Why do people spend money to lose weight?

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honeybee739
honeybee739 Posts: 66 Member
in Motivation and Support
I'm not talking about a gym membership or buying workout videos...I'm talking mostly diet. Why do people spend money to join programs like Weight Watchers, Jillian Michaels online, Nutrisystem, diet books, etc etc...when all of the information is basically the same thing...eat healthier foods, stay within a calorie limit...I've been guilty of this too. I haven't joined every program but I have joined a few only to not really do them, waste my money and then ultimately cancel my membership. It's maddening. Just wondering if anyone has done the same thing. What has worked for you? Is there a specific program out there that has worked for you or do the "free" programs like MFP, Sparkpeople etc work better for you?

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  • rachelrb85
    rachelrb85 Posts: 579 Member
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    People are hoping that there is some miracle to fast weight loss, like it is some rocket science. I've tried a few "free" trials of weight loss teas, cleanses, etc. You know what works? Logging everything you eat, eating at a calorie deficit, and having patience. You didn't gain the weight over a quick period of time so you are certainly not going to lose it any quicker.
  • joolsmd
    joolsmd Posts: 375 Member
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    I don't think Weightwatchers and other slimming plans are in the same boat as so called 'miracle cures'. I agree that they can cost a lot, especially with the aggressive sales techniques being used to get people to buy the food and other products, but they do work. Whereas miracle cures ultimately don't.

    People want a quick fix. If I could lose weight by sitting on my sofa instead of sweating buckets at the gym, I know which one I'd choose :bigsmile: However I know it would be a huge drain on my finances and ultimately the weight would just go back on. So its the hard way for me, worst luck.
  • acorsaut89
    acorsaut89 Posts: 1,147 Member
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    I'm not talking about a gym membership or buying workout videos...I'm talking mostly diet. Why do people spend money to join programs like Weight Watchers, Jillian Michaels online, Nutrisystem, diet books, etc etc...when all of the information is basically the same thing...eat healthier foods, stay within a calorie limit...I've been guilty of this too. I haven't joined every program but I have joined a few only to not really do them, waste my money and then ultimately cancel my membership. It's maddening. Just wondering if anyone has done the same thing. What has worked for you? Is there a specific program out there that has worked for you or do the "free" programs like MFP, Sparkpeople etc work better for you?

    Because people want to be told how to eat, what to eat, when to eat it and who they should eat it with. It's basically that they don't always have the discipline themselves to research and figure out what their body needs so they will pay someone for this "miracle cure" to wake up skinny tomorrow.

    It's part of the "I want it now" culture although they don't want to have to work to repair the damage they've done to their bodies. People don't want to have get up early to go to the gym or feel uncomfy sweating their butts off trying to lose the weight they gained. It's also part of this no responsibility thing either - you at all that food, you did and now you have to work to burn it off (there are exceptions like medical issues) and people just don't want to do it. I know that all the crap I ate didn't force its way into my body, I ate it and I was lazy and I didn't take care of myself. Now, I have to repair that damage in order to have a body I can use for a long, long time.
  • caracrawford1
    caracrawford1 Posts: 657 Member
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    We are a culture(at least in the US) that does not do well without instant rewards. Delayed gratification is boring, not sexy, not as exciting. For example: when you watch television, notice that things have to move very quickly from one topic to another (I was a visual /media TV/film major) to keep your attention. Otherwise people get bored and change channels.
    When we put shows on like "the Bachelorette" no one wants to wait around to see a long term relationship blossom with all of its ups and downs (reality) we want a relationship to a marriage proposal in six weeks and move on.
    A friend of mine is on phentermine pills. Granted, she has quite a bit more weight than me to lose and at 260 is nearly one hundred pounds heavier. She is a recovering meth addict and I suggested to her that using diet pills (or really, amphetamines in any form) was probably a bad idea, not just because I am opposed to diet pills, but especially due to her history of addiction. Her primary care would not prescribe them for her, so she found a dr who would.
    I invited her to get on here and log her food as well as go to the gym with me. She declined. She wanted the quick fix. Without tracking her food or exercising she has taken off 25 pounds in five months. Shes been drinking to drunkeness every weekend and the pill makes her not want to eat. She will have to go off the pill soon.
    She could have done that without the pill--and its associated cost. That's only a bit more than a pound a week, and she would have learned better habits along the way. I have taken off 30 pounds in almost four months(have to update my ticker). That's a faster weight loss and no drugs.
    Some people have to learn the hard way.
  • baconslave
    baconslave Posts: 6,966 Member
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    I did WW multiple times. Some of us need accountability. And also the threat of public humiliation. And it worked for me until I got pregnant every dang time while on WW and had to quit. Now I have discovered the accountability and public humiliation in my dear online forums. Dropped 40 so far, so it must be the punishment I need to keep at it. :wink:
  • DjinnMarie
    DjinnMarie Posts: 1,297 Member
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    Some people don't like to research and make decisions. A lot of people like following a list and rules, and feel it's easier than coming up with their own meal plan, counting calories, etc.

    I agree weight watchers and nutri system, while over priced, aren't in the same boat as raspberry ketones and shakeology. Nutri system and the like you are paying for the convenience of having everything planned out for you. It takes very little thought and no decision making.
  • DjinnMarie
    DjinnMarie Posts: 1,297 Member
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    I did WW multiple times. Some of us need accountability. And also the threat of public humiliation. And it worked for me until I got pregnant every dang time while on WW and had to quit. Now I have discovered the accountability and public humiliation in my dear online forums. Dropped 40 so far, so it must be the punishment I need to keep at it. :wink:

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    Every time my 4 pack started to peek through, I got pregnant as well. Hahaha. Oh well.... Totally worth it.
  • cincysweetheart
    cincysweetheart Posts: 892 Member
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    I have a co-worker who has spent hundreds if not thousands of dollars on those types of things. In her case... It is always a case of hoping for a miracle fix and not wanting to take on the responsibility of simple self-discipline. So she'll pay for diets/fads/accountability that will help her lose weight for a time, but she inevitably always goes off it (usually because she runs out of money), and she gains the weight back because she hasn't learned how to discipline herself either with food or exercise or to be accountable to herself.

    Note: I am only referring to one particular person. This is not meant to be a generalization or stereotype. Although, my guess is there are more people like her in the world.
  • SweetBunny4
    SweetBunny4 Posts: 2
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    I'm doing Fat Free for me 13#s in 12 days this is the best i've done in a long time.
  • Singularity84
    Singularity84 Posts: 98 Member
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    I think part of it is accountability as well. For some people, the knowledge that they have shelled out $50 or more on the program is added incentive to stick with it.
  • baconslave
    baconslave Posts: 6,966 Member
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    I have a co-worker who has spent hundreds if not thousands of dollars on those types of things. In her case... It is always a case of hoping for a miracle fix and not wanting to take on the responsibility of simple self-discipline. So she'll pay for diets/fads/accountability that will help her lose weight for a time, but she inevitably always goes off it (usually because she runs out of money), and she gains the weight back because she hasn't learned how to discipline herself either with food or exercise or to be accountable to herself.

    Note: I am only referring to one particular person. This is not meant to be a generalization or stereotype. Although, my guess is there are more people like her in the world.

    Oh Lord. Sounds like my mother-in-law.

    Yeah, until you learn to discipline yourself with food or exercise, even though some days you don't feel like it, you'll never get there. I'm not sure I'd have been successful this time without the public-humiliation/accountability factor my support groups provide. But now that I've been doing this for months, I learned the discipline and ingrained the good habits that will keep me here (losing weight) without them. I'd rather stay and pay it forward.

    Any plan that doesn't teach or require you to modify the bad behaviors that got you there is bunk, IMO.
  • curvyjew
    curvyjew Posts: 6
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    For me, the added incentive of paying has worked in the past.
    But-this time around, its not an option to pay to lose weight. I'm "paying myself" so to speak instead of WW.

    Today is day 1 (again).
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,717 Member
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    I have a co-worker who has spent hundreds if not thousands of dollars on those types of things. In her case... It is always a case of hoping for a miracle fix and not wanting to take on the responsibility of simple self-discipline. So she'll pay for diets/fads/accountability that will help her lose weight for a time, but she inevitably always goes off it (usually because she runs out of money), and she gains the weight back because she hasn't learned how to discipline herself either with food or exercise or to be accountable to herself.

    Note: I am only referring to one particular person. This is not meant to be a generalization or stereotype. Although, my guess is there are more people like her in the world.
    And I think this is exactly the type of person the OP was referring to: willing to spend money (and sometimes it works, short-term) but they never learn the right, long-term methods for lasting results. It's a strange concept to me, but I think it is fairly common.
  • baconslave
    baconslave Posts: 6,966 Member
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    For me, the added incentive of paying has worked in the past.
    But-this time around, its not an option to pay to lose weight. I'm "paying myself" so to speak instead of WW.

    Today is day 1 (again).

    Hey. The best time to lose weight was yesterday (a year ago, or 16 years ago for me). The next best time is today. Welcome back and KUTGW!
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
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    They want the structure or accountability that a program brings them, are suckered in by "miracle" claims, or due to misinformation. I think it's really unfortunate how some programs run, because they are so expensive and prey on people who truly want to lose weight.

    I have also found "coaches" to be incredibly persuasive, and using their friends to sell. I have one girl on my FB friend's list who does this, and it makes me cringe to see her constantly selling to people on her statuses. Two people I know have already bought her packages.
  • radmack
    radmack Posts: 272 Member
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    I'm not talking about a gym membership or buying workout videos...I'm talking mostly diet. Why do people spend money to join programs like Weight Watchers, Jillian Michaels online, Nutrisystem, diet books, etc etc...when all of the information is basically the same thing...eat healthier foods, stay within a calorie limit...I've been guilty of this too. I haven't joined every program but I have joined a few only to not really do them, waste my money and then ultimately cancel my membership. It's maddening. Just wondering if anyone has done the same thing. What has worked for you? Is there a specific program out there that has worked for you or do the "free" programs like MFP, Sparkpeople etc work better for you?

    For some people, the accountability works. Typically people aren't overweight because they lack information, so they aren't joining just for the information.

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