How does Weight Watchers work?
Weight Watchers has survived many diet hypes and gurus over the past few decades. Rightly so. The old points system has now been abandoned, but the new points method is also a good way to lose weight.
A meeting with a central scale that you have to publicly stand on and then be booed for gaining weight instead of losing weight… that kind of corny imagery continues to haunt Weight Watchers to this day, even though they haven’t held up for a long time. stitch more. During the group sessions, the scale is discreetly placed in a corner and the weight of the participants remains a private matter that is only discussed with the coach. The organization, founded in 1963, has been campaigning for years to get rid of its old-fashioned image and, as a successor to the points diet, launched a renewed, scientifically based nutrition plan.
Save to eat
The classic Weight Watchers diet is based on a points system. Points were awarded to hundreds of foods. How many points a food got used to depend on the amount of calories it contained. The participants must adhere to a maximum number of points per day, which is determined on the basis of weight, age, height and gender. The diet is very flexible: almost anything is allowed, as long as you stick to your points budget. So you can lose a pound to a kilogram.
That flexibility is a major plus: treats are not off limits at Weight Watchers. If you want, you can save points and then indulge in unhealthy products. But Weight Watchers itself strongly advises against that. Because that way you risk deficiencies in certain nutrients.
Meetings
The organization has always emphasized the importance of a balanced diet in its group sessions, but those meetings are without obligation: you don’t have to go to them. Not everyone does that. Because you can perfectly follow the Weight Watchers guidelines at home, possibly with online support. Nevertheless, the meetings with fellow sufferers under the supervision of a coach are one of the most important assets of Weight Watchers. Members are continuously informed about the importance of a balanced diet, which promotes their motivation. People who lose weight together also maintain the diet more easily and therefore achieve better results, according to experience.
That information, education and encouragement aid weight loss is confirmed by scientific research comparing Weight Watchers to other well-known diets, including Atkins, Slim Fast and Ornish. Those studies show that all diets lead to about the same weight loss in six months, as long as you stay motivated. And therein lies the crux of the matter: it is easier to maintain that motivation, according to the same study, when you lose weight in a group.
How come? People are often too strict on themselves. They start very motivated with a diet and change their eating pattern too drastically. They want to see results quickly. That works in the short term, but these people also give up faster. To have a better chance of success, it is better to change your lifestyle very gradually, under supervision and together with others. Those who want to lose a lot of weight should not set the bar too high. Losing 10 percent of your weight in the first year is more than enough. It is also much better for your health to let your body weight decrease slowly.
New: ProPoints
As successful as Weight Watchers’ classic points diet was, the organization threw it overboard anyway. In favor of ProPoints, a new concept where calories are no longer counted to get to points. Foods are now assigned a value that is calculated on the basis of the amount of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and fibres.
Fiber and, to a lesser extent, protein have been shown to provide a longer-lasting feeling of fullness, helping to control hunger for longer and make weight loss easier. Therefore, foods rich in fiber and protein are awarded fewer points. Thanks to the fiber, two pieces of fruit prevent hunger for longer than one smoothie. And a piece of meat makes you feel full longer than a piece of vegetable pie. The proportion of protein should not exceed 15 to 20 percent of the total daily calorie intake, otherwise you risk overloading the kidneys. In addition to proteins, with Weight Watchers you also eat a lot of fiber-rich vegetables and fruit.
To move? Extra points!
Furthermore, Weight Watchers has remained true to its global approach, which is based on four pillars: healthy nutrition, group support, adapted eating behavior and exercise. They aim for five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, drink plenty of water, eat vegetable fats rather than animal fats, and get plenty of exercise.
For physical activities you receive points, the so-called Active ProPoints, which you can add to your points budget. A higher points budget means you can eat and drink a little more. You can also choose not to use the active points: then you will lose weight faster. In addition to the daily total of points, you will also receive a number of points each week that you can use freely, for example for an unexpected dinner or an irresistible snack. And you don’t have to eat these points either.
This way you lose weight gradually with Weight Watchers, without having to go hungry. You must count your points with every bite or sip. But keeping track of what you consume on a daily basis also ensures that you stay conscious about what you eat. And that alone promotes weight loss.
The effectiveness of a diet depends on many factors. Losing a lot of weight quickly is never a good idea, so avoid the so-called crash diets. Whoever falls back into his or her old diet, will quickly regain the lost kilos. People who are seriously overweight (BMI > 30) are better off consulting a dietician for a tailor-made diet than following a diet on their own.
Sources):
- Plus Magazine
