It's been almost one year since I made the lifestyle change that made me lose almost 30 pounds — since I made the conscious decision that something needed to be done about my weight and my happiness and I joined Weight Watchers.
For almost my entire life, I've heard about Weight Watchers and a lot of its success stories. I saw Miranda go to meetings on Sex and the City. I've seen Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Hudson and, now, Oprah drop an immense amount of weight on the program. I even had friends who had great experiences. But how were they doing it? How did the program that worked for so many people actually work?
I pondered these questions time and time again before finally taking the plunge in July 2017 and joining Weight Watchers, where I learned all about its point system. Under the program, every member is given a specific number of points they can consume per day based on their height, weight, and weight goal, and every food is assigned a Weight-Watchers point based on its nutritional value (not just calories, which is very important when you think about how many calories foods like avocados, nuts and even quinoa pack).
By following your point allowance, you are controlling your portions while still giving your body nutrients, ultimately resulting in weight loss. It sounds simple, but there's so much more to Weight Watchers. Keep reading for just six reasons I love it.
1You Can Pick From 3 Different Plans
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Back in the day, Weight Watchers used to be available only through meetings, where you'd be weighed, get advice about the program, and discuss the point system. Now, there are three main ways to be on Weight Watchers:
Online Plus ($3 a week) exclusively gives you access to the Weight Watchers app.
Online Plus + Meetings ($7 a week) allows you to attend meetings and use the app.
1:1 Coaching ($13 a week) assigns you a personal coach who crafts a personalized plan for you.
Budget might come into play when choosing a program, but you should also think about what will work best for your lifestyle. There are still Weight Watchers meetings held all over the country, so if you need that support IRL, it's there for you. If you're on the shy side or like to do things on your own, you can just use the app, which allows you to track your food daily, plug in your weekly weight, show you your weight loss progress, and log daily activities and workouts.
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2The App Makes It Easy to Track Your Progress
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To stay on track with your program, the Weight Watchers app serves as your point log for the day. You can type in a food or scan a barcode and the point value automatically shows up and gets registered — there's no need to do maths in the grocery store aisle. You can also log your activity and exercise to earn Fit Points, which turn into extra points added to your weekly allowance.
One of the greatest features of the app is its Connect feature, which gives you access to a forum where you can share progress, ask for advice and discuss with program with other users.
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3There Is Minimal Restriction
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When choosing a diet to start my weight loss journey, not feeling restricted was very important. I can say I have never felt that way on Weight Watchers. I can't give up carbs, sugar or dairy (those are my favourite foods) and Weight Watchers allows me to eat all of that in moderation. It's been very easy to make this sort of moderate lifestyle change.
Weight Watchers also gives you 30 to 50 weekly points (depending on your age, height, current weight, and goal weight) to use as an extra cushion, in case you go over your daily points. This allows you to have more control over what you eat, and a little leniency in case you slip or want to have something extra at a special celebration dinner, for example.
Before Weight Watchers, I thought what I was eating was good for me. I'd eat peanut or almond butter, because I knew they were good fats and full of protein, but after starting the program, I realised those items were high on points value for a very small portion. It's not that nut butter is bad for you, it's that it might not be ideal for losing weight.
I've had this experience with many foods and, empowered with this new knowledge, I'm now making the right choices. In my opinion, learning more about the foods you're eating and from the community that Weight Watchers gives you is key to the success this program has had over the years.
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5It Offers a Community
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The program is built so you can share with other Weight Watchers users via meetings and the app. It's like having your own personal Weight Watchers social network — there are millions of people also going through the program to support you, offer advice, and cheer you on. It's a unique feature I haven't experienced in other weight loss programs.
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6It's a Lifestyle Change
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My experience on Weight Watchers has been that you make a conscious choice to make healthier decisions, while still enjoying life. Whether you decide to stick with the program for only a few months or become a lifelong member, the habits Weight Watchers teaches you are things you can stick to forever.
