Wieghtwatchers, your views please

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Replies

  • I was responsible for packaging Weight Watchers foods for over 10 years. Entrees, puddings, dessert toppings, salad dressings, mousse mixes, pizzas, hundreds of items. Believe it or not, these products are not affiliated with the Weight Watchers programs in any way. They were owned, manufactured, packaged and sold by the H.J. Heinz Company. We tried to infiltrate the Program by sending "leader kits" full of samples out to group leaders, but never succeeded in becoming integrated. As a many-time member of Weight Watchers, I know they have a few small snack items and soups now for sale at each meeting, but they never make any reference "my" products out in the grocery store. The reason seemed to be that the promotion of packaged foods was at odds with their philosophy with healthy planning, healthy shopping, healthy cooking, healthy eating.
    Those who I personally know that relied on the program foods during their weight loss with WW, gained everything and more back when they stopped using the foods on their journey.
    I think you might be confusing it with another plan, one where there are program foods.

    Weight Watchers has a line of foods you can use to aid your point counting. There are freezers full of them at the grocery store. They aren't compulsory, but they are available.
  • Bernadette60614
    Bernadette60614 Posts: 707 Member
    Yes, but it isn't some "magic". WW's point system encourages eating lower fat, higher fiber, more nutrient dense foods...but like any program, there are always ways to rationalize overeating and still "keeping" the program, e.g.,the person who eats 10 "0" point bananas.

    For me, the key is finding a leader and a group of attendees you feel "click" with you. My most inspiring leader focused on how to solve problems...how to manage eating out, nightime bingeing, et al. It was helpful to have other women (it is usually women) who you can commiserate with, who encourage you when you're slipping, who notice if you don't attend.

    But, like anything else...if you don't change your habits, if you just view it as a "diet" that you can go off of once you get to goal...you will inevitably gain it back.
  • Oh, and as for fruit? One day a banana was a 2, the next day it was a 0. I asked my WW leader how they could possibly justify such a thing (I think she really hated my questions), and her response was "common sense - I think everyone can agree we're all smart women here".

    The reason I finally quit them for good was because every group in my area seemed to be geared towards seniors, and I had trouble finding a buddy - I need my buddies to stay motivated.
  • dezb64
    dezb64 Posts: 109 Member
    I have been a lifetime member of WW since I was 11. I have lost weight many times on their program long before they developed the points system and I have gained it back at warp speed. I have always found that they do not encourage you to really exercise. Yes they say go for a walk and that's about it. Exercise is the key to keeping it off. I rarely every broke a sweat on WW and took 2 1/2 years to loose 80 lbs. It's hard to follow a program when the most you ever loose is 1/4 lb a week. As an earlier post said "its a business" and you need to remember that. Whatever you choose to do you need to track everything you eat and be honest with your self.
  • MarlaVSings
    MarlaVSings Posts: 66 Member
    I had success with WW many years ago (several versions of the plan ago). I re-gained the weight and have stopped and restarted WW many times since my initial success until I eventually just quit completely and moved on.

    Although I have not had success with the newer versions of the plan, I still think it is a great way to learn basic nutrition, serving sizes, and to truly get some perspective on how unhealthy some foods could be. I was blown away when I found out how many points are in a Big Mac, and how I could make a complete dinner for about half the points. It was a great learning experience.

    Try to stick to whole foods as much as possible. I noticed during weeks were I ate within my points but wasn't following the healthy guidelines (eating too many empty calories), I wouldn't lose weight. Good luck!
  • MarlaVSings
    MarlaVSings Posts: 66 Member
    I think it's a program that probably worked in the past. The changed up their program and STUPIDLY have made fruits and vegetables "0 point" foods.

    Yup, that's when it stopped working for me.
  • RoadsterGirlie
    RoadsterGirlie Posts: 1,195 Member
    I lost 90 lbs and have kept it off for two years with Weight Watchers (online on/y). I don't buy any special foods - I just track my food and yes i do embrace the zero point veggies and fruits.

    It's a tool like any other, that keeps you in a calorie deficit. Please keep in mind that the 26 or 29 points you get for losing equals to be about 1200 calories, so if you eat the free veggies and fruits you will most likely be at around 1400, which is a good amount for the average woman to lose weight.

    The reason I've kept it off is I continued to track in maintenance, and plan on doing it for life.
  • LB30
    LB30 Posts: 109 Member
    I think it's a program that probably worked in the past. The changed up their program and STUPIDLY have made fruits and vegetables "0 point" foods.

    Yup, that's when it stopped working for me.

    Most of the vegetables have been free on several version of the program, except starchier, sugarier ones like carrots?, corn, certain types of squash, etc. Those you had to count. Why they suddenly decided to make fruit AND veggies free, I'll never understand. Some of those veg still don't fall into the free category, so why does a nice, dense banana?
  • ksmithnh
    ksmithnh Posts: 68 Member
    I lost 68 lbs in a year on WW (their first version of the points program). Unfortunately I've gained it all back plus, but that's on me. I do think that after following the WW program on and off for so long, it got pretty stale for me. Its a great program though, easy to follow, puts more emphasis on healthy foods than just counting calories (the high fiber, lean protein, fruits/veggies are all lower points than any processed or high carb choices) and gives great support through the website and the meetings. I think it really depends on what you're looking for and what kind of support and tools will best motivate you.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    Why they suddenly decided to make fruit AND veggies free, I'll never understand. Some of those veg still don't fall into the free category, so why does a nice, dense banana?
    It wasn't that sudden. I started on the Core program when it was a new alternative to the Flex program, I'm thinking around 10 years ago. All fresh produce was free, so was all lean protein, eggs, oatmeal, and some limited whole grains. I lost 50 lbs. and earned lifetime membership on it. While this was going on, there was a program in England with free produce that was also doing well.

    But many people found it was too little counting/restriction so they combined into what they think was the best of both worlds.

    They're always making new plans to incorporate new info they get from members and their results and new discoveries in the field. And, of course, because a NEW PLAN is a good marketing tool, too.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,742 Member
    I've never tried it because the idea of meeting up with people in real life from my own area and having to weigh in...LOL...that would NEVER in a zillion years have happened for me. I would have had about 60 separate problems and even phobias with the very idea of that. I'm very much a solo flyer when it comes to weight loss (and in total I have lost over 100 lb)...that's just personal preference.

    I guess they have some sort of WW Online program...don't know much about that, but I assume it is more expensive than the $0 I pay for MFP so I don't see the point, personally.

    Then again I don't know much about it. Just my POV.

    FWIW I had a former boss who went from size 20 to size 6 on WW in the 90s and has kept it off to this day. She stopped going to meetings after she lost the weight and also went vegetarian and started kickboxing. So clearly a lot of major lifestyle/dietary changes there too but she swore WW helped her learn to keep the weight off.
  • LB30
    LB30 Posts: 109 Member
    Why they suddenly decided to make fruit AND veggies free, I'll never understand. Some of those veg still don't fall into the free category, so why does a nice, dense banana?
    It wasn't that sudden. I started on the Core program when it was a new alternative to the Flex program, I'm thinking around 10 years ago. All fresh produce was free, so was all lean protein, eggs, oatmeal, and some limited whole grains. I lost 50 lbs. and earned lifetime membership on it. While this was going on, there was a program in England with free produce that was also doing well.

    But many people found it was too little counting/restriction so they combined into what they think was the best of both worlds.

    They're always making new plans to incorporate new info they get from members and their results and new discoveries in the field. And, of course, because a NEW PLAN is a good marketing tool, too.

    I remember the Core program. I preferred Flex for more accountability. (And MFP for even more accountability.) I just think they didn't really think through the "free fruit" option as well as they could have. Either way, I could never bash the entire system. It did work for me once. But I have also read all those reviews regarding weight gain following Fruit-Gate and I believe it was, at best, a poorly communicated change. But WW can work, if that is your style, and you go in understanding that nothing is truly "free". Moderation in all things. And I will be the first to admit, when I get back to my LT member weight, I'll probably go weigh in for some additional motivation....And for a Hell Yeah! for myself. :wink:
  • knra_grl
    knra_grl Posts: 1,568 Member
    You'll hear all sorts of opinions on this, but my view is yes, it can work but a LOT of people put the weight back on after they stop buying the program foods. I think it would be a better investment to get some good cross-trainers, a DVD workout, a digital food scale, and a heart rate monitor and eat real foods in a sustainable manner. Foods you can prepare yourself without the added sodium to preserve it. Foods you can control the portions and contents of.

    Don't be afraid of making your way through figuring out what works best. It'll all work out in the end!

    Good luck!

    You don't need to buy any weightwatchers foods, all the programme does is teach you portion control with healthy foods. There's actually nothing that you can't eat as long as you keep within the "points" allowance. I did weightwatchers for years and got to my goal weight four years ago. I maintained that for a while but have regained about half of what I lost over the last 18 months or so. I now follow the same diet but count the calories on MFP instead of points, and one thing I never have are ready meals!

    I'd suggest giving ww a go for a month or two to get into good habits, then save your money and log on MFP when you get the hang of it - good luck!! :smile:

    I actually like the bagels and english muffins - the bagels because they are the right size and both because I love breakfast sandwiches lol

    I did WW for a while - I dropped a few pounds but didn't stick with it - I prefer this site over anything so far as I can enter my information myself and I don't have to "report" to anyone once a week. This has been working better for me but that is personal preference. I don't agree with the 0 value on foods though, you should log everything so you are aware of what you are putting in your body and see the nutritional value of the foods you eat.
  • Iwishyouwell
    Iwishyouwell Posts: 1,888 Member
    Oh, and as for fruit? One day a banana was a 2, the next day it was a 0. I asked my WW leader how they could possibly justify such a thing (I think she really hated my questions), and her response was "common sense - I think everyone can agree we're all smart women here".

    Yeah. I read a post, with a ton of supplies, trying to figure out how WW had 0 points for fruit, but when said fruit was blended in a smoothie, or cut up and spread across cereal, suddenly the points magically came back. They were told by WW that fruits blended, pureed, or cut up in cereals somehow magically lost their fiber and thus the body procesed them differenty.

    Which is A, stupid, and B hilarious considering they also made applesauce a 0 calorie food.
  • mittenswillet
    mittenswillet Posts: 697 Member
    .Which is A, stupid, and B hilarious considering they also made applesauce a 0 calorie food.

    ....makes you wonder how many points are in " corporate spoonfed bs" ... lol
  • ChancyW
    ChancyW Posts: 437 Member
    As a few posters have also said, I have known many people who have had amazing results. I, however, know no one who has gotten off of the program and maintained their results. This is in no way saying that people who go off of the program will fail, I just don't know of any people personally.

    If you think it will be the catalyst that will launch you on a fantastic weight loss journey, then by all means give it a shot!
  • RoadsterGirlie
    RoadsterGirlie Posts: 1,195 Member
    As a few posters have also said, I have known many people who have had amazing results. I, however, know no one who has gotten off of the program and maintained their results. This is in no way saying that people who go off of the program will fail, I just don't know of any people personally.

    If you think it will be the catalyst that will launch you on a fantastic weight loss journey, then by all means give it a shot!

    It's all numbers. If you eat at a calorie deficit, you will lose weight. Once you hit goal, you will increase your points to where you can maintain the loss and not lose any more. Hitting maintenance is not supposed to mean going off of the program - it means increasing your daily points until you no longer lose weight.

    What happens though, just like on MFP or any other calorie tracking program, if you go off of it, you know longer know what the numbers are, and most likely end up eating at a surplus. Calorie surplus = weight gain.

    I've never missed a day of tracking on Weight Watchers in over three years, and I have maintained ALL of my weight loss since hitting goal two years ago. I have not gained a pound back.
  • sarahinsunshine
    sarahinsunshine Posts: 4 Member
    I was on WW most of last year and lost 25 lbs in 6 months. It was very successful, for me, but in the end it was too pricey. I used only the online so I wasn't going to meetings.

    There is debate about what a "point" equates to but it's suggested by many users that it's 40-50 calories. So for people like me on the minimum points, it was 1000-1200 calories per day. Which meant I had plenty of room to snack on an apple or grab some carrots. There were a lot of posts on the forums warning not to go overboard on the produce. WW also gives you weekly points as an option and you're recommended to eat your activity points. I never ate activity or weekly points but some forum posters swore by it, just like some MFP posters insist you should eat exercise calories. WW is also very focused on weighing and measuring so you're tracking accurately, just like MFP.

    I think the biggest difference between the two tools is WW TALKS about healthy guidelines, but you're not really tracking against them. So there's no real way to see if you're actually getting enough protein, healthy fats or if you're going heavy on sugar or carbs. Both MFP and WW are all about tracking but MFP gives you more detail.

    I MUCH prefer WW's online nutrition lookup and their recipe builder over MFPs.

    Another difference between the two sites is the community. WW is all about eating properly, learning a healthy lifestyle, in order to lose weight. Here there are people with other goals including weight gain/bulk and maintenance. Just gives the forums a different feel, IMHO.

    If you are successfully tracking your food and activity here on MFP, the only reason I would suggest WW instead is for the meeting support, if that's something you think you'd benefit from. If you're just looking for an online tool for tracking and accountability, might as well do this for free.
  • daimere
    daimere Posts: 31 Member
    "a LOT of people put the weight back on after they stop buying the program foods."

    You do NOT have to buy any program foods. They even have a new program called Simple Start which does not encourage frozen foods but power foods. When I was following WW to a tee years ago, I was eating around 1500-1800 calories. Yes, I tracked calories and points at the same time just to make sure I was doing okay. There are certain rules (get your dairy in, veggies/fruits in, heatlhy fats, etc). Yes, the fruits are zero points but they also increase the points you have every day to compensate. All points are higher. The WW point version that I was following years ago, I was about a 20 points at this weight, whereas now, I'm like at a higher bracket. I liked the zero points on fruit. My mother is very anti fruit because it's too "sugary and high calories." Fruits are good for you though! But I also know my limits. I just don't like fruits. So I wouldn't eat more than 3 servings anyways if I had one. If I knew I could sit and eat 20,000 apples in one sitting, I'd probably give myself a limit (I give myself a limit on dairy). But I think there is a limit on zero count foods. I can't remember.

    But the thing is, I never followed WW to a tee. Some days I wasn't hungry. So I wouldn't eat all my points (no no). I made WW my plan, not someone else's. I keep my WW subscription cause I love some of the recipes. And some of the Simple Start ones are great. I love WW magazine cause it shows REAL people.
  • Dewymorning
    Dewymorning Posts: 762 Member
    If you want the weekly support groups, recipes, weekly weigh in etc. sure.

    If you just want a good system to count calories, jut use MFP. It is 100% free.

    Then you can spend your money on more important things.


    I use MFP, plus have a gym membership which includes having a reassessment every 6-8 weeks if I chose (which I am right now), and that works for me.