About Weight Watchers

The world of dieting can be a yo-yo effect as weight comes off and then returns. As the body ages, weight control becomes more frustrating. Reach the age of 50 and weight issues, most likely, will become more of an issue than in the 20's and 30's. Weight Watchers has 45 years of experience to develop a program that is based on the Four Pillars of Success: food, behavior, support and exercise. And now that Weight Watchers offers both online support and community meetings, it's more accessible for busy people.

Features

Weight Watchers offers two food plans: the Flex Plan and the Core Plan. The Flex Plan is a system of keeping track of points. Once you reach a certain number of points, you stop eating for the day. You learn the point value of food, so you can spread the points out for the day. The Core Plan is learning how to eat nutritious and satisfying food without counting points. The Core Plan is based on a list of healthy foods you pick from to satisfy your hunger with a weekly allowance list to choose from as well.
The behavior approach is based on two concepts, Self-monitoring and Cognitive Skills. Self-monitoring requires tracking points or learning to recognize the comfort zone when eating, so overeating doe not occur. Cognitive Skills is a strategy approach called Tools for Living.
Weight Watchers supports its members with weekly meetings and 24-hour access online.
Exercise is also an important part of the plan. A few weeks into the eating plan, exercise is introduced with a tracking system and the benefits of exercise.

Benefits

The benefits of Weight Watchers are numerous. Because the focus is on the whole person, the success of the program is well-documented. According to Weight Watchers, 97 percent of members would recommend the program. Members learn to eat nutritious food and how to eat out in difficult situations. Will power becomes ingrained and motivation is only a finger tip away with online community boards. Exercise becomes an important part of daily life helping to create a healthy lifestyle. Members not only learn to eat well, they learn to live well. With the support of weekly meetings, members feel better about themselves and learn to help each other.

Features

Weight Watchers has a program to work for all situations. If you need to have meetings at work, Weight Watchers can make that happen if enough people are willing to join. If you're a vegetarian, Weight Watchers has recipes for you. If you are about to get married, Weight Watchers has a guide for brides. Weight Watchers has a program for men that has travel advice, strategies for dads and ideas for exercising with your kids. Choices are available if you want to join online or go to meetings. Two food plans are available to fit your lifestyle. Weight Watchers has strategies to help every person in every situation.

History

Weight Watchers began with a New York woman, Jean Nidetch, who described herself as an, "overweight housewife obsessed with eating cookies." A woman who had been overweight such childhood, she had little luck with diets. Finally, she decided to try combining dieting with weekly meetings. She invited some friends to join her and meet once a week with a weigh-in and share their progress. A year later, Nidetch had lost 72 pounds. People heard about the group and wanted to join. She incorporated Weight Watchers in 1963. By 1968 franchises were nationwide. Nidetch retired as spokeswoman in 1984.

Geography

One of the successes of Weight Watchers is the fact that anyone can join Weight Watchers and go to a meeting anywhere. It's great for the businessman or woman who travels extensively. Weight Watcher's meetings are available nationwide. On the Weight Watcher's website, click Community and then enter the zip code of the place you are visiting. A map will come up showing all the meeting areas. You can even find out what time and day the meetings occur. Because of the website, online programs are another option. There are 50 message boards on the online site to help you keep in contact and informed whether you are home or away.