Why Weight Watchers works…some of the time.
Comments(4) Weight Watchers has been around for a long time, and there are very few people who’d say bad things about the program. That must mean there are valuable things to learn from it, right? So why are there so many overweight, lifetime members of Weight Watchers?
I’m not going to pretend to be an expert of the WW program, because I’ve never actually followed it myself. So many of the the things I’ll suggest are based on observations and just theories that seem to make sense. I think that most people view diet programs as “on” or “off” — they don’t see the tremendous variance that exist from one person’s plan to another…even within the same plan. Hopefully what you will find is that there are people who follow WW better than others, and those are the people who, logically, succeed. Here are some ideas that might help explain what I mean:
1) Oversimplifying what the program is. Many people have followed diets and never really understood the whole plan…they get the gist of something, and just start following a set of rules, that really only might be part of the plan. We see the quite often with the Atkins diet, where people don’t even read the book before they start eating bacon, burgers and the cheese off of their pizza. I think it’s pretty much human nature to do this (I seldom read directions on anything myself until I have a problem)…but often this can make or break a program’s success. Why? Because there are subtle things that we skip over that actually are important. The general idea that WW followers can eat ANYTHING as long as they stay under their points for the day is a big draw of the program, but often this may lead to the inability to adjust their foods to healthier options, because they have it set in their minds that anything means ANYTHING. The general education of what are better choices is a process that many people skip over, often because they don’t think they need to know much more to stay on the program…this leads us to the next point…
2) Accountability. This of course, is critical for every single weight loss plan out there. We are the WORST at holding ourselves accountable for going over our points, because we easily will stop counting when we know we’ve blown the top limit even with our “flex” points for the day. So the question is…is someone else watching what we are doing? This doesn’t always matter for everyone, but it does for most of us. Whether someond attends meetings is a big factor in success, not because of the information they give per se, but because of the weigh ins. The weigh ins each week are ultimately the bottom line that directly relates to how well the point system has been used, because if you eat within your targeted points, you will most generally lost weight. Going to meetings and being “forced” to see the results of our actions, we become well aware that the more times we exceed our points, the more times we don’t lose weight, or even gain weight. Those who fail to make this connection often stop going to meetings, and the rest you can probably predict…Even lifetime members get to a point where they don’t think they need to meetings anymore, and this is a false sense of confidence that we all gain, when we think we know what we’re doing. Accountability it seems, has less to do with what we know, and more to do with what we don’t want to know.
3) Human Error. The point system is generally a good way to track what you are eating, and while I might suggest calories and other nutritional information are more easily accessible, counting points works…as long as you are accurate in your counting. Because a point may equal anywhere from 50-70 calories, there is always margin for error in many areas of the WW plan. Do you underestimate your points if you consume a little too much of a particular food? I would think it’s a common thing to give yourself a little leeway on points if you have just an extra serving…which could mean 2-3 extra points (or 150 – 200 extra calories). How often might this happen? How many times do we “guess” at the point value of an unknown food “in the wild” — and how off could we be? If we are off by just a point 5 times throughout the day, we can be consuming 5 extra points that we kind of ignore, and that could mean 250 or more extra calories per day! From a weight loss perspective, this can add up fast. Remember, to err IS human, so it’s probably likely for most people (I would have to guess that the program in general has a buffer built in to combat this process, but some people are worse than others)
4) What are we learning about food? Many WW people you talk to may really not have any concept of protein, carbs, or fat…and their relationship to their diet. While these might be considered “more advanced” topics for some, they are topics that all of us really should learn, at least by the time we’re senior citizens…since it’s not all that difficult. The WW program often focuses on fat and fiber, so most people on the program ARE aware of these things, but often not much more. They are always searching for foods that have lots of fiber so they can subtract points! It’s not a bad thing…just an incomplete perspective. So if one is following WW and actually learns over time what foods are more valuable than others, which ones will satiate us (make us full), and which ones will make us want to eat more…the success rate goes up! I’ve seen many people’s WW food logs that have hardly any protein meal after meal, since the point system doesn’t really care much about it. I am assuming that these topics are disucssed in meetings, but I can’t say from first hand experience.
5) Exercise. This is another wild card. Whether people on WW exercise or not has a lot to do with a) whether they go to meetings, and b) whether their group leader exercises. Everyone on WW will tell you that you can subtract points if you exercise, but very little stress in general is placed on how much and how hard to exercise. This might be by design, to add to the draw of the program (that exercise isn’t necessary), but it’s a really big gap when it comes to success in weight loss. Whether we go for a walk or not, often can mean a Sunday stroll at 2mph, or a sweat inducing workout at 4mph…and the difference in calories burned could be twice. Most people would like to believe they can skip this part…but for the long term, they can’t…it is absolutely critical for long term maintenance, because it not only makes us more aware of our bodies which translates to better eating…it gives us the flexibility we need in addition to “flex points” so that we can maintain a balanced lifestyle with indulgences here and there for years.
Anyhow, that’s what we’ve seen. What has been your experience?
It is interesting to watch WW people. I agree that balance is lacking in how most people interpret WW. It might not be WW intention – but that is definitely how it is interpreted. I think that part of this is the lottery thinking – thinking that magic is going to happen.
I also think that it is because people are still thinking “diet” and not thinking “healthy body”.
I have seen the phrase “does it matter how you lose, as long as you lose?” several places in the last month. When I see that – I always think – If you just want to lose it – it doesn’t matter. But for maintenance – it MATTERS.
I have several blog friends that are learning about a balanced food plan NOW – after many years of weight loss. It is truly like someone turned a lightbulb on in their heads. And part of learning to lower fat and carbs into their balanced place is reducing processed food. The light does dawn-ith when this takes place.
We live in a society that is tilted toward high carbs and fat. Someone learning to balance – feels that they are eating low carbs/fat – because keeping carbs/fat in portions and eating evenly from the other food groups FEELS like low carbs/fat.
I think the VERY necessary parts of learning to be successful in maintenance FOR ME were
learning to eat portions,
learning to eat at meal time,
learning to eat balanced from each food group,
learning to eat low glycemic,
and eating whole foods as close to their natural state as possible.
the point that you bring up about increasing point intake for fiber and exercise is one that drives me crazy.
I see people doing what I would call – moving their body aimlessly through space – and then increasing their consumption based on that ‘exercise’.
Again I think this is a real disconnect – it is lottery thinking.
I see VERY few people doing exercise that warrents an increase in food.
I NEVER increased my intake based on exercise during my two years of losing or my current two years of maintenace. I expect my exercise to be a regular part of my life.
I think that one has to do a fair amount of intensional exercise in order to ‘make up’ for our standard couch potato life style. The amount of exercise required beyond that – to warrent an increase in food – is substantial (in my opinion).
I am not only a Lifetime Member of WW, but also an employee, leading 6 meetings per week. Educating my members on proper food nutrition and behavior change is the number one priority to me! The key to WW long time success has been the members attending their weekly meetings! We cannot possibly make an impact on our members in only 30 minutes a week, it takes months to years.
That has personally been my experience with this process, I have lost 43 pounds and then gained it all back when I left WW years ago to only come back and have to lose 100! But the key was I DID IT! Weekly meetings, accountability and education on proper nutrition! I strive to learn as much as I can to share with my members, hence why I am a Huge fan of Tom Venuto. I am convinced one day he will advise for the WW organization.
WW itself has a pretty impressive science center and department, however we do tend to keep our target audience in mind, which is middle age woman looking to lose a few pounds. They sometimes have no concern over learning macronutrients and they have no desire to re-shape their bodies through weight training or resistance training. That said, we continue to strive to teach these concepts.
So, you may say the WW program has flaws, but with 45 years of service to the WORLD – Yes, we are international, we must be something right!!!!
As is indicated in this documentary, we strive to inspire!!! WW leaders like myself who have been there and experienced dramatic weight losses through proper nutrition and exercise are the ones who inspire.
Thanks for your comments Mary Alice! I hope you don’t take my blog entry the wrong way, as I was just hoping to indicate observations we’ve made during the production of our film…with the hopes that those programs with great strengths can evolve to become even better in the future.
I agree that WW is a very effective plan, when followed correctly (as many plans).
Have a great day!
Hello! I found your website through one of Jimmy Moore’s recent podcasts and when I saw this entry in your blog, I felt the need to add my $.02 (for what it’s worth).
I am currently on atkins and I truly believe that THIS is something I can do for the rest of my life…I am also a weight watchers “lifetime member”. I lost 40 pounds my first go around on weight watchers, gained back 20 and then from there went back and lost 40 again (for a total of 60 lost from my highest). And – for some people, I truly do believe that weight watchers IS a fabulous program.
However – before I get into the nutritional aspects of why I am doing Atkins instead of Weight watchers – I know that a reason why I stopped counting points and following the program was a big psychological problem for me (and, as it turns out, an insulin problem as well…)
After I became a lifetime member, I started to realize how absolutely “obsessed” I had become with counting points. I would hand-create journals (and when I say “create” I mean I’d literally create pages that I should have designed with a computer) to keep track of everything I did. Be it the points I was eating and the exercise I was doing.
And, like your blog said, it didn’t matter WHAT I ate, as long as it was within points. I would measure out ice cream to exactly 1/2 cup. I would always cut back on nutritional foods for dinner as long as I could have my sugary desserts.
I DID like the idea of the accountability of going to the meetings and having to “answer” to the scale every week with someone (the weigh-in clerk) seeing my progress…but then you had those weeks when you didn’t lose anything and I hated feeling like a failure when I didn’t lose anything and/or gained.
Once I hit lifetime, I DID maintain that for a year – but I was OBSESSING over every single food point and activity point that I ate / used. For me, this was very mentally draining and after a while I stopped. And I gained it back.
I would constantly go back to meetings trying to get that first 10 pounds that I’d gained back off – but it just wouldn’t come off fast enough.
Then I gained back another 10. And then I gained back 17 on top of that for a total of 37 pounds gained back of the 60 I’d lost.
3 years after I hit my goal, I decided to try and “obsess” over the points system again but for 4 months of doing this AND exercising religiously, I couldn’t lose literally one OUNCE of weight.
I went to my doctor and realized I’d actually devoloped Insulin Resistance (pretty much pre-diabetes) and SHE is the one who told me to do the Atkins diet and to CUT CARBS, as well as putting me on Metformin.
Well, I didn’t listen to her at first and for a few months I tried the WW core program (which worked, for a bit, but then i was still eating too many carbs – which in my specific instance, I didn’t realize I really NEEDED to cut them out.) and I ended up gaining back the weight because I didn’t realize what it really meant to BE insulin resistant and WHY i needed to cut carbs.
After 3 other appointments when she kept saying, “cut carbs, cut carbs, cut carbs” I finally listened to her and I started the Atkins program at the beginning of January 2009. While the weight loss IS slow – it IS coming off. But more than anything, I’m actually learning WHY my body is different than everyones and that for ME a low-fat high-carb diet (such as is weight watchers) is NOT the right diet for ME (or anyone who is Insulin Resistant / Diabetic for that matter)
I’ve also had to really re-train my brain that FAT is NOT the enemy. And that every person really is very unique and that while some programs such as weight watchers DOES work for some, as far as their nutrition goes, it doesn’t work for others who have insulin issues. Fat is only the enemy when it is paired up with high-carbs.
And, unlike weight watchers – where again, as long as it was “within my points” the thing I actually love about atkins is that it is VERY whole-foods oriented. TONS of green vegetables along with the right kinds of meats. And it’s NOT an all-you-can eat smorgasboard of meats, eggs, cheese. It has “rules” just like every other program out there – but for me, it makes sense because it teaches you more the science as to WHY you are cutting out the bad carbs.
It’s also very eye-opening to learn that some people who follow a low-carb diet are actually MUCH healthier than people who follow low-fat diets.
I will tell anyone who asks that it IS a good program, especially to learn portion control – but I also tell them that MENTALLY not to get obsessed with the “game” of counting points and subtracting AP’s and end up feeling like a failure if you’re also a perfectionist when the mathematical equation doesn’t quite work out right.
The thing though, about ANY eating plan is that it really comes down to learning about how your own body works and what works for you.
WW worked for me once, but then i realized I needed a different nutritional approach to make sure I was doing what my body needed instead of a mathematical equation.