Weightwatching made easy. (Weight Watchers)

Member Name: Rhiana

Product:	Weight Watchers
Date:	26/03/09 (228 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: easy to follow, plenty of support and advice

Disadvantages: can be pricey.

On a regular visit to my Mum and Dads house in January, my dad got his laptop out to proudly show of the christmas photo album he'd created. And, seeing myself for the first time in months, I was shocked.

I joined Weightwatchers the very next week. I admit I was sceptical to begin, but my Mum had previously lost weight successfully with them, so I thought I'd give it a go.

I visited the weightwatchers.co.uk website to find my local meeting, and then it was a case of just turning up.

The meetings I attend are in a local community hall. Everyone ques and gets weighed by the leader, who then discusses any issues you have and gives personal advice.

After everyone has been weighed the meeting is held. Its not compulsory to stay for the meeting, infact i'd say that less than half the people who have qued to get weighed stay on. I myself have only stayed for two meetings. Its entirely upto you, some people find them motivational, I don't find them that helpful.

Its very busy and I quickly worked out that if you want to stay for the meeting, don't bother turning up for weigh in until half an hour after the groups start time. If like me your just wanting weighed and a quick chat with the leader, turn up 15 minutes before so your first in que and can be away quick!

If the idea of attending a weigh in puts you off, you can follow weightwatchers purely online. I've never tried this so can't say whats it like (personally, I'd be inclined to lie to myself on weigh in day lol)

So what do you eat? Well anything you like really! On your first meeting your given a points calculator and a booklet with the most popular foods points values. The principle is, everything has a points value. You get a personal points allowance, dependant on age, sex, present weight, height etc and the aim is to only eat within this allowance.

You soon get to grips with working out points values, and how to get the most for your allowance. Some foods have a 0 points value such as salad and veg. You can also save unused points from a previous day, or earn activity points to cover a night out, take-away or for me, a bottle of rose once a week.

Weightwatchers do there own range of foods, wich already have the points values on the packaging, available in most supermarkets. However I avoid these, as they are expensive, not that tasty, and actually no less points than supermarket own brand low fat alternatives. Also avoid the weightwatchers alcohol. Its only very slightly lower in points value, expensive, and most importantly...weaker in stregnth!

Theres also plenty of other merchandise available at meetings, such as scales, pedometers, tape measures, cook books, measuring spoons etc. Again, I haven't bothered as they are pricey and unneccessary.

So what does it cost? Registration is usually advertised as 'free'. A weekly meeting costs £5.50, or alternatively you can purchase a monthly pass for £17.50. I would highly reccomend the latter as not only does it cover your meetings for the whole month at a discounted price, it also gives you access to weightwatchers e-sources, wich I find invaluable for tracking points, tips and hints and recipe ideas

And finally, after all that, you're wondering does it work? Well I have lost 18lb since the first week in Febuary. So in my opinion yes it does. Its easy to follow, theres an abundance of tips and advice online and the weekly weigh in deffinatly encourages me. You weightloss is set in little achievable goals, and your rewarded with a 'silver seven' for every half a stone, a key ring for 10% weightloss and gold membership on achieving goal. It may not sound like much, but reaching these smaller targets really do spur you on to bigger one.

Summary: Like any diet, it does require will power from you, but is one of the easiest healthy eating plans