[Article updated on 19/09/2023]
Developed in the United States in 1963, Weight Watchers is a world-famous dietary program. This program, exported to a multitude of countries, is based on a balanced diet and a system of points allocated to each food. It encourages weight loss by integrating new eating habits, physical activities and the support of a community.
Before reading on
I’m not an expert in this field, but I am passionate about nutrition and health.
The articles you’ll find on my site are the result of in-depth research that I’d like to share with you. However, I would like to stress that I am not a health professional and that my advice should in no way replace that of a qualified physician. I’m here to guide you, but it’s important that you consult a professional for specific questions or medical concerns. Your well-being is important. So be sure to consult the appropriate experts and take the best possible care of yourself.
In the Weight Watchers diet, all foods can be consumed in moderation, as long as they do not exceed the allowed points for the day. Beyond the specifics, the Weight Watchers diet has advantages, but also disadvantages. It also gives rise to divergent opinions with, on the one hand, admirers who emphasize its effectiveness for weight loss, and on the other hand, people who highlight the limits of this dietary program.
Weight Watchers: for whom? For what uses?
The Weight Watchers diet is a slimming program intended for those who want to lose weight and who also make health their priority. These are people who have weight loss goals and who are also ready to adopt new eating habits or make healthy food choices, while practicing physical activity. Weight Watchers is a long-term program that requires a fair amount of patience and perseverance on the part of members.
This program is also well suited for those who have need support from the community to maintain their motivation. It includes group meetings in which members encourage each other mutually. These people who want to lose weight must then be ready to assist to these meetings or to devote part of their time to these meetings. People are then needed to carry out a investment in terms of time but also money, because this program is not not free.
THE Weight Watchers diet aims to lose weight effective through a healthy and complete diet while promoting well-being and health. So, it is used to lose kilograms healthily and naturally.
Features of the Weight diet Watchers
Weight Watchers is a diet hypocalorie which is not characterized by a system of restriction or food deprivation. On the contrary, all foods are authorized in moderate quantity.
The specificity of this diet is the fact that it is based on the adoption of a healthier and more balanced diet, participation in group meetings and the practice of physical activity with the aim of losing weight. Thus, the Weight Watchers concept is based on three principles, diet, exercise and community support.
Food
Weight Watchers is an approach that links with a healthier eating style or dietary rebalancing. It’s about adopting a healthy and balanced diet without imposing dietary restrictions. The subject can therefore eat what he likes, respecting a quota of points allocated for the day.
Points system
For a better control of food, a points system is set up with for each food, depending on the nutritional profile, a very specific number of points. There is a list of points corresponding to each food. Each day, a limited number of points are assigned to each person. The number of points awarded each day is based on the subscriber’s height, weight, age, gender and physical activity, while taking into account weight loss objectives.
During the day, there are a certain number of points that should not be exceeded. With the evolution of the Weight Watchers concept, this point system is more flexible, with FlexiPoints in 2004, ProPoints in 2009. In 2015, a new point formula is implemented with SmartPoints which takes into account calories, proteins, saturated fats, sugars and fiber in the calculation of points. This new formula features a new points list with 200 zero-point foods.
Daily point capital
The daily point capital constitutes an objective that it does not should not exceed when making food choices. This capital point pushes the member of the Weight Watchers diet to eat with moderate quantities of food without ever exceeding the number of points allocated to it daily. The number of points exceeded can be compensated the next day.
Physical activity
To lose weight and enjoy good health, the Weight Watchers diet includes the practice of physical activities to allow members to move. Physical exercise plays an important role in the Weight Watchers program. Thus, members are encouraged to practice sport, with videos of physical activities and training programs. Thus, the Weight Watchers diet is characterized by a healthy, balanced diet and physical exercises. Playing sports also allows you to earn points.
The community
The community, in particular its support, constitutes another specificity of this food program with the institution of meetings during which the members encourage each other, share experiences in the context of loss of weight. It constitutes a support network that allows members to motivate each other and to support each other, by exchanging tips and recipes for losing weight. To do this, members are invited to participate in meetings to learn a little more about nutrition, exercise and many other topics and to benefit from basic information. They allow everyone to discuss this food program and evaluate their progress in matter of weight loss.
Over the years, Weight Watchers has adapted to the progress of technology with the creation a website and a smartphone application that facilitate calculating points. Thus offering the possibility of following the program in online, to participate in online seminars, also with a community online and follow-up by correspondence for members who cannot participate at meetings.
Benefits
Weight Watchers is a non-restrictive eating program
unlike many other diets which impose food restrictions or deprivation, Weight Watchers authorizes the consumption of all foods. However, you must not exceed the quota of points allocated for the day. Thus, members can eat what they like by making wise food choices, as long as they do not exceed the daily points quota. Members can therefore indulge in cooking what they like best, because there are no foods to cut out and no forbidden foods.
The points system is practical and allows control of the quantity of food to be consumed
Some foods cost fewer points, while others cost more points (pizza, fries). Eating foods that cost more points results in a rapid expenditure of the daily point capital during a meal, with the risk of remaining hungry for the rest of the day. On the other hand, there are foods associated with fewer points and which can be consumed in large quantities. Hence the need to make wise food choices to consume the right number of points for lasting satiety, with a significant quantity of food.
So, the points system encourages members to eat nutritious foods which will help them to have a healthy and balanced diet with a view to their provide more energy and reduce the consumption of sugars and fats. He aims to guide members towards habits food and physical activities healthier. To do this, this point system will penalize foods that are the least useful for the body with the aim of encouraging members to limit them, while guiding their choices towards the healthiest and most beneficial foods. Ae list of points Weight Watchers makes it easy to doe balance sheet daily.
Meetings allow members to be supported, motivated and benefit from valuable advice
The meetings are greatly beneficial for the members who thus have a support group capable of motivating and supporting them. This support group also allows you to open up to others.
In addition to sharing recipes, tips and experiences that can help you lose weight, members can receive answers to their questions. Also, they can benefit from nutritional information and advice that helps them lose weight.
Members can expect to lose weight with a varied diet and physical activity
A diet is not always enough to lose weight; you have to combine it with exercise. Physical activity helps increase weight loss. This is why Weight Watchers encourages the practice of physical exercise on a regular basis, by granting points to spend which allow you to consume more foods.
He is about moving to be active in carrying out a variety of activities and performing numerous movements, in addition exercises and sports. To do this, there are tips for moving more and not not be inactive. Physical activity is promoted with videos of fitness and training programs for members.
Weight loss is slow and occurs at a regular pace
With the Weight Watchers food program, weight loss occurs at a reasonable pace. It is safe, slow and carried out at a regular pace, capable of being maintained and allowing for a lasting result. Weight loss is gradual and takes place over time. The Weight Watchers diet allows you to lose weight in a healthy and effective way.
Weight Watchers is a simple, easy-to-follow eating plan
With this program, it is not necessary to endure hunger daily to lose weight. Subjects can have three meals a day with snacks by judiciously combining foods within the limit of the points allocated each day. They can also indulge in foods that they like and that provide satiety for a long time. The freedom to choose foods allows you to maintain the pleasure of eating with the possibility of consuming any type of food.
The website and mobile application make it easy to follow and respect the principles of this dietary program
These tools provide advice and simple, easy-to-make recipes for weight loss as well as cooking tips. Calculating points is easy. At any time, members can access their account and obtain answers to their concerns. This site offers information regarding the diet program, exercises and support groups.
Disadvantages
The Weight Watchers diet requires a greater or lesser financial investment
This dietary program is expensive. Fees relating to subscription and participation in meetings must be paid. There is also a charge for one-on-one support from a Weight Watchers personal trainer. Depending on the duration, fees may be higher depending on whether it is a monthly, quarterly or annual subscription. Following this dietary program for months or years will require a budget that will need to be planned so as not to stop this program before having achieved the weight loss objectives. The cost is also more or less high when the kilograms to be lost are also more or less considerable.
The Weight Watchers diet requires an investment of time
You have to make time for meetings. These meetings are one of the specificities of the Weight Watchers diet. However, it takes time to attend these meetings regularly.
Weight loss is not rapid
Weight Watchers is characterized by a lack of dietary restrictions which cannot promote rapid weight loss. It is therefore necessary to have a dose of patience to preserve in order to achieve the weight loss objectives requiring a more or less long time. The risk of abandonment can then prevail when the desired results are slow to appear in people who are impatient.
With the Weight Watchers diet, the risk linked to a nutritional deficit may prevail
The subject is required to combine foods and must not exceed the daily point quota allocated to them. No food being prohibited and no list of foods being imposed to ensure a healthy and complete diet, the subject can make unwise combinations.
If he has a preference for fat and sweets, his diet during a day can be marked by the absence of certain nutrients. In the long run, he we must fear a continual absence of certain nutrients or a deficit nutritional which can have harmful effects on the body.
The points system can limit the pleasure of eating freely
The subject is concerned about the daily point capital that must not be exceeded and about not eating more than what is allowed. As a result, it prioritizes the pleasure of respecting the daily points quota and relegates the pleasure of eating to the background. Also, the points system can be confusing or difficult to follow for those who are taking their first steps in this nutritional program.
The recipes of Weight Watchers diet
The Weight Watchers diet offers the opportunity to cook healthy meals at home to help you lose weight. To do this, it makes thousands of recipes available to members, via the website or a mobile application. The recipes offered are free and are suitable for healthy weight loss. It is possible to access thousands of recipes for free with their value in terms of points or SmartPoints. This allows you to avoid calculations to determine the points associated with a recipe.
These recipes free are simple and easy to make. They fit into the framework of the program intended for weight loss. Members can obtain, through from the website detailed information on food, ingredients healthy foods and create recipes or concoct any type of flat. They can prepare meals delicious which will allow them to lose kilograms and enjoy a good health by eating healthy foods. They can also exchange or discover recipes during meetings.
User reviews
The program weight loss food called Weight Watchers records millions of followers. Among those who have experienced it, some appreciate it because this program promoted weight loss. Other users criticize this program by highlighting the limits or aspects negatives of it.
Negative reviews
For those with harsh criticism, they say Weight Watchers is not the best diet food intended for weight loss. It does not offer any guarantee relating to certain and effective weight loss in complete safety. Members who participating in this program do so at their own risk, as they may be affected by a deficiency of vitamins and mineral salts, if the combinations Foods do not include all nutrients. It is then a regime which may be effective for some and ineffective for others. This diet may be associated with well-being and health for some, but for others, it can be the cause of discomfort or a health problem, caused by the adverse effects of nutrient deficiency.
It is therefore possible to lose weight without resorting to this program with its tedious system of points. The need to count points (SmartPoints) during the day to know whether or not you have exhausted your daily point capital is not always appreciated. Also, the fact of regaining weight when you stop this program also attracts negative opinions.
This program is not not accessible to everyone or at least not within the reach of all budgets. For membership, and even, to follow this program and benefit from a assistance for months or years, you need a budget, an investment important financial.
Positive reviews
For users who give positive opinions, the Weight Watchers diet helps everyone to lose weight by consuming foods throughout the day. It does not require extreme deprivation. It is therefore a good choice for those who want to lose weight. slowly and steadily without resorting to a weight loss diet restrictive. It allows you to lose weight naturally without depriving yourself of certain foods, but by adopting a varied and balanced diet.
The positive side of this food program is the fact that members can benefit from the support of a network to help them lose weight, but also to benefit from the advice of a coach to teach them again how to eat healthily. Not all slimming diets offer this opportunity. This support network is very appreciated, because it helps motivate and help those who want to lose weight by providing them with psychological support which is important when weight loss is long-term.
My opinion
Weight Watchers is a dietary program for weight loss. It is characterized by a points system. Thus, each food has a value and a certain points are awarded to members each day. The latter can consume all the foods they want, provided they do not exceed the capital point allowed for the day.
The points offered, formerly referred to as FlexiPoints, ProPoints, are now called SmartPoints. The number of points allowed is calculated in depending on weight loss goals and various parameters such as age, gender, weight, height, etc. This point system prioritizes to healthy, nutritious and low-calorie foods by giving them less than value. This allows members who follow this food program to eat healthily and lose weight while enjoying good health.
HAS long term, this program helps members learn to eat healthily, change their eating habits and doing more sport to lose weight effectively. Thus, the weight loss takes place in the best conditions and over time.
But, to benefit from the advantages associated with the Weight Watchers diet, you must invest money for the different subscription plans and devote time to meetings. This is why the diet is criticized for its cost which is considered to be a little too high, but also for its effectiveness which is not always guaranteed for all subjects. These reviews allow me to look at the Weight Watchers diet from another angle to emphasize that it is not a miracle solution for weight loss. For some, it can be effective when properly followed, but for others, the results in terms of weight loss can be very meager, or even non-existent.
Alternatives to Weight Watchers
Maybe you’re not up for doing a Weight Watchers program? I can offer you alternative options in the form of a cure which may also be interesting to contribute to your weight loss. Here they are :