Is Weight Watchers A Good Weight Loss Program?

Weight Watchers for Weight Loss

       The best Weight Watchers tricks can help you speed up weight loss, and maintain your weight in the long run. As you probably know, Weight Watchers has become the go-to for millions of women and even men who want solid advice and stable results. But some people struggle with points-based programs, seeing them as a challenge to stay on track or maintain their early success.

Weight Watchers is one of the world's most popular weight loss programs. A lot of people have joined the hope of losing weight. Weight Watchers registered over 600,000 new subscribers in 2017 alone. Even well-known celebrities like Oprah Winfrey have found weight loss success following the program. You might be wondering what makes it so popular.

This article reviews the Weight Watchers program so you can decide if it is working for you.

What Is Weight Watchers?

Weight Watchers (WW) started in the early 1960s and has continued to grow to become one of the most popular commercial diet programs in the country, as well as internationally. The original program looked a little like today's programs, but this is likely part of what led to the diet's longevity—companies frequently make program updates based on new research and health knowledge. The latest version, Weight Watchers Freestyle, was launched in December 2017 and is touted by the company as "our most livable plan for over 50 years."

Can Weight Watchers help you lose weight?

Weight Watchers recipes takes a science-based approach to weight loss, stressing the importance of portion control, food choices, and slow, consistent weight loss.

Unlike many fad diets that promise unrealistic results in no time, Weight Watchers explains to members that they should expect to lose 0.5 to 2 pounds (0.23 to 0.9 kg) per week.

The program highlights lifestyle modifications and advises members on how to make better decisions using the SmartPoints system, which prioritizes healthy food.

Many researches have indicate that Weight Watchers plans can help people lose weight.

Weight Watchers devote entire pages of their website to scientific studies that support their program.

Overweight people who were told to lose weight by their doctors lost twice as much weight on a weight watchers diet program than those who received standard weight-loss counseling from primary care professionals. Although this study was funded by Weight Watchers, data collection and analysis was coordinated by a team of independent researchers.

Furthermore, a review of 39 controlled studies found that participants who attended the Weight Watchers program lost 2.6% more weight than participants who received other types of counselling.

Another controlled study in more than 1,200 obese adults found that participants who followed the Weight Watchers program for one year lost significantly more weight than those who received self-help materials, or short weight loss advice.

What's more, participants who followed Weight Watchers for one year were more successful at maintaining their weight loss over the two years, compared to the other groups.

Weight Watchers is one of the few weight loss programs with proven results from a randomized controlled trial, considered the "gold standard" of medical research.

How Does Weight Watchers Promote Weight Loss?
Weight Watchers Freestyle focuses on the use of a points system called SmartPoints. Each member receives a number of daily SmartPoints that take into account body size, age, activity and weight loss goals. Members then budget their SmartPoints over the day to stay on track with their goals.

Food points value is determined by a proprietary formula that takes into account calories, saturated fat, sugar and protein content. Healthier foods, those with more protein and fiber and less saturated fat or added sugar, have lower SmartPoints scores. Less nutrient-dense foods—foods that contain more saturated fat or sugar and less fiber and protein, have higher value.

It is recommended that you eat lots of low-point foods (especially zero-point foods) to stay full and satisfied, so that you have more SmartPoints to spread throughout the day. The plan also takes flexibility into account by providing each member with 28 weekly SmartPoints to use for occasional treats and special events.

The Weight Watchers Freestyle program is similar to the previous version, but the program's biggest change is that it offers more variety of zero-point foods. (webmd) Prior to Freestyle, only healthier, very low-calorie foods like fruits, vegetables and egg whites were food without value. Now, this list includes very low-fat protein, eggs, nuts, legumes, and nonfat yogurt.

WW Freestyle also introduces the ability to scroll through SmartPoints from one day to the next, so members can better plan and budget points for a night out or special event. In the past, WW encouraged members to eat all (or most) of their daily SmartPoints, but now up to four points can be extended from one day to the week.

Simple Tips to Lose Weight at Weight Watchers

Here are some of the best working Weight Watchers tips for real people. While not every piece of advice may be relevant to you, you should be able to get plenty of helpful tips to maximize your weight loss on the Weight Watchers plan, and to stay slim and healthy in the long run.

In order to pinpoint the secrets of Weight Watchers-style fat-melting, we put together a panel of members who each make an average of 70 pounds. Use their tips with a custom meal plan inspired by Weight Watchers, or with whatever healthy diet you're already on.

Load calories to lose weight.

Ask the 100 pound thinner Jill Grunenwald how she got her Weight Watchers results, and the 30 year old Cleveland librarian says, “I always, always eat a big breakfast. It really keeps me on track the whole day. “Science backs it up. One study found that a large breakfast profoundly altered the hormonal balance in favor of skinny jeans — lowering the hunger hormone, increasing at least two different hormones associated with faster calorie burning, and increasing overall weight loss by about 300 percent.

Make a "zero" calorie count.

Weight Watchers doesn't limit drinks to no-calories, but they're not all the same. “Diet soda makes me crave trash,” says Ontario reader Trish Morley, 27, who lost about 10 pounds in just two weeks. "In comparison, green tea curbs my cravings." Bonus: Studies show that six cups of the drink each day boosts metabolism by four percent.

Turn good carbs into great ones.

Weight Watchers diet now allows for unlimited fruit and more whole grains—a healthy change. However, even these good carbs increase blood sugar. If sugar spikes enough, it triggers a hormone that slows down fat burning. When frustrated Weight Watchers hit the internet's message boards, losers were quick to urge them to eat good carbs in combination. Protein and good fats counteract the fattening effects of carbohydrates on blood sugar. For a 20-pound slimmer person, that means "I learned to eat almonds with my fruit, [and] eggs with my whole-grain toast." a Minneapolis mother, 35, uses a combo trick to double her weight loss.

Save for a metabolic splurge that shocks.

Back when a person was frugal every day, the scales were no friends. We've come up with a much better strategy: Save the extra "points" or calories — about 500 calories — for some big weekend fun. "You go to eat, you eat well, you drink wine, and you lose faster than with relentless deprivation." Scientific explanation: Keeping calories at a persistently low level causes psychological cravings and slows down the metabolism. In contrast, Cornell University researchers found that splurge boosts metabolism by about 14 percent.

Be smart about frozen foods.

Frozen dinners for once in a while are fine, but eating too much can slow progress. Why? They are usually loaded with salt, which stimulates the feeling of hunger. A Brazilian study also hinted that too much salt activates hormones that make fat cells fill up faster. Frozen food keeps you bloated all the time. Cut out the salt for a week, and it makes a huge difference.

Listen for the signal that you are full.

Weight Watchers provides members with daily food rations measured in "points". They earn weekly bonus points to use whenever they like and even more extra points if they exercise. "I only use it when I'm hungry," says 116-pound Massachusetts bookkeeper Jen Gadowski, 56, echoing the sentiments of many weight-lossers. I give the thumbs up for that strategy. Eat when you are hungry, and stop when you are full, and you will almost always eat less overall but feel more satisfied. Weight Watchers or other plans are just a blueprint. It gets you going in the right direction, but you have to adjust it to what is best for your body.

Summary

If the thought of weighing your food or counting calories is giving you a headache, this is the ideal program, because it may work for you. The online tool assigns a specific numerical value to each food, even restaurant meals, to make it easy to stay on track.

If you don't know your way around the kitchen, ready-to-eat meals and snacks make it easy. They are a quick and easy way to control serving sizes and calories.

You don't need to eliminate any foods from your diet, but you should limit portion sizes to cut calories.

An emphasis on fruits and vegetables means a diet high in fiber, which helps keep you full. And the programs are easy to follow, making them even easier to follow. You can also find premade WW foods at your local grocery store. Be prepared to spend some money to get the full benefit of this powerful program. It is worth it to reap the health benefits of losing weight and keeping it off.