This is the simplest way i can put it, I am overweight and would like to shed a few [or a LOT] of weight.
i am wondering if anyone here has been to weight watchers and what are their opinions about it.
and what is the age requirement, could i bring a young teen with me?
also, when yo weigh in, what is it like?
Best answer:
I'm not sure what you mean by options so I'll break that in to two or three different areas.
Options as to joining: There may be more or less options in your area and pricing varies by area so exact isn't easy
1. Pay a join fee and then pay by the week. For my area it's a $ 30 join fee and then $ 12 per week (you do pay for missed meetings unless the cost of missed weeks would be more than rejoining). Weekly fees normally run from $ 10 to $ 15 per week.
2. Buy a prepaid plan. The $ 30 join fee is waved. We have a 5 week plan for $ 76 and and 11 week plan for $ 110. If you miss a week, you still owe that week's coupon. Prepaid options prices will vary by area.
3. Monthly pass: Where available (it is not in my area) it is $ 39.95. This gives you access to a month's worth of weekly meetings and total access to the Weight Watcher's website (some parts of the website require you to pay for it - it normally runs about $ 20 a month for paying meetings members - but is included if you get the monthly pass). All in all this is the best deal if you can get it.
Before I go to the food plan options let's talk about kids coming. If the teen is between 14 and not yet 18 they can join, but they must bring with them a doctors slip stating it is approved for them to join and what their goal weight should be.) Younger than 14 can not join. They pay student rates - whatever they are in your area. They will usually be slightly less than regular members.
Food plan options
Flex points: That's the latest name (been around for a couple of years) for the points counting plans. Points are calculated based on calories, fat grams and fiber grams in a serving. All foods have points -although some foods have 0 points. You have a daily target of points you should eat (it's based on a quiz you take with factors including age, sex, height, activity level, etc). You also get an additional set of weekly points you can use during the week as you see fit. So you have weekly points and daily points.
Core Plan: This is sometimes referred to as the "no counting" plan but that's not exactly right. You have a list of specified foods you can eat from until SATISFIED not FULL. There is a big difference between those two words. Any foods not on the core foods list can still be eaten, but the points for them must be calculated and taken from a weekly points allowance (once the weekly allowance is gone for the week you would need to stick to core foods only).
Don't worry to much about these two food plans they will be explained to you at your first meeting.
Weigh ins: You are weighed in by one of the staff members. They never announce your weight to anyone. They may say how much you've lost, but if you request they not say it, they will just write it in your log book and hand it back to you.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
Generic Version - Weight Watcher Points Guide
If you are on a Weight Watchers diet or similiar point counting diet...then this guide is for you.If you are on a Weight Watchers diet or similiar point counting diet...then this guide is for you.
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Weight Watchers Point Calculator: The Pros & Cons of the Weight Watchers Point System
Article by Tobius Whitman
Weight Watchers Points Program is commercially successful, however with such weight loss tools it is important for participants to get a good idea of the program and how it works. This article provides a brief point view of the Pros & Cons of the Weight Watchers Point System that allows anyone to obtain an overview about how the program works and the benefits it can off. Hopefully this will help you make the decision whether or not Weight Watchers Point System is for you.
Weight Watchers Point System - The Pros:
- Weight Watchers Programs balance a nutritional diet, with counselling and exercise, which are the keys to both healthy weight loss and healthy living.
- The programs nutritional values never leaves dieters feeling hungry or lethargic, it maintains the body's metabolism rate and avoids creating fat stores within the body (starvation leads to fat stores).
- A very nutritional diet program with recipes and meals being provided to members that are directly related to the Weight Watchers Point System. Dieters are able to keep these materials themselves.
- One of the few major programs to offer face-to-face support.
- It is also a flexible program that can be conducted online through help forums for meetings, or not attending meetings all together and simply using the program tools such as the Weight Watchers Online Point Calculator.
- The Points program doesn't just provide dieters with a solid diet program, but also avoids pill pushing and starvation techniques, and educates the dieter on potion control and the nutritional value certain foods have.
- The Weight Watchers Point System takes the worry out of weight loss as dieters have a freedom of choice within their diet as no foods are "off-limit" and its flexibility enures everyday use no matter what type of schedule the member has.
- An incredible number of positive testimonials and commercial success that is based just as much on results as successful marketing.
Weight Watchers Point System - The Cons:
- The Weight Watchers Point System heavily relies on gimmicks to sell the product. Whether it is the Weight Watchers Points, Weight Watchers Point Chart, and Weight Watchers Point Calculator etc. These devices are aggressively marketed to prospective dieters in attempt to make the process appear easy.
- Advertising also convinces overweight people that they can lose weight without sacrificing the foods they love. The truth however is that through the Weight Watchers Point System, and Weight Watchers Point Calculator, dieters are only able to eat tiny portions of the unhealthy food to fit within the point schedule.
- From various studies, on average only 5% of dieters maintain weight loss byond five years from starting the program and in these cases it has usually been achieved via long-term therapy that can be expensive.
- The use of therapy and meeting attendance within the Weight Watchers Program can potentially prevent development of self-discipline and reliance.
- There have been a number of testimonials reporting the meetings within the Weight Watchers Program as annoying and expensive, and that a competitive nature is fostered.
- Dieters have also reported becoming obsessed with food within he program due to the extensive focus on managing points within the Weight Watchers Point System.
In concluding it is clear that the Weight Watchers Points plans offer both positives and negatives for the dieter. Understanding these aspects, as well as conducting an honest self-analysis of yourself is critical to identifying whether or the plan is for you. Most of the negative aspects of the Weight Watchers Points System can be mitigated through the use of tools and support such as the Weight Watchers Point Calculator, and Weight Watchers Point Chart etc. However the conclusion drawn by Dr. Stanley Heshka, author of the Weight Watchers Program study within the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) is a must to consider for any prospective Weight Watch Dieters:
"...while Weight Watchers and similar programs may work for some people, they clearly don't work for everyone. Programs have the best chances of working if they feel natural to the people following them, otherwise the weight loss is too difficult to maintain. It works as long as you stay with it."
SOURCE: Journal of the American Medical Association 2003;289:1792-1798,1833-1836.
Orignal From: Weight WAtchers?
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