importantly, it teaches you to THINK about what you put in your mouth! For example, 1 T. of peanut butter goes a long way, and it tastes the same as the 3 T. I probably used to slather on my piece of toast.
We all know that when we are accountable (and the pocketbook is involved) we will try harder.
When I count out the 12 french fries (3 pts.) I know I’m going to think about the taste, texture, smell, etc. rather than scarfing them down.
Awareness, discipline, appreciation of food, better health, and success==that’s what I’ve gained==and lost 10 lbs. in 2 months.
I probably am not the best spokesperson for Weight Watchers, as I only did it for a couple of months, but I will say that I believe that it absolutely works.
Here’s my story:
Prior to the last few years, I had NEVER been overweight. In fact, I maintained a very lean athletic physique. However, when I got into the swing of teaching and working on my Masters Degree in a place where I spent most of my time sitting in traffic, the weight began to pile on. My youthful quick metabolism rapidly became slow. Going to the gym was proving to be absolutely impossible for me. Before I knew it, I was 40 pounds overweight.
Confident that I could lose weight just as easily as I had all along, I didn’t really see it as a big deal. I didn’t stop eating fast food at late hours of the night and I certainly had no concerns about the foods that I ate anyhow.
Recently, I decided to be proactive about my weight loss - joining a Women’s Basketball team. I quickly realized that I needed to get back into optimal conditioning quickly and in a manner that was healthy for me. Keeping up with 18, 19, and 20 year old girls was proving to be daunting for my young 27 year old body.
So, I got serious - joined WW and began working out at 5 in the morning. The reality is that the program can work if you are willing to do the work. Before Weight Watchers, I’d already been calorie counting so doing this was easy for me. Despite the fact that they do not require their members to work out, it is strongly encouraged.
I have such a strong base of individuals that are working out with me so going to WW meetings didn’t quite benefit me. However, I do follow the guidelines for living that it has offered me. Though one person may have a horrible experience with something, someone else may not.
I would, however, recommend WW to someone looking for an excellent alternative to dieting and a positive plan for a lifestyle change.
I am about to join WW after I see a nutritionist first for my thyroid disease to see if it a wise wise choice. Does anyone else out there have a thyroid issue? And if so, what has your endo dr suggested? I went from hyperthyroidism to hypothyroidism after 2 treatments & can not get the weight off no matter how less I eat or how much I exercise.
I have went to weight watchers and lost about 20 pounds and then went off it when I became a girl scout leader due to lack of time. Now that summer is here, I am back on it. I am losing weight again. Weight watchers works as long as you stay focused. I have hypothyroidism and am still able to lose weight. It might be slower than most of the other people, but for weight to stay off, it is best to take it off slow. Exercise is promoted at weight watchers as it is very necessary to be successful. Weight watchers is not a diet, but a lifelong change. They promote changing small habits, one at a time until they become a habit. They do offer 2 programs for different personalities. The one you count your points throughout the day and the other you eat the foods that are allowed on the “core” program which are your healthier non processed foods, but you don’t need to count points as you go by your degree of hunger. Personally, I am doing the flex, but am eating mostly core foods as I don’t trust myself enough to just go by my degree of hunger. I want to know exactly how many points I am eating. In three weeks, I have lost over 6 pounds. The program does work, but it is hard work. The recommend not losing more than 3 pounds a week. They also recommend taking a multi vitamin and allowing for 2 oils such as olive oil or canola, etc. Drinking 6-8 ounces of water is key as is exercize. It is recommended for those of us that have a lot of weight to lose. I have about 50 pounds to lose and I am going to do it!
hi, to eveyone out there.
I am visting this website and come across these
reviews,they are all great and yes each has his/her own opinions, will i’d like to add mine here, i joined weight watchers in may of this year, and from the start they were great , no one tried to push , or make me buy nothing , they even let me use my old program right alone with theis, same foods , ect , yes we talk about exercises, its true they dont force you to do them , you’ve got to want to lose weight on your own. my other program was the same ,they are there for encouragement and
support, it’s working for me, i keep points.
I joined WW in Dec. 2006. I have Crohns Disease (which makes your weight yo-yo) + I have an artificial hip (which really limits excercise). I was also 52 yrs. old. The most important thing I was… was determined! I might also add that I am an extremely picky eater. I don’t eat vegetables (other than potatoes), I don’t eat salads & I only like seasonal fruit & not many of those. But I joined WW & made it work for me. We had an @ work meeting so it was convenient. At the end of our first 13-week session I had reached my 10% (20 lb. loss). We joined again & @ the end of the next 13-
wk. session (Oct. 2006) I had reached my goal (-50 lbs.). When the next session started I was on maintenance. In January I became lifetime. The only catch was I didn’t realize that I hadn’t measured my height in many years. When I did I found out that I was 2″ shorter than I thought I was. I went into weight loss mode again to take off the extra 10 lbs. which I did. I was now down 60 lbs. I had gone from 207.6 lbs. down to 147.6.
I eat pretty normally now (& always did really, now in moderation). I still eat my favorites (chicken-fried steak & pizza), I just realize that those are for special occassions & I can’t do that on a daily basis. I also realized that @ almost 147 lbs. I was on the high end of the weight chart so I wanted to lose a little more. I just had my monthly weigh in & I weighed 137.6. I am very pleased & happy in my new lifestyle. I am a 54 yr. old woman who is 5′6″ & weigh 137. I’m done! I did it. I recommend WI to everyone I know. If I can do it, anyone can!
I agree with the original person who posted their story. I joined WW over 20 years ago when the probram was by food groups, I was always satisfied and found it hard at times to eat all my food each day. I became a lifetime member and also worked for WW as a receptionist. When the program changed to the point system I found it hard to manage my points. Since I am a small person I did not get enough points even with the extras for the week, my points ran out by lunchtime. I still follow the old program, it is easier and I am able to eat more food each day. Weight Watchers, please go back to
the old program!! Working at WW, I saw much more success with the members back then. I think that the point system leaves too much room for cheating and failure, but, WW is making more money this way.
After reading several good and bad WW reviews, I felt compelled to write of my own experience.
I agree that letting everyone eat what they want as long as they’re in their point zone is a little risky for some who lack discipline. The truth is, we can’t eat everything we want. I had a coworker who figured out she could keep eating her Jack-n-Box meal as long as she didn’t eat more than the one meal a day (not exaggerating). Obviously, this is not a healthy lifestyle choice, but it proves a point.
However, for the majority of us over-eaters/non-exercisers, WW make us think about what we put in our mouths and what being a couch potato does to our bodies and THAT is what starts a life change.
I was successful on WW but I think it’s a good idea to speak with a dietician about food facts/menu plans. There is also a myriad of resources on-line too for those who cannot afford to see a dietician or who just want more info.
Most of us became overweight because of unconscious eating. To lose weight, we have to do the exact opposite! That’s why it’s called a lifestyle change.
As a lifetime member of Weight Watchers, I struggle daily with food. Compare WW to AA, we meet, we share, we go on with a better attitude knowing we are not alone in the fight to keep weigh off. The whole concept here folks is a life style change, better food choices, eating healthy and staying active. If you failed, its your own fault, WW leaders are there to help, make friends with others in your meeting, you will get alot more out of it than being so negative.
I read some good and bad reviews on this site and I wanted to share my own experience. I joined Weight Watchers in 2003 and was able to lose the weight in the first year and keep it off for two years after that. During the time I stayed on the program, my cholesterol and blood sugar went to normal levels and I did not have to take medication.
Those who say that you can eat what you want as long as you stick to your points must not pay attention in the meetings. Our meeting coordinator always kept on our backs about making sure we got 3 to 5 vegetable/fruit servings per day. I had a hard time with this and she challenged me to eat a new veg/fruit every week to widen my palate.
The only reason I put the weight back on was because I stopped paying attention to what I ate and I stopped exercising. This week I started back on weight watchers with the knowledge this is a lifetime decision, not a quick diet. WW is beneficial as it is set up to be a lifetime commitment. Anyone who wants to stay healthy must make some kind of commitment to themselves to do so.
I too equate WW with AA. They are maintenance, reminder and support group meetings. I don’t mind that WW sells thing; I like the big green water jug I bought. Recording every thing that you eat in the Quick Track booklets is very effective. I’ve lost 12 pounds in 5 weeks.
Here’s the secret: eliminate sugar. Almost everyone attending WW is a sugar junkie. We love desserts, cookies, ice cream — anything with sugar. Eating sugar sets off an addictive reaction in me that makes me unable to stop eating surgar — for days. Then I read “Potatos Not Prozac,” which is aimed at AAs, and elminated ALL sugar. Now the cravings are gone and I’ve lost weight.