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
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.
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.
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.