Losing the pounds (Weight Watchers)

Member Name: claretel

Product:	Weight Watchers
Date:	15/09/03 (1034 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: for real food, for real people, for life

Disadvantages: cost

Weightwatchers

There are 3 forms of Weightwatchers plus one especially for men. You can either go to the meetings, join the online club or by post. The meetings are weekly and you can use the internet site at www.weightwatchers.co.uk or telephone line 08457 123 000 to find some near where you live.

Weightwatchers is based on a points system. Food and drink is given points per portion based on the number of calories and fat content. You are allowed a certain number of points per day, based on gender and weight. I first tried the postal membership. It includes meal plans, books to tell you how many points foods contain, and a log book. You pay one initial up-front fee (around £50) for 3 months and then for any additional materials and continuation packs. It requires a great deal of self-discipline to keep going with the postal system. It is possibly better for the faint-hearted, who may not be keen on being weighed at a meeting. I got on well with this to begin with but, like all other dieting attempts, soon lost motivation.

The meetings require you to pay an initial registration fee (around £9) then £4.75 per meeting. You are allowed up to 2 weeks holiday a year but otherwise you must pay every week, including for weeks missed or else re-register if this is cheaper. There are frequently deals where registration is free. You get a bag of bits (meal plan booklet, points calculator, etc) when you register. Each week you attend you weigh in. You can then either leave or stay for the meeting where you can get some great motivation and useful tips plus mixing with the other members. Once you have paid for one week, you can go to other meetings for free. You can also go to meetings elsewhere if you cannot make your regular meeting and therefore not have to pay for a missed week.

Alternatively, you can join online. The cost is around £50. It is similar to the postal service except your details are online. You either pay for one month or
3 months (discounted) and then around £10 for each additional month.

The special men?s pack is around £55 and includes a CD-ROM.

If you attend the meetings, you can also sign up to the e-source at the weightwatchers website. This costs an additional amount (around £15) for 3 months. It includes extra meal plans and online tools such as a progress tracker.

One of the strengths of Weightwatchers is that you are not at all restricted in what you can eat. This helps to make it a life-long change rather than another fad diet. It means you can still have your favourite foods, provided you stay within your allowance. You get help with motivation too and you can earn points for exercise. You get back-up from the magazines too.

I did find it very hard to afford both the meetings and the food from the meal plans. The ready meals are particularly expensive and, although you can eat unlimited vegetable soup, the cost soon mounts up. This is not unique to Weightwatchers by any means ? it is cheaper to survive on chocolate bars (VAT inc.) than fresh vegetables!

Going to the meeting for the first time I felt very, very nervous and everyone seemed to be a healthy weight. I am shy at the best of times and conscious about my weight so it was hard to pluck up the courage. The queue was huge too. I did it and I changed to a different meeting the next week, where there were plenty of more curvy ladies of all ages from 16 to 60 at least. The leader was lovely and very encouraging, taking time to talk to everybody.

As far as weight loss success goes, the jury is still out. I did lose 10lbs in the first two weeks but have had a little lapse. However, I am determined to get back to it, so it can?t be all bad!

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