This Weight Watchers evaluate publish is an opinion piece primarily based on my experience as a dietitian. The quotes which might be bolded all through the piece are the real-life experiences of former Weight Watchers dieters.
Weight Watchers is undeniably one of the profitable industrial weight loss plan packages ever. Founded in 1961 by Jean Nidetch, a housewife and mom, it has grown to develop into a weight loss plan behemoth with 4.6 million members worldwide.
Perhaps in an try to shuck off its dangerous weight loss plan juju amongst a big proportion of the inhabitants, Weight Watchers rebranded in 2018 as ‘WW.’ Suddenly, Weight Watchers wished to leap on the wellness prepare, however most of us weren’t having it.
That’s as a result of WW was, and is, nonetheless a weight loss plan, and everyone knows it. You can’t give individuals a calorie *ahem* factors finances, have a main final result that includes weight reduction, after which say that you simply’re not promoting them a weight loss plan.
And who can overlook Kurbo, WW’s try to suck children into its orbit? The weight reduction app, launched in 2019, catered to children as younger as 8 years previous, and was understandably met with outrage as a result of ‘weight loss’ and ‘8 year old’ ought to by no means be utilized in the identical sentence.
The Kurbo app isn’t accessible anymore, however in 2022, the FDA issued a settlement order to WW for loopholes within the app, together with one which allowed children to enroll with out parental oversight. The FDA additionally discovered that WW had used Kurbo to illegally harvest delicate well being info from kids.
Now, below CEO Sima Sistani, WW is providing GLP-1 agonists as a substitute for its typical weight loss plan program.
Follow the cash, I suppose.
Read my Xyngular GLP-X evaluate right here.
WW conferences at the moment are largely on-line, and weekly weight-ins are nonetheless a part of this system. If you do go to an in-person ‘workshop’ as they’re now known as, the weigh-ins are personal, as a substitute of in entrance of your fellow WW dieters.
I’ve heard from numerous individuals who have been placed on Weight Watchers as teenagers and adults, about how traumatizing these public weight-ins have been for them.
Here’s just a few:
The day the weigher was aghast that I had gained 0.5 kilos was my final go to. She actually put her hand to her mouth in shock and requested me what occurred. I wished to say “I f**king ate, that’s what happened”.
It was terrible. I used to be a child who didn’t perceive why my physique was “wrong” in a room full of fifty yr previous girls. It taught me nothing about diet, particularly as a result of that was the age of “fat makes you fat”. Everything was off limits and all I discovered was find out how to cover my consuming, lie about parts, be embarrassed about weigh-ins, and eat far an excessive amount of of all of the meals I used to be denied as a toddler as soon as I began to purchase my very own meals. I’m 43 and I’m simply now therapeutic my relationship with meals and my physique.
Is there analysis behind the Weight Watchers weight loss plan?
There are a few research right here, right here, and right here, that seem to point out WW’s efficacy when it comes to weight misplaced and diabetes administration. However, WW funded these research, and the outcomes are pretty unremarkable.
Remember that simply because one thing has analysis behind it, doesn’t imply it’s good analysis or that the outcomes have been clinically related.
Weight Watchers Points
The Weight Watchers factors system is the idea of all their weight loss plan plans. It was launched in 1998. It then modified to Winning Points, then Pure Points, then Pro Points, then Points Plus, then Smart Points after which Freestyle. The variations between these are minimal: the WW Points system appears to alter as usually because the wind blows, or at the very least that’s the impression I’ve gotten.
The gist is that you simply get a sure variety of factors to ‘spend’ every day, plus an allotment of weekly factors to ‘cover’ any ‘indulgences’ that may pop up. You also can ‘earn’ bonus factors for train, which I feel is totally ridiculous, because it makes train into one thing we do to ‘earn’ meals or ‘make up’ for consuming (each of that are disordered considering), and it’s not how our our bodies work…in any respect.
I took the WW quiz, which assigned me 26 factors a day. The questions have been largely targeted on weight reduction, asking my present top, weight, aim weight, intercourse, and age. The solely medical historical past query it requested was if I’ve diabetes.
Relevant elements comparable to exercise degree, historical past of an consuming dysfunction or different critical diagnoses, weren’t talked about. To their credit score, I attempted to enter a weight that was too low for my top, and obtained this message:
As a dietitian, my primary difficulty with WW is the factors system. I consider that it encourages disordered considering and habits round meals for many individuals.
Here’s my Weight Watchers Personal Points evaluate.
It encourages ’banking’ of factors (aka energy, who’re we kidding right here), and categorizing meals as ‘good’ and ‘bad.’ Yes, all meals can match, nevertheless it’s human nature to not suppose that manner when offered with an possibility (aka zero level meals) the place they will eat extra for much less. I additionally see this system encouraging followers to ‘game’ the system.
This is one thing that was echoed in a few of the feedback I obtained from individuals:
I did lose 80 kilos however I gained all of it again as a result of it didnt assist me to decide on ‘better foods’ it helped me to seek out methods to nonetheless eat what I wished. So apart from parts nothing modified for me. I suppose it gave me a false sense of getting management?
While WW itself doesn’t outwardly promote “artificial foods” you possibly can are inclined to lean in the direction of a few of them as a result of they have been decrease in factors. I additionally didn’t suppose they promoted more healthy choices on a regular basis: Skim milk and 0 fats yogurt have been 0 factors, however I had been taught that you simply wanted the fats to blunt any insulin spikes and the fats would additionally enhance your satiety. I discovered it very tough to remain inside the factors and eat wholesome and left after 3 months. I determine there was no sense in being smaller if I wasn’t additionally getting more healthy.
Each meals’s factors are calculated primarily based on its vitamins. Sure, greens and fruits have low factors values, however there are extraordinarily bodily nourishing and satisfying meals which might be greater in factors. Avocado, nuts, oatmeal, and candy potatoes are just a few of them.
The present WW program has greater than 200 zero-point meals, which sounds superb till you understand that it truly isn’t, for causes I’m going to clarify.
WW tells dieters to not overeat zero level meals, however in case you’ve been given a factors finances to remain inside, there’s a definite attract to stuffing your self with zero level meals with a view to ‘afford’ the inevitable multi-point binge.
All of this turns consuming right into a math equation, which can result in consuming meals that you simply don’t need simply to suit into your factors finances, or not consuming as a lot as you want due to the factors. Conversely, it’s possible you’ll eat simply to fulfill your factors finances you probably have factors left over (which in all probability by no means occurs). This can mess up your inside starvation and fullness cues.
Here’s why I don’t suggest having a calorie aim.
It additionally promotes satiety OVER satisfaction. Volume consuming, or consuming massive volumes of low-calorie meals to fill the abdomen so that you don’t eat different, higher-calorie meals, is a disordered behaviour.
If you go over your factors finances or eat the ‘wrong’ meals, this may result in guilt and disgrace, one thing that perpetuates the weight loss plan cycle.
Participants should monitor their level consumption, which will be triggering for anybody who’s predisposed to, has, or has had an consuming dysfunction. This is probably a big phase of the inhabitants, because the prevalence of consuming issues themselves (NOT together with disordered consuming), according to this 2019 research in JAMA, is 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 7 males.
We additionally know that prevalence of consuming issues peaks once more in girls round center age, according to this 2023 research and others. In 2018, a report by MRI Simmons discovered that 85% of WW dieters have been girls, and 43% of these girls have been over the age of 55.
WW might say they’re all about well being, however what I see mirrored within the quite a few WW factors teams on Facebook, is just about the alternative.
If you possibly can’t eat meals with out swapping out components for lower-calorie selections, and you’ll’t eat with out counting or monitoring, please know that this isn’t what relationship with meals seems like. It removes all flexibility, pleasure, and peace from consuming. Not good.
The program makes use of ‘coaches’ who lack in-depth, related diet coaching. Their solely {qualifications} are that they’ve reached their aim weight with WW and maintained it for at the very least 6 months.
Obviously, this isn’t sufficient coaching to advise individuals on their diet. Nutrition and the psychology behind meals selections are advanced. Unqualified individuals can probably do hurt once they contain themselves in different peoples’ relationships with meals and consuming.
Read my Noom evaluate right here.
As with most diets, many individuals shed extra pounds initially with WW as a result of they’re consuming fewer energy than they have been beforehand. This is simply simple arithmetic. However, the psychological exhaustion that outcomes from counting factors and overthinking all the pieces you place into your mouth may cause a lot of these individuals to surrender. I don’t blame them.
I’ve seen many individuals in my apply who’ve achieved Weight Watchers years in the past, however nonetheless see meals as ‘points.’ This is problematic, as a result of it causes them to concern meals and second-guess all the pieces they eat. It completely takes away that connection between how they really feel and what they select to eat.
I nonetheless know what number of factors some issues are a long time later. The weekly weigh ins have been so aggravating and the straight up meals obsession was so dangerous.
The factor is, these individuals usually return to WW many times, as a result of of their thoughts, it ‘worked’ as soon as for them, so that they’re going for a second, fourth, or eighth kick on the can. It hardly ever has a contented ending, however that’s what weight loss plan packages like Weight Watchers need.
Repeat prospects. Lifetime devotees. People turning into depending on figuring out the factors of every morsel of meals earlier than they permit themselves to eat it. Blaming themselves for his or her ‘failure’ on a weight loss plan that’s made to fail anyhow.
Sound acquainted? Many of you who’re studying this can recall having these experiences with WW. I’m sorry.
I joined many occasions and by no means made aim weight. As a results of being on WW I continued to drink espresso and tea black, don’t put butter on greens and restrict fats. Still I’m heavier than I ought to be.
I work out repeatedly, stroll lengthy distances and customarily really feel responsible about not having my weight down. This month I flip 68.
I’ll say that I’ve joined WW so many occasions that I actually misplaced rely. I by no means reached the aim weight that THEY set for me and all the time felt like a failure each time I left as a result of it was my fault for “being so weak”.
My largest takeaway from WW was that every one of my price as a human being was tied to a quantity on a scale, and all meals had numbers as properly, which by God Had To Be Kept Under The Limit.
There was not solely a complete disregard for diet but additionally for the enjoyment and pleasure of meals too.
I attempted ww and did lose 30 lbs which has come again after I ended. I’ll say it made individuals panic a few 0.3lb achieve, get obsessive about which model of hummus is 1 level vs 1.5, too targeted on the minutia, not an general wholesome sustainable long run weight upkeep resolution. Any program will work when you work it, however you shouldn’t want a program in case you are truly studying the abilities and habits for wholesome dwelling.
I additionally obtained feedback from followers who mentioned constructive issues about their time with WW.
Things like, it gave them construction and taught them about portion dimension. That they’ve misplaced weight and stored it off, for essentially the most half. That they benefit from the neighborhood, and that general, it was a constructive expertise.
Does Weight Watchers work? Well, each weight loss plan will ‘work’ for somebody. And by ‘work,’ I imply shedding pounds and KEEPING IT OFF.
I obtained 173 feedback, 6 messages, and 15 emails about WW. Out of these 194 items of correspondence, 9 have been supportive of WW. 4 have been so-so, and the remaining have been detrimental.
181 out of 194 have been so-so or detrimental, or 93%. This isn’t a scientific final result, nevertheless it’s attention-grabbing to see the cut up. I really feel as if it’s in step with what I’ve heard from individuals over the previous 24 years I’ve been a dietitian.
No matter how WW places it, it’s nonetheless a weight loss plan.
Oh hey, how about we simply EAT?
People won’t ever cease desirous to shed extra pounds, and as a dietitian who helps intentional weight reduction the place acceptable, I completely perceive. However, I feel there are higher methods to shed extra pounds than to topic your self to WW or one other industrial weight loss plan program.
Weight Watchers, in case you’re listening, listed here are my suggestions:
Get rid of the factors in favor of a extra intuitive eating-style program. People will likely be mad at first, however within the long-run, it’s a more healthy technique to see meals and consuming.
If you’re actually serious about peoples’ well being and general wellness, cease making weight reduction the first aim of your program.
Get some kind of upkeep assist, as a result of a number of individuals complained to me that you’ve got none.
Monitor the WW teams on social for disordered behaviour, and FFS, ask related questions in your onboarding quiz.
Use certified well being professionals as coaches. You have the cash. Just do it.
Who am I kidding…WW won’t ever change their methods. We can hope, although.
SHAMELESS PLUG: in case you’re struggling together with your diet and relationship with meals, I may also help! I’m taking 1:1 purchasers now. I’m dearer than WW, however you might be able to get protection for my providers you probably have personal insurance coverage. Here’s the hyperlink for extra info and to request a session.