Weight watchers.
Options
JoshuaMcAllister
Posts: 500 Member
So here in the UK we have Weight Watchers, a group set up to help people loose weight, I'm assuming countries throughout the globe have a similar kind of programme. So my question/ general wondering is people's opinions on the company or those similar?
Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for schemes/programme like this that as I am an advocate of healthy living. My issue with weight watchers is that it appears to be designed to help and benefit you in your goal of achieving weight loss but with the alternative motive of growing their own pot of gold. I say this because I have read and held conversations with people claim to have been successful with Weight Watchers, on multiple occasions rather than just once as you'd expect. These people actually go back and pay more money to the company. Is this the mentality the company use on its customers? Once you've lost the weight, stop the programme, go back to as was, gain weight back, then come back next year? They don't appear educate people about eating for life but eating for a goal of dropping kgs, then give no insight on how to maintain their new found weight loss.
I'm really not hating on Weight Watchers, it just bugs me that an organisation can have such a good/high reputation yet their clientele need multiple "successful" attempts to loose and maintain weight. I don't think you could count the amount of welcome threads that start with " My name is Joe Bloggs, I'm new here as I've gained weight after loosing x amount with Weight Watchers"
Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for schemes/programme like this that as I am an advocate of healthy living. My issue with weight watchers is that it appears to be designed to help and benefit you in your goal of achieving weight loss but with the alternative motive of growing their own pot of gold. I say this because I have read and held conversations with people claim to have been successful with Weight Watchers, on multiple occasions rather than just once as you'd expect. These people actually go back and pay more money to the company. Is this the mentality the company use on its customers? Once you've lost the weight, stop the programme, go back to as was, gain weight back, then come back next year? They don't appear educate people about eating for life but eating for a goal of dropping kgs, then give no insight on how to maintain their new found weight loss.
I'm really not hating on Weight Watchers, it just bugs me that an organisation can have such a good/high reputation yet their clientele need multiple "successful" attempts to loose and maintain weight. I don't think you could count the amount of welcome threads that start with " My name is Joe Bloggs, I'm new here as I've gained weight after loosing x amount with Weight Watchers"
0
Replies
-
Regaining weight is unfortunately not uncommon no matter what you do to lose it. Maintence is hard. Especially for people who have struggled with food and weight their whole life.
In my experience with WW (which is an American company btw), I was very successful while I was on it. I felt encouraged to choose lean proteins, healthy veggies and have treats in moderation. I did the points plus program. I also have to say I had a really great leader that wasn't completely by the book. I tried different leaders if I was busy when she was doing it and they weren't the same. I think I was lucky.
I gained the weight back because I stopped going to meetings and counting my food. And I have a bad sweet tooth. I've heard horrible things about Smartpoints so I'm not going to go back at this juncture.
For me, I thrived on the accountability of going to a meeting every week and having an inspiring leader and people to chat with about overcoming obstacles and meal ideas. And I personally never felt hungry or deprived on the points plus program. I lost 45 pounds in about a year.
They are a company yes. But they're not evil for providing a service and charging for the service.
I haven't been successful counting calories for reasons I'm trying to figure out this month.
But WW is a huge company and everyone has different experiences with it. YMMV.0 -
Naturally I realise that the regaining of weight isn't uncommon, my point is more about they do as an organisation to prepare its clients for the eventuality that they will loose and look to maintain. If people have had issues throughout life surely the focus should be on adjusting your eating habits for life, rather than a designing the programmes to provide a quick and steady weight loss.
I wasn't implying that it was a UK based company but is the UK's leading company/provider of such a service. I'm glad you had relative success in terms being encouraged to eat better, have guidance from a peer. I just don't agree with the definition of success in terms weight loss success. Success is losing weight and keeping it off with a well balanced diet, I was merely questioning what the company do or don't do when you meet your goal, or target weight? Do they adapt your personal program to fit around you're new maintenance, do they advise on what to do when you see the initial regain in weight?
You seem to have taken slight offence to my thread, never my intention, nor did I state at anytime that I thought it was "evil for providing a service and charging for it", that's the corporate world we live in. My point is if they have a repeat client base, who every few years sign back up they are on a winning formula and don't really have to concern themselves with the next stage of a client's progress, as they surely benefit from their return?
Again, I don't know the ins and outs of the program itself, so I'm unaware of the difference between Smartpoint opposed to the regular point system. However, I do dislike that some foods are 0 points, vegetables are calories just as any other source that you receive points for.
Like I say I'm not hating on it, I just wondered other opinions and hopefully people like yourself how have tried a similar programme.0 -
Then you'd hate slimming world. .....all vegetables, fruit, pasta, potato, rice, many non fat yogurts is all eat as much as you'd like and they tend to gloss over portion size0
-
suzyjane1972 wrote: »Then you'd hate slimming world. .....all vegetables, fruit, pasta, potato, rice, many non fat yogurts is all eat as much as you'd like and they tend to gloss over portion size
I loathe the slimming world method for exactly this reason!! It teaches a person nothing about portion control and makes weight loss far more complicated than it actually is. Not to mention demonising some foods by having a 'syns' allowance!
Garghhhhh!!!!!
End of rant.
1 -
In the beginning it does work as it replaces a lot of your usual junk with actual food (ex member) but when you lose that initial weight and it becomes harder they spout all this bull poop about not cutting down as you won't lose and I don't think I ever heard a consultant say about calories...I worked out I could chow down on 600+ on fruit alone.0
-
suzyjane1972 wrote: »Then you'd hate slimming world. .....all vegetables, fruit, pasta, potato, rice, many non fat yogurts is all eat as much as you'd like and they tend to gloss over portion size
Slimming world was the other company I was trying to remember when typing this up. How is it possible people loose weight using this method? Rice and pasta are two of the misconceived "healthy" foods out there due to their cooked weight and calorie count. I for one could not believe how many calories I was consuming daily when I ate pasta/rice as my lunch every work day. I thought rice and chicken, would be great for me until I started logging the weights.0 -
philippakate197 wrote: »suzyjane1972 wrote: »Then you'd hate slimming world. .....all vegetables, fruit, pasta, potato, rice, many non fat yogurts is all eat as much as you'd like and they tend to gloss over portion size
I loathe the slimming world method for exactly this reason!! It teaches a person nothing about portion control and makes weight loss far more complicated than it actually is. Not to mention demonising some foods by having a 'syns' allowance!
Garghhhhh!!!!!
End of rant.
This is what i was trying to gauge within weightwatchers, how do the go about educating on portion size not only to loose weight but to maintain it.0 -
I don't think a points system would work for me, I'd rather count calories and track other macros. Plus I couldn't justify paying someone to weigh me especially in front of a crowd of people. If I lose I'd rather just have my friends and family know about it.2
-
Firstly, I just have to say, "loose" is what your clothes become after you "lose" a bunch of weight.
Now that's out of the way...
Weight watchers helps a lot of people lose weight and maintain a weight loss. It seems to be really good for some people who don't do well with calorie counting. Sometimes calorie counting can become very obsessive and stressful. I think having options like "vegetables are zero points" takes a lot of that stress out. It also encourages people to eat a lot more healthy vegetables. So they learn to fill their plates with healthier things. The point system is still based on calorie counts, it's just counting in a different way. Vegetables are still calories, but if they start snacking on those instead of chips or cookies or whatever, they will end up consuming less calories over all and learn to make better choices down the road.
No matter what program you are using or if you are simply just counting calories and learning portion sizes, there's a chance you will gain the weight back. No method is a guarantee of never gaining the weight back. So I don't think it's any kind of "scam" or bad system, I don't think it's a company trying to get money out of people, teaching them only so much so that they keep coming back.
0 -
JoshuaMcAllister wrote: »philippakate197 wrote: »suzyjane1972 wrote: »Then you'd hate slimming world. .....all vegetables, fruit, pasta, potato, rice, many non fat yogurts is all eat as much as you'd like and they tend to gloss over portion size
I loathe the slimming world method for exactly this reason!! It teaches a person nothing about portion control and makes weight loss far more complicated than it actually is. Not to mention demonising some foods by having a 'syns' allowance!
Garghhhhh!!!!!
End of rant.
This is what i was trying to gauge within weightwatchers, how do the go about educating on portion size not only to loose weight but to maintain it.
They don't. Weight Watchers entire system is based on keeping you as a customer for life. You learn to see food only as point values. So if you leave Weight Watchers you've gained nothing in terms of actual useful knowledge about portion control and nutrition. Once you're in maintenance you enter their "Lifetime" phase where you continue to count points, receive the service free and are punished by having to pay if you go more than 2 pounds above your WW approved goal weight.0 -
MsBuzzkillington wrote: »Firstly, I just have to say, "loose" is what your clothes become after you "lose" a bunch of weight.
Now that's out of the way...
Weight watchers helps a lot of people lose weight and maintain a weight loss. It seems to be really good for some people who don't do well with calorie counting. Sometimes calorie counting can become very obsessive and stressful. I think having options like "vegetables are zero points" takes a lot of that stress out. It also encourages people to eat a lot more healthy vegetables. So they learn to fill their plates with healthier things. The point system is still based on calorie counts, it's just counting in a different way. Vegetables are still calories, but if they start snacking on those instead of chips or cookies or whatever, they will end up consuming less calories over all and learn to make better choices down the road.
No matter what program you are using or if you are simply just counting calories and learning portion sizes, there's a chance you will gain the weight back. No method is a guarantee of never gaining the weight back. So I don't think it's any kind of "scam" or bad system, I don't think it's a company trying to get money out of people, teaching them only so much so that they keep coming back.
I find, in general, people on Weight Watchers are far, far more obsessed with "points" than anyone I've ever known counting calories.1 -
alyssa0061 wrote: »JoshuaMcAllister wrote: »philippakate197 wrote: »suzyjane1972 wrote: »Then you'd hate slimming world. .....all vegetables, fruit, pasta, potato, rice, many non fat yogurts is all eat as much as you'd like and they tend to gloss over portion size
I loathe the slimming world method for exactly this reason!! It teaches a person nothing about portion control and makes weight loss far more complicated than it actually is. Not to mention demonising some foods by having a 'syns' allowance!
Garghhhhh!!!!!
End of rant.
This is what i was trying to gauge within weightwatchers, how do the go about educating on portion size not only to loose weight but to maintain it.
They don't. Weight Watchers entire system is based on keeping you as a customer for life. You learn to see food only as point values. So if you leave Weight Watchers you've gained nothing in terms of actual useful knowledge about portion control and nutrition. Once you're in maintenance you enter their "Lifetime" phase where you continue to count points, receive the service free and are punished by having to pay if you go more than 2 pounds above your WW approved goal weight.
How is it a punishment to stay at your goal weight? If money is one incentive to stay thete, so be it. Also a doctor can tell WW what youre healthy goal weight should be.
I'm a Lifetime non paying WW member. I still go to meetings and weigh ins. But I count calories because the new program stinks. Why take half my days "points" for a serving of ice cream when it comfortably fits my day's calories? And since when did fruit, vegetables, and now lean protein become either 0 point or almost point free foods? None of these are calorie free!1 -
I've been doing Weight Watchers since January and have lost 26 lbs so far (have 11 more to lose). I agree that Smart Points are sometimes a pain so I also use MFP on days I choose to eat a Klondike bar but the plan works for me. I tried to switch only to MFP in March and April. I even joined a challenge group. Unfortunately, I didn't lose much during that time. It was me, not MFP. I wholly subscribe to the calories in/calories out science and know that MFP should be enough for me, but something about WW works for me, so I've decided to embrace it.
There are maybe a few misconceptions here, though, about WW. They totally support weighing food. I've been weighing everything. They do tend to say "weigh or measure" and don't clarify that EVERYTHING that's solid gets weighed. I learned that here. They also subscribe to the lose slowly and make a lifestyle change, just like MFP. The fact that you can use the tools once you hit goal (and stay there) for no cost shows they see it as a lifestyle as opposed to a temporary fix. I hope that someday I can make the transition to just MFP, but for right now I'm doing what works for me. I, personally, think people should do what works for them AND understand the basic science so they can sift out the good stuff from the woo. That also happens to be my stance on religion
I've only done online, though, and can't speak to any woo spouted at meetings.
3 -
The woo is strong at slimming world....I guess it's the same at ww.2
-
Weight Watchers is a US company, so you are correct in assuming that it exists outside the UK.
And yes, it's a business, and the goal of any business is to make money. So while having people fail on the program is bad for business, they don't want people to be so successful that they can quit the program and stop paying.2 -
suzyjane1972 wrote: »The woo is strong at slimming world....I guess it's the same at ww.
The new Smart Points is Oprah fad woo to the extreme.1 -
The enigma is why some of these companies have a good reputation! The Norwegian "equivalent" to WeightWatchers must be Grete Roede. They started around 1977 and have "helped" shed tons of Viking fat. Some of it has been shed over and over, a little like the boar Sæhrímnir, who is slaughtered and eaten every night at Valhalla. I've tried it too, and it's healthy enough, basically, and promotes ordinary food, but it's still too restrictive for me, especially in its fear of dietary fat - I would lose weight on it, but regain because I need tasty food.1
-
I would lose weight on it, but regain because I need tasty food.[/quote]
WW lets you eat whatever you want. I eat plenty of "tasty food". Hell, I'm drinking a glass of champagne as I type this!2 -
I would lose weight on it, but regain because I need tasty food.
WW lets you eat whatever you want. I eat plenty of "tasty food". Hell, I'm drinking a glass of champagne as I type this!
Some of the problem with "programs" - and you see it in threads in here every day - is how the message is delivered, or interpreted. They can say "eat your ordinary food", but the text is illustrated with pictures of celery and cottage cheese with blueberries. That's not ordinary food for me
I took it I had to eat something else. The "guidelines" and "points" for eating X servings of fruit and vegetables and the pushing of low fat - all in all, made me confused/helpless/overwhelmed. As long as I felt motivated, I could do it, but as soon as the weight was off, I had nowhere to turn, mentally.
MFP is another universe. It doesn't even "let" you eat anything, it lets it be up to you to decide what to eat (and drink, cheers ) 1 -
Weight Watchers was a good company before 1997 when they switched to that ridiculous points system. In the late '80s they had the "Fat and Fiber" plan. They gave you your daily calorie range/goal, suggested a maximum daily fat limit, a minimum daily fiber intake and a weekly amount of exercise. THAT was a sustainable, educational plan. In my opinion, everything since they introduced Points is worthless as far as a long-term, lifestyle changing, dietary education. Again, just my opinion though.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.3K Introduce Yourself
- 43.4K Getting Started
- 259.6K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 387 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.2K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 913 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions