How was
Weight Watchers started? Weight
Watchers was created by Jean Nidetch in the early 60’s. It began in her basement
where she would meet with her friends once a week to discuss the best ways to
lose weight. Today, that group of friends has grown to include millions of men
and women from around the world. With the help of numerous products and services
developed by Weight Watchers, people from Brazil to New Zealand, come together
each week to help each other meet their weight-loss goals. [
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How
does Weight Watchers work? The
Weight Watchers program focuses on balanced low-fat nutrition, exercise and group
counseling. Its latest diet plan, called "TurnAround", is based on its successful
"Flexpoints Plan" and "Winning Points Plan." Every
item of food from ice cream, to carrots, to bread, is assigned a "point" value
based on it's nutritional content. You'll be given a daily "point" target (determined
by your weight) to control your calorie intake and help you loose weight. You
can use your points however you choose as long as you stay within your total allotment
of points. During the week, you'll keep track of the food you eat and the corresponding
points for these foods. You'll be encouraged to use Weight Watchers online resource
called "eTools" for assistance, along with Weight Watchers' points "calculator"
and recipes. Weight Watchers also encourages
members to attend group discussions and counseling sessions once a week. At each
meeting, attendees will be weighed and have their loss (or gain) recorded. "Leaders"--
who have achieved lifetime status as successful Weight Watchers-- provide support
and encouragement, and share recipes and other weight-loss tips. You can also
use Weight Watchers "at-home" program if you prefer not to attend meetings. [
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What are the Pro's of Weight Watchers?
Weight Watchers is extremely
flexible about the foods you can eat; in fact, you can literally eat anything,
as long as you keep track of your "points" and don't exceed your daily allowances.
Unlike other popular diet programs, Weight Watchers does not require drastic removal
of any specific food or food group. For dieters
who need encouragement, Weight Watchers weekly meetings and weigh-ins are motivational
and supportive. Meetings are widely available throughout the US and around the
world. Plus, the vast supply of resources and helpful information make Weight
Watchers extremely educational for anyone new to dieting or weight loss. [
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What
are the Con's of Weight Watchers? Although
using "points"-- or "calorie-counting", will eventually help
you loose weight and raise your awareness of the caloric value of foods, it does
very little to help you develop long-term, overall healthy eating habits. Because
the point-based system allows calories to be consumed from almost any source,
it gives the dieter a false sense of nutritional well-being. Unless you can continue
to track calories and count points forever, you will eventually have to change
the foods you eat. The program also puts very
little priority on exercise, which is essential for long-term weight loss. And
many may actually find counting points and tracking foods quite cumbersome. [
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