weight watchers: does it work?

I've gotten to the point where I need help loosing weight. I don't know what I'm doing. I have a really boring exercise routine and instead of a balanced diet, I find myself skipping meals and if I eat a lot for one meal, I'll skip the next. I need more person-to-person motivation.

I've been debating weight watchers and whether it is worth the $12-per-meeting fee. I am a college student, so it is spending the little money I have for myself, but if it will get me results, I am so there.

Has anyone tried weight watchers? ANY input would be very valuable.

Hi, this is not set in stone but I can only talk about the people I know who have or are doing weight watchers, and for them yes they have lost the weight but as soon as they stop going they start to put it back on. I'm sure there are loads of people who have found it successful but I don't know any of them. If CC isn't giving the motivation you feel you need join a good gym. Remember with WW you still have to do it on your own.

I do WW and find it excellent.  Having said that, I don't go to meetings but just follow the plan myself.  I've found that I either have the motivation or I don't, and going to meetings doesn't make any difference to me. 

The plan really encourages healthy, balanced eating, and rewards exercise.  For motivation though, I really find CC helps me - I have made great friends here and they support and encourage me - I'd recommend hanging out on the forums and getting a support network going.

Good luck!

From my personal experience only:

WW is great if you don't understand the process of losing weight.  They give you the tools to count your food, log your exercise and make overall healthy choices.  I didn't stick with it (and even didn't lose while I was on it).  Mostly because I don't do well in a classroom/group therapy type situations which is what it felt like to me.  Some people gain great support from this kind of thing, but it wasn't for me.

If you don't know the basics about weight loss and motivation, it's a great tool.  Otherwise, this site is wonderful if you haven't been here long enough to learn that.  I've gained more from the wonderful supportive people I talk to on here (for free I might add) than I ever did from weight watchers.   The people on this site are so helpful and if you ask in a polite way, usually very kind and supportive.  We're all still learning how to live better, some are just further down the road than others and they can help us navigate our path and get up after a stumble.

This turned kinda mushy but I love CC!

WW works if you approach it the right way.  The best way to lose weight is to eat healthy (real) food, watch the portions and do some exercise.  The WW points system allows you to watch the portions and by making things like vegetables 'free' it does encourage you to eat more healthily.  What you have to resist is the temptation to 'waste' too many points on junk because that doesn't really improve your long-term eating habits.  And do beware of all those WW products they push.   They may be low point but they're not healthy.

The support rather depends on the group you get and how good the leader is.   If you get a good leader you'll find it very useful.  Treat WW as a springboard to a healthier lifestyle and you'll get a lot out of it.   Treat it as 'a diet' and the effect will only be temporary.

Everyone has hit the nail on the head. WW is amazing if you have no conept of how to identify healthy foods. Once you understand the points system, (or the core plan), you're really just going to the meetings for accountability in your weight loss. I have done WW three times. And don't get me wrong, they offer a great service and support network, but what I found was that they don't teach you how to eat right. They specifically will tell you at the meeting not to deprive yourself of the foods that you want. They tell you that it you want that chesseburger and fries, then have it. But know that you basically can't eat for the rest of the day. They don't emphasis the importance of good fats versus bad fats, or the correct balance of carbs, proteins, and fiber. WW is great if you really don't want to have to think about what your eating.

The first time I did WW, I lost 50 pounds in four months. WW was perfect for me because I had 2 full time jobs and commuted to college, (160 miles roundtrip), full time. I had no time to think about or even prepare food. WW is great for busy people who really don't have the time. After I lost the weight, I stopped going to meetings thinking that I could do it on my own. BIG MISTAKE! I gained it all back in three months, plus another ten. With WW, you have to be in it for the long haul or else it won't work.

WW is really a good program, but CC is better. But if you need that accountability each week, then I think it's worth it. Losing the weight is worth twelve dollars a week. Right now they are doing free registration, so it's a good time to look into it if your serious. If you are going to do it, I reccommend getting the monthly pass. It's $39.99 a month, but you get to go to unlimited meetings, (it's helpful if you feel like your struggling), and you also get unlimited use of E-Tools. It's exactly like CC in every way, but it's catered to the WW plans.

I also know someone who has been on WW for a year or two, and she's lost a lot of weight, she loves it! She even allows herself some vices (diet soda-I guess its not that bad but its not really good for you either. Or candy in moderation, cheese burgers etc. )

She doesn't go to the meetings though...just does it by herself. As i said though, she loves it. She keeps having to buy new clothes, and it seems to work pretty consistantly. She's only hit one or two plateau's in that entire time.

im a lifetime member but strayed when i moved to another country. i tried going here again but couldn't find the place so just gave up.  i gained some of the weight back but that's also because of the learning curve of eating healthy with different brands & trying to find where the healthy foods are that i like to eat.  i finally am getting the hang of it, but to further my eating education in this country i started again (not to mention my wedding coming up)  i only have 15 lbs to lose until i am back to goal but then plan to attend the meetings once a month for the motivation & monitoring. even as some what a veteran im surprised that my typical portion size has increased again. but ww has always strongly encouraged me to eat healthy foods. they do allow you to treat yourself though. even though i knew it myself, they did speak about getting enough fiber, protein, fruits/vegs and calcium.  they also say to have tblsp of good fat like olive oil, the core plan really emphasizes that. the only thing is the advice depends on the leader, you have to find a good one.  i would say try it only if you need outside motivation & accountability.  i need the occasional pep talk & reminder about things that i know. day to day life can some times make me lose focus.  they also encourage activity at just about every meeting i've been to.

Weight watchers has a formula you can use, if you have a calculator handy.

(# Calories divided by 50) + (grams of fat divided by 12) - (grams of fiber up to 4, divded by 5).

So say you're eating a bowl of cereal with 130 calories, 4 grams of fat, and 3 grams of fiber.

   130   +   4    -   3    =  1.75 points.
    50       & nbsp; 12       5

Depending on your weight, you need a certain amount of points.

I am between 170 and 200 pounds, and I need 26 points.
If you are around 200 - 230 , you should have 28.
If you are between 140 and 170, you should have 24.

And so on.  Don't hold me to the exact points, but they should be about right.  And don't forget that you have 35 flex points per week, and those are random points that you can use... your allowed 35 cheat points.

The only way I have been successful in losing weight is with WW. I lost about 35 lbs about 4 years ago and have since gained it all back after I decided I didn't need to spend $10/wk to get weighed.  Now my daughter is getting married in August and I want to get serious about my health and look better at the wedding.  Fortunately, my company just started a program that reimburses me for the meeting costs, which are not cheap.

The program is easy to follow and has some flexibility that permits you to deal with things like parties, travel or special events. The food products sold at the meetings are also very expensive, fortunately there are so many low cal products on the market now. Most all of these 100 calorie packs are 2 WW points, so that simplifies snacking. I usually give myself one "free" day per week, Saturday which also happens to be my WW meeting day. I don't count my points and pretty much eat what I want. I have still lost 11 pounds in four weeks, starting at 317.

I found this website while looking for calorie information to calculate the WW points for my lunch. I am glad it is out there.

I love weight watchers.  I have been on the program for a while, and I just made goal last week! I had been the same weight for YEARS (around 155), and I just assumed that was my equalibrium weight. I am a vegetarian, and I used to survive on grains/cheese. WW taught me how to eat and to manage my calories...I was never an overeater, but I learned how to live my life without feeling deprived of the foods I like.  Now I weigh 135, and I never thought it was possible. I agree with the others though, you can do it on cc if you know the basics and don't like the "therapy feeling." Personally, I need and enjoy the supportive atmosphere. It is 30 minutes, once a week, where I can focus entirely on my physical goals.

I quit WW for a while, and did cc alone. The trouble I had with cc is that WW rewards you for high fiber/healthy foods (aka they are low in points) versus me having to make decisions where calories was the only factor.  Once I hit maintence, I will be on CC for everything! It is a great site, I just need the support of WW for now. Good luck!  

i did weight watchers and i LOVED it. the meetings are great and actually being accountable and having to weigh in before meeting is good as well. i lost over 15 pounds in less than 3 months. im starting weight watchers again this summer, i'm excited. i definitely recommend it.

i agree with most of the above--WW is great as a tool to learn how to eat/exercise to lose weight and to maintain it.  the recent program is not only about "points" but also about healthy choices in terms of nutritional quality. they provide these cool little points calcualtors to figure out the points in each food as well as the points you earn by exercising.

after the first 10 weeks you have learned the whole program and will only need to go if you find the meetings helpful.  i found it helpful to weigh in at the meetings each week.  i also liked sharing ideas for low calorie foods and for dealing with tough situations. 

i suggest joining with a friend to keep you motivated and to share the joy at weigh ins.

however if you need to save money i found the south beach diet book which you can get on half.com for a few dollars a great source of nutritional information and i am a Ph.D. and have read too many nutritional books to keep track of.  Also, for $65 per year, the Calorieking.com website offers a great training program that teaches you lots about weightloss/exercise/nutrition similar to what you would learn at WW.

 

 

Well I just signed up with their free week online & liked the ease of it so much that I am doing 3 months online for $65.  I am not a meeting type of person & realistically am too busy to schedule another thing in. Lost 4 pounds the first week so I am really encouraged that the 3 months is going to be the ticket to get rid of the last 36 lbs. I joined a may challenge group online to lose another 10 by the end of may but seriously hoping for more than that! 

Points are easy & some do core which just give you lists of acceptable items & you don't have to track at all, just stop eating when you are full.  I still come to CC to keep an eye on sodium levels of food since I have pre-hypertension. 

But it's really just whatever works for you - keep trying & you will find it!

best wishes are your journey!

-Julie