Weight Watchers Program: Another View

A grande old dame of the industry, Weight Watchers tweaks its programs and refreshes its marketing periodically, but its fundamentals are the same today as they were over 40 years ago, when a few friends started regularly getting together to discuss and support each other through their weight loss ups and downs. Weight Watchers' mission for its members is the achievement of a comprehensively healthy lifestyle - a balance of mental, emotional and physical health - which will lead to a healthy body. The backbone of this process is a communal environment - the iconic Weight Watchers Group Meetings, led by a moderator - to educate, foster and support members to break bad behavior patterns regarding food, exercise, etc., and make healthier choices, permanently. Their line: "No one has to go it alone."

Today's Weight Watchers still has, as its core, the weekly group meetings for members to discuss their successes, failures and challenges in the weight loss battle - but it's expanded to include the Weight Watchers Online program for those unwilling or unable to attend meetings. The online program offers community forums for counseling and support with and from others, and all members have access to online information regarding nutrition and food choices for both groceries and restaurants, meal planning, exercise suggestions and support, calorie calculators and weight loss journals and tracking/progress charts to keep you on top of your efforts. Whether you choose to attend meetings or participate online, you must commit to one of the structured food plans they offer. The traditional Weight Watchers plan, now called the "Flex Plan", doesn't prohibit any foods but is built around a system of points awarded what and how much you eat, with a daily allotment of points you are allowed based on your body weight. Be warned that this plan requires administrative work on your part, with all of the counting and tracking of the points.

The other food plan offered is what's called the "Core Plan", which does not use points but allows you to control calories by operating off of a list of highly nutritious, low fat and low calorie foods (all food groups represented). The points-free thing is not as free form an approach as it sounds - you are eating small portions of super-healthy food, and must also participate in what's called the "Weekly Allowance" system, which is supposed to educate you and help you learn "flexible restraint" - which is basically learning to control your portions and your indulgences, but allowing yourself the occasional (weekly) treat so you don't collapse under the pressure of an impossibly strict way to live.

Exercise is emphasized and encouraged. Self-monitoring and accountability are encouraged through use of journals and trackers. These are good things. Another good thing is that their food plans are not built around their private label food products - so you're learning and adapting to shop and cook the way you will, and will need to, for life. Downsides? It is not the cheapest program on the block. Also, the public nature of the group meetings and the sharing of the travails may not appeal to some, who would prefer anonymity in the weight loss struggle. Though - the online program does address that issue. Another - arguable - downside is that the "it takes a village" approach of Weight Watchers is fundamentally at odds with what one needs to attack and defeat such a personal and deep-rooted a problem as obesity and/or a chronic inability to lose excess weight: ambition, self-discipline and self-reliance. If you can't find and fuel these traits on your own, will you find them and fan the flames in a conference room? Perhaps the support and encouragement of others in the same boat is enough. Regardless, Weight Watchers is a good program, borne of good intentions, sticking to its philosophy to help people improve their lives.