Starting Weight Watchers-join online or meetings?

[chabs]

I'm thinking about restarting WW and I'm not sure if I should just join online or go to a meeting? I've been on WW several times in the past, but it's been a couple of years so I'm not familiar with what they offer now. Is there any benefit to going to an actual meeting to join over joining online? Do you receive any materials that you can't get online? I usually go to the first weigh in-get my stuff then don't go back because I'm not a meeting person, but I want the materials.

Also, can someone just give me a short description of what is different now? I remember having a slide ruler that you could figure out points with and you only got so many points per day.

 

[Maggie Lizer]

I used to do WW online years ago - before I got pregnant with my first DSon - and when I got back on the proverbial horse after baby no. 2, I decided to use My Fitness Pal. I didn't see any real benefit to paying almost $20 per month for the privilege of tracking food and weigh-ins when MFP did it for free. MFP has message boards, too, and you can friend people for accountability if that is an incentive for you. You might want to consider MFP befreo you pay for WW.

 

[myadventurebook]

WW is the only thing that has worked for me so far. Things like MFP and Spark people are fine for some people, but for me it was way easier to cheat because all it was initially recording was calories, and that's not really what you want to be tracking. I have used both of them with no luck. I just do online WW and I am seeing great results so far, even though I don't exercise much.

I wouldn't recommend the WW meetings, however. They can be a huge hit or a really huge miss. My mom talks about when she used WW years ago and the meeting leaders used shaming/judging techniques to get people "motivated," and I've heard about similar tactics used elsewhere. However, I've also heard about wonderful leaders who really help WW members. You should be fine with online-only though. You'll save a lot of money and there are great online communities that can be plenty helpful along your weight loss journey.

Whatever you choose, good luck!

 

[Butterfly123]

I just signed up for WW online last week. I had lost weight with WW years ago on the Momentum plan. I eventually stopped when I was at goal, and used Spark People and My Fitness Pal off and on for the last few years. But I have slowly been putting weigh back on, so I decided to get serious, and get back to WW online. There is something about paying for something that helps keep me accountable! I'm not a meeting kind of person, so I really love online. All the information is there at your fingertips.

I believe you can attend one WW meeting for free...but you don't get materials unless you sign up. You might want to check it out to get a feel for the current program.

 

[jenne]

The part about WW that I find the most supportive is the meeting. I live in a big enough city that I have a few different location and leader choices. It took me a few tries to find a group and leader that worked for me. Totally worth the effort, though. WW has changed a lot in the last few years, and I think you would find it helpful to talk to the leaders in person.

 

[pjlla]

MEETINGS!! But perhaps I'm a bit biased, as I'm a WW leader...

I recently gave out two awards....one for 25 pounds lost and another for 75 pounds lost. When I asked these ladies (at different times/different meetings) what they would attribute their success so far to, they said MEETINGS!! The lady who lost 75 pounds hardly EVER misses a meeting, no matter what! She came the day she had a colonoscopy for heaven sakes! She has come directly from a 10 hour shift at work. She KNOWS that the support from the meetings is CRUCIAL to her continued success.

I am horrified to hear about any leaders who are shaming or judging their members. That is NOT the WW philosophy. I can't imagine doing that to any of my members. They are like friends! I look forward to seeing them every week, of hearing about their success on the scales, their struggles, etc.

WW works if you do it.... it's as simple as that.

BTW, the newest "system" is similar to the old Points system that you have the slider from. But the (newer) PointsPlus calculates things a little different (so your slider is obsolete), but includes free fruits and veggies. And the new Simple Start program (a two-week starter program that folks seem to really be loving) is SUPER easy to get started with!

Best of luck with whatever you choose.......................P

 

[bumbershoot]

I wouldn't recommend the WW meetings, however. They can be a huge hit or a really huge miss. My mom talks about when she used WW years ago and the meeting leaders used shaming/judging techniques to get people "motivated," and I've heard about similar tactics used elsewhere.

If you are currently hearing people talk about we leaders using such techniques, tell the members to report them! That's not what they are supposed to be doing.

There's a leader at our center that has a very specific following. If she's filling in for another meeting, those who aren't choosing to be with her tend to leave directly after weighin. Our meeting times were being changed all around over a year ago and our meeting ended up with her for one day. She chose to publicly shame a member because she hadn't YET weighed in. She knew because my friend didn't have a nametag (meanwhile i am only given a nametag half that time and refuse to wear it half of that tome). Went into the inside stuff about how they get paid, etc. MADE my friend go to the scale to weigh and come back with a name tag. It stunned the receptionists. My friend went up, got a name tag (did NOT weighin that day but the nametag made it appear that she did) and sat down. And several people complained after, including me. That leader was gone for quite awhile after that and our normal leader was absolutely beside herself that her colleague had done that. Our center is very loose, and weighing just after the meeting is totally ok with the other leaders. They still get paid.

So please have them report it!


OP I can't do online only. I must have the meetings. Even now at lifetime I go every week and am now trying to weigh every week. I can't be trusted otherwise.

 

[myadventurebook]

If you are currently hearing people talk about we leaders using such techniques, tell the members to report them!.

The main complaint I heard was from my mom, and she did WW in the late 90s/early 2000s so I'm sure that person probably isn't there anymore. I actually went to a meeting with my mom once and felt really unwelcome and awkward, and it totally scared me away from meetings. I was a kid at the time, so maybe I was imagining it. I've heard complaints from others as well, though, but no one I know well enough to report them.

I wish I was able to do meetings, because I feel like they'd make me way more accountable. I just have no way of knowing whether or not a leader/community will be good or accepting before going in. I do kind of feel like I'm missing out.

 

[chabs]

Thanks for everyone's advice. I decided to join online, just for the 3 month $60 deal that they are offering, and then do the rest by myself once I get the hang of it. I've found a lot of websites that will give you the points values for free, so once I get back on track, I'll cancel my subscription.

 

[schrammalot]

Check out the "Eat What You Love" book series. Lots of great recipes that are WW friendly and has the point values!