Weight Watchers (and its sister, Weight Watchers Canada) is a weight loss program that focuses on balanced low fat nutrition, exercise and group counseling. Despite changes in the titles of its programs and marketing, the fundamentals of Weight Watchers have not changed much over the years. Today you make a couple of choices in the basic program: you either follow a points-based system ("Flex Plan") of counting calories where every item of food from pizza to ice cream to carrots to bread has a points value based on its nutritional content or you follow a "core" plan where you focus on balanced nutrition without counting or tracking. The second Weight Watchers program choice is whether to attend meetings in person for group discussions and counseling or you have the choice of following the program online. You are encouraged to use an online resource called "eTools," along with a points "calculator" and recipes.
Weight Watchers programs have historically been excellent programs, but they are increasingly relying on gimmicks and slick marketing. The "new" plans are basically the former Weight Watchers "Winning Points Plan" with refreshed marketing. They advertise aggressively, trying to convince overweight people that they can lose weight without sacrificing the foods they love. Many times the points-based plans control portion size by allowing calories that should be consumed on healthy food with smaller 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 Weight Watchers programs don't put a priority on exercise, which is essential and probably the most important factor in permanent success. In our opinion, 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.
Having said all that, Weight Watchers is still one of the good guys in this industry of pill pushers, scam artists and unscrupulous "experts." The basic program costs $10-12 per week for the meetings, while the online plan is around $30 to join and $17 per month (discounts are taken for longer terms).
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