FINALLY! Something that works!
Written: Jul 23 '02 (Updated Jul 23 '02)
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Pros: Easy, flexible and it WORKS!
Cons: May be a bit too flexible
The Bottom Line: Anyone who needs to lose weight (5, 20, 100 pounds) MUST try Weight Watchers. It is a fabulous program that really does work!
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| kalika0531's Full Review: Weight Watchers Winning Points |
Weight Watchers new Winning Points system is incredible! I have never felt so confident about losing weight. This program is a great system that is easy and flexible and allows YOU to stay in control.
My Experience
I decided to join Weight Watchers after witnessing a friend lose over 50 pounds on it. It was very encouraging to actually see someone that I know actually lose substantial amounts of weight. So I said "What the heck? What do you have to lose?"
Because I don't make much money, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to afford weekly meetings. But I also knew that leaving my weight loss to be monitored only by me wasn't (and hasn't ever) worked. I had no way of keeping myself accountable for my actions. If I didn't lose weight, oh well. I just felt terrible for a few days and went on with my life.
My concern was the weekly payments. I went on to the Weight Watchers website and found that they offer scholarships to low-income people! Yipee! I called to get an application, filled it out, sent it back and got a letter 2 weeks later saying that I could go to WW meetings, pay just $5 a week with no enrollment fee and I'd be good to go! I was so excited I went THAT DAY.
At my first meeting, I was a little down. I knew that I had gained weight since I quit smoking 2 years ago (about 35 pounds). I stepped on the scale and almost cried. I couldn't believe how I'd let myself go. But the lady checking me in smiled at me and handed me my starter materials. As if she was reading my mind, she said "Trust me, this works. I lost 50 pounds and I've kept it off for 15 years." Alrighty then! Let's give it a heave-ho and off we go!
My second week, I stepped on the scale and just knew I had gained weight. I hadn't stayed within my points range. I had gone over by at least 5 points every day that week. I was off to a bumpy start.
And then....
"Wow! You lost 3 pounds!" My group leader was giggling with me! I had actually LOST weight, even though I had hit some rough patches that week! I couldn't believe it. It worked.
The Program
The way the program works is this: Depending on your current weight, you are alloted a certain amount of food "points" per day, within a 5 point range. The lowest amount is what you MUST eat. The high end is what you should stay under. You should shoot for a number between those two.
Every (EVERY) food has a point value. For instance, bread is 2 points a slice. Cheese is 2 points a slice. During the day, you are to keep track of your points by using a journal (provided by WW every week for your convenience). You keep track of the number of points you've spent during the day and try to rearrange your eating habits to stay within your points range. Weight Watchers provides a book with hundreds of foods and their points value. They also provide a "Points Slider", which is a handy-dandy tool that helps you determine the points value of packaged foods using the nutrition label information.
Everything gets written down. If you bite it, write it.
You need to eat 5 fruits and veggies, 2 milk products and at least 6 glasses of water a day.
The trick is this: The higher the fat and calories (in other words, the more junk the food is) the higher the points. You can eat ANYTHING you want, but if you run out of points, you're going to be hungry.
This program helps you pick good healthy foods that you can eat of lot of, keep yourself full and still enjoy foods you want.
There are no forbidden foods on this program. If you really really want a cookie, have one. Just don't eat a whole bag of cookies! Write it down and make sure you add the points up.
Every week you weigh in. You are given a membership booklet that tracks your weekly weight loss as well as your current weight loss. You get new ideas, recipies, information and support every week. There are support meetings with fully trained staff who are actually members who successfully used Weight Watchers to lose weight and keep it off. These folks KNOW what they're talking about!
You can also go online to Weight Watchers.com and use many of the E-tools like journaling, weight tracker and recipie points calculators.
Why This Works
I firmly believe that Weight Watchers Winning Points works because YOU stay in control. You don't have to sacrifice every enjoyable food. You don't have to starve yourself. You make the decisions of what you are going to eat and how much. You decide if you want that extra little bit of pudding, and if it will fit into your points range today. Weight Watchers gives you the tools that you need to make healthy, smart choices. You can "bank" points (save a few for the weekend) and you can earn more points by exercising.
Weight Watchers also provides so many resources to help you in your journey. And the best part: Everyone at Weight Watchers knows how you feel and has been where you are. They know how it feels, they know the struggles and they are more than willing to help you every step of the way. They encourage you, even when you gain weight, to stay positive.
The weekly weigh-in's and meetings help you keep yourself accountable for your actions. If you've splurged a little too much....well.... it's going to show. No one will judge you, but you'll know. Giving yourself weekly goals will certainly help. Saying to yourself "No, I'm getting weighed tomorrow, I don't want that piece of chocolate cake" really helps.
The center I go to now uses digital scales so you can get the most accurate weigh-in. This helps because with other scales, you may have only lost half a pound, but the scale doesn't show you that. With the digital scales, it shows that you've lost less than a pound, but it's still weight you lost!
If you have ever felt completely hopeless about losing weight, or just want to find an easy program that works, Weight Watchers is it. I recommend this program to ANYONE who is looking to lose weight, whether it's five pounds or a hundreds hundred pounds. This program is wonderful. When I get rich and famous, I'm going to tell the whole world about Weight Watchers!
Recommended:
Yes
Approximate Monthly Cost (US$) $48/20schrsp
Food Variety Restrictions You eat any food you want
Restrictiveness of Portions Satisfying
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Epinions.com ID:
kalika0531
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Member: Jodi Greene
Location: Elizabeth, NJ, USA
Reviews written: 31
Trusted by: 0 members
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