Weight Watchers Opinions

[LindaR]

I'm not sure what room this should go in, so I'm gonna ask here.

Who does Weight Watchers?

What's good about it? What's bad?

How long have you been with this program?

What recommendations do you have?

All opinions would be greatly appreciated! I am in the "thinking" stage and don't want to rush into anything.

I have NEVER dieted, so I don't have any preconceived ideas about weight loss programs.

Thanks!

 

[pumba]

losing weight should be done slowly....after all you didnt' gain it all in one week...the food is the same foods that the family is eating...Weight Watchers is a good healthy approach to losing weight...i am glad that my daughter is doing this diet.....remember healthy is the key word

 

[LindaR]

Thanks! I am not in a hurry to lose weight. It took me over 9 years to gain almost 40 pounds and I have no problem taking a year or two to lose what I've gained. I have also had two major surgeries to my spine in two years and have learned the hard way about patience!

 

[SeaShelley]

I think WW is a great program. I was most successful with it when I attended the meeting every week. Once you get used to point counting, it's very simple. Mermaid02 is doing great on it and raved about the online support. She may be a good one to get some suggestions from.

Oh Mermaid.......

 

[Mermaid02]

I've lost 11 pounds in 4 weeks and I eat "normal" food- I go to the meeting once a week and I also signed up for the etools online (I think it's about $12 a month) I love keeping track of my meals on the computer and it can also figure out the points in a recipe for you!

 

[Tina]

I've been doing it for about 5 or 6 weeks now and I've lost 17 pounds. I'm very pleased. I don't go to meetings, I joined the online version. My neighbor is also doing it (just became a lifetime member yesterday!) and its nice to have someone to do it with. She got me started and helped me understand the program. We walk nightly for exercise. I like it because I can make my own choices about what to eat and I don't have to stick to just "diet" foods.

 

[musicfan]

Besides myself (I didn't go to WW, but I did it myself kind of using their basic approach -- I counted calories), the only person I have ever known that took off a noticeable amount of weight and KEPT it off went through WW. I've had LOTS of friends lose weight and then gain it all back, but they didn't go to WW. Usually they did "fad" diets like all fruit, low carb, all meat, etc.

 

[MHopkins2]

Piping up from the peanut gallery: low carb is not a "fad" - it's been around for over 30 years. (Atkins started 30 years ago, and he's by no means the "inventor" of the low carb thing.) I won't get started on my "LC Myths & The Truth" soapbox, but it is definitely not a fad diet. It's certainly not for everyone, but IMO neither is Weight Watchers / other low fat diets.

What I found with WW is this: if you prefer fruits & vegetables, WW is great. If you prefer meats & dairy, WW stinks. Yes, "you can eat anything you want" but if you're a meat-a-saurus like me, the allowable portion sizes will kill you. I did WW for three weeks, lost five pounds, and was miserable every minute.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Linda, I am thinking about starting WW also. What I want to know is do you just show up at the first meeting and pay there? I could find the meeting times on line but not that info. I need to go somewhere and be with peopl. It would be nice to have someone local to buddy up with.

 

[LindaR]

The WW website has a place to put in your zip code and it will give you a list of the meeting places.

You show up at the first meeting and pay a registration fee ($20 here) and then $10 per meeting (again that price is for my area). At the first meeting, they will give you all the required info to get started.

There is a 800 number to call to find out the fees for your area!

 

[Leota]

Just to dispell a myth here - There is no such thing as allowable portion sizes for anything on WW - You could use all your points on any given day on meat if you choose to. Yes, they do recommend you eat 5 servings of Fruits/Vegetables a day (which is below the recommended standards anyways)
I won't get started on my "Low-Carb dietary nightmare" soapbox either....
I read Fitness, Shape & Self magazine - I'm lucky that I don't need to worry about weight loss, but I am very interested in nutrition & exercise. Several family members of mine have used WW very happily & very successfully. In all the magazines & articles that I have read, WW gets the highest scores for the Healthiest weight loss program from the nutritionists & doctors who have reviewed various programs. Also, as an aside, I went online to WW, plugged in my height/weight & they recommended that I NOT join , as I was at the low end of normal weight. I thought that showed alot of integrity, because alot of programs will get you in & take your money whether you really need to lose or not. I have alot of trust in a program that turns away potential customers for the sake of the customers health.

 

[goofiesgirlies]

I've lost 23 lbs. since April only using the e-tools. I don't have time to attend meetings and don't really want to do that anyway. The e-tools are great. After you learn how to count points you can eat any where. It really is a good way to do it and it helps you maintain your good weight too.

Good luck! Try it and I bet you will like it.

--Judy

 

[SJCSuzy]

I do! I do! I've been doing WW online since March and have lost 35lbs. It is a slow process but I feel its the healthiest for me. I don't cook any special meals, my family eats what I do but my portions are measured so I know how much I'm eating. It's a very flexible program. I find as long as I drink enough water I lose 1.5-2.5lbs a week. WW recommends 6 8oz glasses a day, other sites recommend drinking half your weight in oz's of water a day. Also when we went to WDW and the Disney Magic this summer I went off program and ate whatever I wanted, we had dessert every night, milkshakes at lunch etc when I got home I had only gained 2.5lbs in 2 weeks! I was really happy. My new mantra in life is "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels". Good luck in your weight loss journey.

 

[Tina]

What a great phrase!! I'm going to hang that on my fridge!!

 

[gemmie214]

I lost 12 pounds in 7 weeks on WW during the summer. Once you get used to the point counting it is very easy. We had a whole group at work doing it and it ended up being fun.

 

[allshookup]

I just started WW....AGAIN! IMO, WW is the healthiest way to lose weight. No pills, no shakes, and you eat whatever you like. You just have to keep track. It is not the portions that are hard for me to maintain, but I do get sick of measuring and writing down everything I eat and before you know it....I am slacking again. I think MY biggest mistake is I have a bad week and I know I gained instead of lose so I stop going. I think I'm finally learning that even if I had a "bad" week I better go anyway, because the next week is going to be even worse. The key is to keep going to the meetings. I tried to do WW at home, but it didn't work for me. I need to answer to someone else besides myself, it keeps me motivated. Plus I love the support! It's nice to be cheered on everytime you lose 5lbs!

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

IMO you can lose weight the most effective way... watching your diet and exercising.... without WW or any other program.

How about this... take the money you would use for WW and put it in a jar for a special treat - weekend away, etc. Then just make a special effort to be sensible.

Sorry, but for me to sit and weigh food and count every calorie is a major pain.

Others love the comaradarie and guidance WW provides.

To each their own, but I would never pay someone for me to lose weight.