Weight Watchers (WW), formerly known as Weight Watchers, has a long history of success. The weight reduction business was started at Jean Nidetch’s house more than 50 years ago by friends asking for diet advice. As of 2018, WW has 4.5 million members and a worldwide advisory board of physicians, academics, and other specialists, making it one of the most well-known diets in the world.
Weight Watchers has also changed its name to WW starting in 2018. “Wellness That Works” is the new business slogan, highlighting WW’s transition from focusing only on weight reduction.
How it works
Jean Nidetch established WW in her Queens, New York, apartment in 1963.
WW swiftly expanded from its modest origins as a weekly weight reduction meeting for her friends to become one of the most sought-after diet regimens in the world.
Foods were first tallied according to portions using an exchange method, much to the diabetic exchange system.
Foods and beverages were allocated points according to their fiber, fat, and calorie content in the 1990s.
Several times over the years, WW has redesigned its points-based system, and the most recent iteration introduced a new degree of customization with the WW program.
WW’s Weight Loss App for Kids and the Rebranding Decision
Known for its weight-loss program, WW announced in September 2018 that it was expanding to become a worldwide wellness firm. In addition to weight reduction, WW also provides programs that promote physical exercise and help cultivate a happy outlook on life. ‘ Consumers should expect no artificial sweeteners, flavours or preservatives in any WW products sold after January 2019 as part of the company’s renewed commitment to wellbeing.
Fitness and activity are now rewarded with WellnessWins, a point system, and the ability to join Connect Groups to meet other WW members their age, hobbies, and wellness journey stage.
Kurbo by WW, a weight reduction program for children and teenagers aged 8 to 17, was launched in August 2019 and immediately created controversy among parents and the media. Kurbo is positioned as a family-based program that employs a traffic-light system to encourage healthier eating habits in children. However, experts in eating disorders and parents argued that the program might lead to or worsen harmful eating habits in children.
According to physician and author Natalie Muth, MD, “I don’t want to concentrate too much on a child’s weight and seldom urge youngsters to lose weight, but rather find places in their lives where they may have a chance to change health habits.”
In her opinion, “I don’t believe the method was meant to be a diet, but rather a strategy to assist families in changing their lifestyles.”
Is it Possible to Lose Weight on WW?
Weight Watchers is not a fad diet but rather a long-term strategy. Even though the WW program has developed throughout time, the basic tenets remain the same: a healthy diet, moderation, and eating what you want. A food’s calorie count and saturated fat, sugar, and protein it contains determine how many points it receives.
Susan Kraus, a registered dietitian at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, explains that “it encourages the incorporation of a broad range of meals; consequently, it fosters balance—all foods are deemed ‘legal,’ to prevent feeling deprived.”
As of November of this year, WW announced the debut of a new program that incorporates a personal evaluation to customize the correct strategy for each individual. The software will assign you one of three colours based on your eating habits, weight reduction objectives, and activity levels: blue, green, or purple. To keep track of your food consumption, all three programs use a points system called SmartPoints. Here’s a deeper look at each strategy:
- The Green Plan is There are over 100 ZeroPoint meals to pick from in this plan, making it more point-dense than the others. (1)
- We Call the Blue Strategy The WW Freestyle program was discontinued in 2017 and replaced with this plan. This is the best option you’re looking for anything in the center of the SmartPoints range and zero-point options. (2)
- The Purple Strategy, As a result, this strategy restricts SmartPoints while allowing access to more than 300 ZeroPoint goods such as fruits and vegetables and eggs. (3)
It’s up to the participant to decide what they want to eat on any WW plan; there are no “must-eat” items. However, Kraus believes that counting points, (4) making appropriate food choices, and increasing exercise levels will help the individual lose weight.
A nutritionist in New Canaan, Connecticut and a lifestyle expert at Norwalk Hospital, Barbara Schmidt, RD, says, “WW is a good program since it focuses on portion sizes, is well-balanced and places responsibility on the individual. To make the appropriate choices.” “You must be able to consume a variety of meals to thrive. Then, every once in a while, you can have that bagel or that dessert.”
The WW Diet’s Effects on Health and Weight Loss
The program has been successful in several studies. Research participants on WW consistently lost more weight than those who were not on the program, according to a study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine in April 2015. A year after starting WW, 3% of participants reported higher weight reduction than those who received behavioural therapy.
Type 2 diabetics may benefit from the WW diet, according to research. Almost half of the individuals referred to WW had a decreased risk of developing diabetes or had their blood sugar levels return to normal, according to a study published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care in October 2017.
After six months, individuals on WW were 8.8 times more likely to lose 10 percent of their body weight than those who used weight loss leaflets and websites, according to previous research in the American Journal of Medicine. In addition, researchers discovered that participants lost more weight the more they used WW tools—specifically meetings, the WW website, and the program’s mobile app—to support their weight loss efforts.
Why WW Workshops Can Make a Difference
Research suggests that having a support network may aid in weight reduction, and WW pioneered this approach. A study published in the journal Patient Preference and Adherence in August 2016 indicated that patients with a social support system in place were more effective in adhering to their weight reduction program.
Weight reduction success is more likely to be maintained by individuals who have a support structure in place, according to a meta-analysis of studies. Every day of the week, hundreds of sites around the United States host WW Workshops (formerly known as meetings), where members may meet with coaches, advisers, and other members. WW Workshops are around 30 minutes long and include various health, wellness, and weight reduction subjects. In addition, member WellnessWins may be redeemed for benefits such as beauty goods, workout equipment, and mindfulness tools when they attend meetings.
How Much Is It to Follow WW?
Although WW is one of the most affordable diet programs, expenses vary greatly depending on where you reside, what sort of plan you choose and whether or not your company or health insurance provides any discounts.
For instance, the following is an illustration of the program price in the city of New York: (5)
- One-on-one phone sessions with a personal coach are included in the Personal Coaching Plus Digital Plan ($12.95 per week) (see below).
- Wellness coaches and weekly group workshops are included in the Workshop Plan ($6.95 per week).
- Access to the WW website and app and 24/7 online assistance from a WW coach are included in the Digital Plan, which costs $2.95.
Visit WW’s website to receive pricing estimates depending on where you reside.
How Easy and Quick Is WW to Use?
US News & World Report ranked WW as the “best weight reduction diet” for 2019. Also, it tied for second place as the “easiest diet to follow,” behind only the Mediterranean diet, which scored No. 1 in this category. (6)
What’s the cause behind this? First, this diet is simple because of the points system, which allows users to pick and select what they eat and when they consume it.
Almost 4,000 recipes on the WW website and app can quickly find out how many points a particular item has (the database has information on over 300,000 different foods). Additionally, the three programs enable individuals to choose the format that best matches their lifestyle, reducing weight, being physically active, or establishing a healthy attitude.
A 1-Day WW Diet Sample Menu to Consider
An example day with a SmartPoints Budget of 23 may include the following activities: (7)
- Breakfast coffee and milk with kale, red potatoes, and bacon hash for a hearty start to the day
- a turkey burger with squash fries for lunch
- Nuts and fruit may be healthy snacks.
- A mild beer and a spice-rubbed flank beef fajita dinner
- The dessert is a chocolate pizzelle fruit tart.
Potential Health Benefits of the WW Diet
The WW diet, which focuses on a healthier lifestyle rather than a tight dietary restriction, may have several advantages. Weight Watchers (WW) is often recommended by Liz Weinandy, an RD and MPH who works at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio.
For example, “It supports fruits and vegetables, lean protein [and] they really concentrate on getting people to consume less sugar and fewer bad fats,” she said.
There are no restrictions on what you can and can’t eat when it comes to Weight Watchers.
When Weinandy tells someone they can’t have ice cream for six months because they’re going to the grocery store and picking up a party pail, “I love it because there is so much psychology to telling someone, ‘Oh, no, you can’t have ice cream for six months after tonight,'” Weinandy adds.
Fad diets appeal to dieters because they promise speedy weight reduction, but this isn’t always the case. Many fad diets not only restrict or exclude critical nutrients for good health — such as carbs, a crucial macronutrient on the keto diet — but the Cleveland Clinic reports that patients who quit following a short-term diet rapidly gain back the weight they lost while on it.
Anyone who has or is at risk for an eating problem should avoid fad diets. A good rule of thumb is to avoid diets that promise speedy weight reduction or seem too fantastic to be true.
The WW Diet may have certain drawbacks.
An important drawback of the program is that the WW coaches do not have any formal training in nutrition or dietetics. Therefore, people who have had success with this method are more likely to be the target audience.
According to Weinandy, “I’m not sure that everyone who’s conducting the meetings is going to provide the finest guidance.”
There may be extra downsides if your diet personality is different. Kraus adds that although some people may appreciate the program’s adaptability, it might also be a source of temptation for others.
Having too much freedom might lead to temptation for certain individuals.” On the other hand, according to Kraus, dieters who follow a strict, predetermined diet are less likely to overindulge in foods that aren’t strictly part of the diet.
When people lose weight, they may not be adopting better behaviours, even if they are following the points system. For example, with no constraints on what they may eat, people following WW may convey that sweet desserts are acceptable every night.
A dessert instead of a meal is one example of how Kraus sees people abusing the points system. As a result, individuals may lose weight, but at the cost of eating less nutritious meals.
The Possible Short- and Long-Term Effects to Expect on WW
In contrast to fad diets, such as the ketogenic diet, which may help individuals lose weight quickly but are not long-term sustainable, WW promotes healthy weight loss and maintenance.
Obese persons who followed WW for a year lost more weight than those who followed the program for 12 weeks or utilized self-help resources, according to research published in May 2017 in the journal The Lancet. However, the study showed a slightly under 15 pounds annual weight reduction in the 52-week group, indicating that the regimen would not produce dramatic weight loss overnight.
In addition, researchers followed up with participants a year later. They discovered that although all groups had gained some weight, the 52-week WW group had tremendous success in maintaining their weight reduction and fat loss.
According to Schmidt, “WW may be slower since it is based on actual living and portion management.” As a result, it may not initially satisfy an obese person, but they are more likely to stick with the plan for a lengthy period.
Many diet regimens are out there, and it might be tough to determine which one would work best for you. In the short term, a low-carb diet is efficient in shedding pounds, but long-term adherence has shown to be problematic. According to research published in the journal Healthcare in September 2018, there is no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” diet. Instead, long-term success comes from making gradual adjustments to one’s lifestyle, such as eating healthy food, exercising regularly, and sleeping sufficiently.
What Should You Know: Is the WW Diet Effective for Losing Weight?
WW has a long history of helping individuals lose weight since it’s simple to follow, doesn’t exclude any foods, and provides a support network to help members stay on track. However, don’t expect to notice a major shift in your weight overnight. Nevertheless, it’s possible to lose weight and improve your health if you stick to the plan (and don’t cheat by eating dessert instead of a well-balanced meal).
The most important thing to remember is that the program promotes long-term healthy eating habits that you can maintain.
Weinandy advises anybody trying to shed pounds to “make sure that everything you do to reduce weight is sensible so that it is sustainable.”
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