For over 40 years, Weight Watchers has been one of the leaders in helping people effectively lose weight and live a more healthy and active life. And for good reason – the program works! It’s a tried and true method for fast and easy weight loss. The Weight Watchers program helps dieters create a new set of habits around eating and exercising.
Weight Watchers is an international company specializing in dieting and weight maintenance. It was founded in Brooklyn, New York in 1963 and now operates in 30 countries around the world. The company defines a minimum weight requirement (based on a member’s height) to protect against anorexia. The member may choose a target weight, рerhaрs determined in consultation with his or her doctor.
What is the maintenance stage?
When members reach their target weight, they move on to the maintenance stage. Over a period of six weeks, they learn to maintain their target weight and become lifetime members. Then they must weigh themselves at least once a month. Members who weigh more than 2 pounds (0.91 kg) above their target weight are charged the weekly fee until they return to their target weight range. Lifetime members who remain within that range may attend weekly meetings for free.
What are the different plans?
Core Plan
The Weight Watchers Core Plan classifies certain types of food as “core”. These healthy foods from all food groups, include fruits, vegetables, fat-free dairy, lean meats, and whole grains. Dieters may eat such foods until they are satisfied, but not feeling full. They do not have to weigh, measure, or track the core foods they eat. They may also consume non-core foods, which are assigned the usual point values. Participants are allotted uр to 35 points рer week for non-core foods. By exercising, participants also earn additional points that can be spent on non-core foods. The dieter should follow these guidelines to reach a level of satisfaction without the feeling of a full stomach.
Flex Plan
Flex Plan dieters are assigned a number of points each day depending on their gender, height, current weight, age, and level of physical activity. Food servings are assigned points and dieters must not go over the point budget. As with the Core Plan by exercising they can increase their points. They also get 35 flex points рer week that may be used at any time. This diet is in contrast to diets such as the South Beach diet or the Atkins Diet which forbid some foods and allow others in any desired quantity. In fact, new members are given a cardboard slide rule to helр them calculate the points. Weight Watchers sells a book that lists thousands of foods so dieters can calculate their points when they go out to eat.
The Weight Watchers Point System
No calorie measurement is involved with the Weight Watchers diet program. The foods involved with the core meal plan are healthy foods encompassing all the food groups such as vegetables, fruits, meats and grains. Point values are also used for foods that are outside the core plan. Participants are also encouraged to consume these foods with exercise. The input of exercise in the weight loss program of Weight Watcher is also responsible for the more flexible choice of meal plans provided to the proponents of the program to choose from.
More flexible options and less restricted food choices are allowed for Weight Watchers participants as long as they offset them with exercise. Participants are further provided with guided steps on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout their life membership with Weight Watchers. The Weight Watchers Diet does not require dieters to eat less. Instead, it promotes smart eating. No foods are disallowed on the program. Each food is given points. The bases of the points are fat, fiber content and calorie. The Points System assists the dieter in obtaining more value out of what they eat.
Their easy-to-understand Points System is one reason that Weight Watchers falls into the category of diets that work. In the Weight Watchers program, each food is assigned a number of points. And with over 27,000 different kinds of food in their system, there is more than enough great ones to choose from. All of this makes keeping the daily diet within the aррroрriate limits for weight loss easier. As long as the dieter keeps within their daily points range, and do some simple exercise every day, they can lose 5 lbs every 7 days, no problem! And remember, there is nothing they can’t eat, just as long as they keep within the daily points range.
Plus the dieters quickly get the hang of how many points each of their favorite foods are worth and keeping within the daily limit soon becomes like second nature. Another benefit is that if the dieter exercises, they will also get extra points rewarded in the Weight Watchers system, that they can use to eat more of whatever favorite food they are currently craving. Because Weight Watchers has literally four decades of experience helping people achieve all of their weight loss goals, they know what it takes to guide the dieters from where they are now to where they want to go smoothly and effectively.
Sample of Points
Below is an examрle of the allocation of points that the program has designed:
- No points for a cup of broccoli
- Two points for half a cup of cantaloupe
- Two points for a slice of bread
- Three points for a thirteen-ounce grilled chicken breast
- Four points for an ounce of chocolate
- Four points for a scoop of vanilla ice cream
- Five points for a bean of burrito
- Eight points for a sixteen-ounce steak
The point system designed by the program also helps you avoid hunger.
Does Weight Watchers have a support system?
Yes, Weight Watchers рrovides online support to their members through their Weight Watchers’ eTools with access to relevant support materials and weight tracking tools all for free. Choices include attending group meetings, participating in Weight Watchers online forums, phone or email. This program is dedicated to doing whatever it takes to help dieters get from point A to point B as easily and painlessly as possible.