LA Weightloss or Weight Watchers?

[IloveDMB]

Okay, I need to lose weight. All the weight I lost last summer doing Atkins, I've gained back and then some.

I've decided I don't want to do Atkins. I want more food choices. Now I am trying to decide between LA and WW.

Anyone have experiences they'd like to share? Which program are you on and how to do you like it?

Thanks for any and all opinions.

 

[swandiverpatt]

I've been at goal for over 3 years on WW, so you know what my answer wil lbe to this one. I've been on WW on and off for probably 25 years. It was so restrictive in the old days -- now it's basically an open field -- you can have anything you want, but you have to consider it in your daily "point" allotment. They try to get you to eat a balanced, well-thought diet with occasional extras. I do an at-work program which couldn't be easier -- WW comes to me.

 

[crzy4pooh]

Well, if you look at my siggy, you'll probably know my answer. I cannot begin to tell you how WW changed my life and saved my life! I was morbidly obese, both parents w/ diabetes, and I was headed for serious health issues! WW is a liveable - lifestyle. I had tried everything, including a nutritionist, but WW just made sense (and I was finally ready to lose the weight once and for all!) And the most important part is that I can eat like this forever, and be happy! WW teaches you how to eat real food - but make better choices, reduce fat/calories with simple substitutions, portion control, the mental aspects of permanent weight loss, and gives you amazing support along the way. That said, your WW leader makes all the difference in the world! DH joined with me ( ) and we leader-shopped for a few weeks until we found the perfect "fit" for us. And now, DH and I are both lifers. I actually started working as a receptionist for WW a couple weeks ago - and I get to work with the same leader that inspired me all along the way. Also, my sister joined in August, and has now lost 46 pounds!!! Sorry to be so long-winded, but I am rather passionate about this subject! Please let me know if you have any questions or want to hear more (I'm sure I could chat about this forever...)

 

[kayeandjim00]

I've been on WW only since Jan 3 so I'm still quite a newbie but I'm finding I LOVE the WW program. I'm especially happy to see the emphasis on fruits and vegetables as well as portion control. Those are things I have problems with and it's helping me to get that straightened out. Now I know someone who lost quite a bit of weight on LA Weight Loss and go to her goal but it seems that she spent quite a bit of money on both the program and products - drinks, bars, etc. Don't know if they are required things or not but something to think about.

 

[KimRaye]

Well, if you look at my siggy, you'll probably know my answer. ..... WW is a liveable - lifestyle. ..... but WW just made sense (and I was finally ready to lose the weight once and for all!) And the most important part is that I can eat like this forever, and be happy! WW teaches you how to eat real food - but make better choices, reduce fat/calories with simple substitutions, portion control, the mental aspects of permanent weight loss, and gives you amazing support along the way.

All those things she said...DITTO!

I've been doing WW online though, for the past year. Reached my goal at 11 months, and lost 4 more since then!

Sorry, I don't know anything about LA weight loss.

Best WISHes!!

 

[Sandy22]

I'm doing WW and I really love it. A few people I know were told by their doctors to give WW a try before signing up for gastric bypasses. I think that WW is a well-respected program based on sound nutrional facts and encourages a healthy lifestyle that incorporates exercise. One of the great things about WW is that you don't have to invest a lot of money into it and you're not signing any year-long contracts.

I've heard that LA Weight Loss is one of the most expensive programs around.

 

[IloveDMB]

Thanks all!

I had decided on WW, but then my old roommate had mentioned she was on LA weightloss and had lost 25 pounds in a month. That got me thinking about LA a little more.

But the more I think about it, the more WW seems better for my lifestyle. She said the diet for LA is very restrictive, which is something I'm not looking for after Atkins.

Thanks all. I'm going to check the meeting schedule now.

 

[swandiverpatt]

I think my fellow WW are gasping in dismay at the 25 pound loss in a month - sounds good in principle, but not a healthy thing to do to your body. We've learned that large quick losses usually don't stay "lost." Depending on your starting weight, you'll lose more in the beginning but they try to keep you at around 2 lb. loss a week -- you'll be more able to learn to eat and keep your weight off. With WW, you don't have to buy food/snacks/treats, etc. -- oh, they have them, that's for sure, but you don't HAVE to buy them to succeed. (I'm sitting here eating a snack of celery and peanut butter right now, BTW).

I'm an exceptionally slow loser -- I'm old, menopausal, and have low thyroid issues. It took me over a year to lose 25 pounds. But it's a liveable, do-able way of life. And I definitely have to "move to lose." I've been walking 3 miles a night, at least 5 days a week for this time period, too.

Good luck to you!!!

 

[KimRaye]

May I just say, swandiverpatt, that you have a whole lot of perseverance!! I'm impressed! Congratulations!

 

[SnackyStacky]

ILoveDMB - I'm glad you made the choice you did!

My wife did LA Weight Loss, and it's the only plan she's successfully lost a signifigant amount of weight on. But she put it all back on and then some.

My advice to you (before you said you'd decided! ) was to evaluate each plan and pick one that you're comfortable with for the rest of your life. Sounds like a horrible concept, but it's not bad. At least not with Weight Watchers. Because it's a program that doesn't deprive, you don't have that "I lost my weight!" binge. You haven't been deprived of anything, so there's nothing to gorge on once you reach your goal.

 

[disneychick05]

I have tried both WW and LA. WW is definitely the way to go. LA was ridiculously expensive. On my first visit they gave me a coupon that was good for only one day...which was my second appointment. At that appointment they rudely pressured me to use the coupon for a "savings plan" to buy their weight loss bars. The bars are normally $20 a box and the box lasts a week. With the coupon you could get a plan for the bars, which they stress are necessary for your weight loss. The plans ranged from something like $600 into the thousands, but you were saving $$ buying them in bulk w/ the one day coupon. All of this money for bars up front on a plan I didn't know much about since I was new?? I declined to use the "coupon" and that was definitely frowned upon. I wound up buying bars for a few weeks at $20/box. I then quit when I wasn't loosing weight but was dishing out all of that $$. They even had credit options and asked if I had good credit so they could set me up on a finance plan. If I am going to finance anything it sure is not going to be BARS! With that said about LA, I really love WW. I have been on it for a few years with great results as long as I just follow the program and go to the meetings.

 

[johde]

Hi traci

I just wanted to wish you good luck on Weight Watchers. I am not on either plan. I am doing SBD but I have heard Weight Watchers is a very good plan.

 

[DisneyGirl]

I'd also put in a vote for weight watchers! I (and some other family members) have all lost weight on weight watchers (granted, I gained it back, but I'm back there now!)

The fact is that weight watchers teaches you to eat real food, and to eat it in the real world-- I mean, you can have birthday cake, and beer, and still be on weight watchers!! On the news in the beginning of the month, they even did stories on how weight watchers is the only one of the weight loss programs that actually work.

I know nothing about LA Weightloss, but from what DisneyChick05 says, to me, it sounds more like a scam then a weight loss program!

 

[IloveDMB]

Thanks all for all of the encouragment!!

I think I want to do meetings and weigh in on Fridays before the weekend. I spoke with others and they said that it was better for them to do everything before the weekend.

LA Weightloss definitely seems like the more expensive option, and as I work part time, I would rather spend the money on WW, which you don't have to buy any special food for.

Again, thanks all!!