Weight Watchers?

Lisakay007 · 08-12-2008, 10:25 AM

Has anyone on here done weight watchers? If yes, did it work and did you like it? I'm considering doing it (I'd like to lose 10 - 15 lbs).
Thank you!

twinnett · 08-12-2008, 10:49 AM

I lost some on it, but I was also lifting weights and doing cardio...weight watchers isn't too much into protein, etc...just basically about calories..I used to save all my points and eat like a brownie and that would be almost all I'd eat all day..lol...I wasn't too crazy about the meetings and weighing in front of everybody either..it's all about pounds, not body fat or measurements

JVo · 08-12-2008, 12:09 PM

I did Weight Watchers about 7 years ago, and lost my first 20 lbs. that way. This was before I ever started weightlifting. I think it really does have a pretty good success rate. I think going to a meeting every week and talking about food and being held accountable to stay on your diet by weighing in each week really works for a lot of people.

Like Twinette alluded to, it's possible to do the diet while ignoring food macros and "clean" eating - it's more focused on points (essentially calories). As weightlifters, many of us pay attention to how many carbs/protein/fat we're getting, which they aren't going to talk about. Of course, you could be proactive, and count points while at the same time paying attention to your macros and eating "clean" (or at the very least, just trying to make sure you get enough lean protein in your diet).

Good luck!

JVo · 08-12-2008, 12:12 PM

I wanted to add that while Weight Watchers was a great success for me, I was definitely what you'd consider "skinny fat" after my weight loss. I wasn't lifting weights, and I'm sure I lost muscle along with fat (and slowed down my metabolism because of it).

zakkala · 08-12-2008, 12:45 PM

I lost 160lb with WW online and exercise, up to August last year. It does work, but is only as healthy as you want it to be. The advantage it always advertises of being able to eat anything on it, is also the disadvantage - there's no incentive to actually eat healthy. It also doesn't help you address any issues you have re emotional eating etc and it doesn't care if what you're losing is fat, muscle or water weight, as long as the scales go down.

Since then, I've put back on about 70lbs, reviewed things and won't be going back to WW again. I now want a long term healthy lifestyle to avoid yo-yo dieting, more than I want the immediate weightloss - to get that right I need to do the bits that WW didn't do for me; learn to deal with my emotional eating issues, learn to prefer / want healthy food and not be ruled by food.

So yes, it works - but if you're going to combine it with watching your macros and exercising, I'd save your money and just track your calories etc yourself.

Chef K-Lo · 08-12-2008, 04:07 PM

Yeah, I did WW and lost over 50lbs on it. I think the "Core" program is much better than the "Flex" (points) program because you're eating more wholesome foods and not just spending points on crap food.

I got away from it though because I wanted to focus more on macros, and in since I need to get in a hella bunch of protein, I found I was eating more of the things on the plan that they don't recommend in quanity (ie-protein shakes and nuts)

Anyway... it's a good starting point to get you used to eating the right portions.

Lisakay007 · 08-13-2008, 07:28 AM

Thanks everyone! The general consensus seems to be I'm better of tracking my own calories and macros.