This Weight Watchers evaluation publish is an opinion piece primarily based on my experience as a dietitian. The quotes which are bolded all through the piece are the real-life experiences of former Weight Watchers dieters.
Weight Watchers is undeniably one of the vital profitable business eating regimen packages ever. Based in 1961 by Jean Nidetch, a housewife and mom, it has grown to turn out to be a eating regimen behemoth with 4.6 million members worldwide.
Maybe in an try and shuck off its unhealthy eating regimen juju amongst a big proportion of the inhabitants, Weight Watchers rebranded in 2018 as ‘WW.’ All of a sudden, Weight Watchers wished to leap on the wellness prepare, however most of us weren’t having it.
That’s as a result of WW was, and is, nonetheless a eating regimen, and everyone knows it. You may’t give folks a calorie *ahem* factors finances, have a major end result that includes weight reduction, after which say that you just’re not promoting them a eating regimen.
And who can overlook Kurbo, WW’s try and suck youngsters into its orbit? The load loss app, launched in 2019, catered to youngsters as younger as 8 years previous, and was understandably met with outrage as a result of ‘weight reduction’ and ‘8 12 months previous’ ought to by no means be utilized in the identical sentence.
The Kurbo app isn’t obtainable anymore, however in 2022, the FDA issued a settlement order to WW for loopholes within the app, together with one which allowed youngsters to enroll with out parental oversight. The FDA additionally discovered that WW had used Kurbo to illegally harvest delicate well being info from youngsters.
Now, below CEO Sima Sistani, WW is providing GLP-1 agonists as an alternative choice to its typical eating regimen program.
Observe the cash, I suppose.
Learn my Xyngular GLP-X evaluation right here.
WW conferences at the moment are principally on-line, and weekly weight-ins are nonetheless a part of this system. Should you do go to an in-person ‘workshop’ as they’re now referred to as, the weigh-ins are non-public, as an alternative of in entrance of your fellow WW dieters.
I’ve heard from numerous individuals who had been placed on Weight Watchers as teenagers and adults, about how traumatizing these public weight-ins had been for them.
Right here’s a number of:
The day the weigher was aghast that I had gained 0.5 kilos was my final go to. She actually put her hand to her mouth in shock and requested me what occurred. I wished to say “I f**king ate, that’s what occurred”.
It was terrible. I used to be a child who didn’t perceive why my physique was “unsuitable” in a room full of fifty 12 months previous ladies. It taught me nothing about diet, particularly as a result of that was the age of “fats makes you fats”. The whole lot was off limits and all I realized was the way to conceal my consuming, lie about parts, be embarrassed about weigh-ins, and eat far an excessive amount of of all of the meals I used to be denied as a toddler as soon as I began to purchase my very own meals. I’m 43 and I’m simply now therapeutic my relationship with meals and my physique.
Is there analysis behind the Weight Watchers eating regimen?
There are a few research right here, right here, and right here, that seem to indicate WW’s efficacy by way of weight misplaced and diabetes administration. Nonetheless, WW funded these research, and the outcomes are pretty unremarkable.
Keep in mind that simply because one thing has analysis behind it, doesn’t imply it’s good analysis or that the outcomes had been clinically related.
Weight Watchers Factors
The Weight Watchers factors system is the idea of all their eating regimen plans. It was launched in 1998. It then modified to Successful Factors, then Pure Factors, then Professional Factors, then Factors Plus, then Sensible Factors after which Freestyle. The variations between these are minimal: the WW Factors system appears to alter as typically because the wind blows, or a minimum of that’s the impression I’ve gotten.
The gist is that you just get a sure variety of factors to ‘spend’ every day, plus an allotment of weekly factors to ‘cowl’ any ‘indulgences’ that may pop up. You may as well ‘earn’ bonus factors for train, which I feel is totally ridiculous, because it makes train into one thing we do to ‘earn’ meals or ‘make up’ for consuming (each of that are disordered considering), and it’s not how our our bodies work…in any respect.
I took the WW quiz, which assigned me 26 factors a day. The questions had been principally centered on weight reduction, asking my present top, weight, purpose weight, intercourse, and age. The one medical historical past query it requested was if I’ve diabetes.
Related elements similar to exercise degree, historical past of an consuming dysfunction or different critical diagnoses, weren’t talked about. To their credit score, I attempted to enter a weight that was too low for my top, and received this message:
As a dietitian, my fundamental subject with WW is the factors system. I imagine that it encourages disordered considering and habits round meals for many individuals.
Right here’s my Weight Watchers Private Factors evaluation.
It encourages ’banking’ of factors (aka energy, who’re we kidding right here), and categorizing meals as ‘good’ and ‘unhealthy.’ Sure, all meals can match, but it surely’s human nature to not suppose that manner when offered with an possibility (aka zero level meals) the place they’ll eat extra for much less. I additionally see this system encouraging followers to ‘recreation’ the system.
That is one thing that was echoed in among the feedback I received from folks:
I did lose 80 kilos however I gained all of it again as a result of it didnt assist me to decide on ‘higher meals’ it helped me to seek out methods to nonetheless eat what I wished. So aside from parts nothing modified for me. I assume it gave me a false sense of getting management?
Whereas WW itself doesn’t outwardly promote “synthetic meals” you could possibly are inclined to lean in the direction of a few of them as a result of they had been decrease in factors. I additionally didn’t suppose they promoted more healthy choices on a regular basis: Skim milk and 0 fats yogurt had been 0 factors, however I had been taught that you just wanted the fats to blunt any insulin spikes and the fats would additionally enhance your satiety. I discovered it very troublesome to remain throughout the factors and eat wholesome and left after 3 months. I determine there was no sense in being smaller if I wasn’t additionally getting more healthy.
Every meals’s factors are calculated primarily based on its vitamins. Positive, greens and fruits have low factors values, however there are extraordinarily bodily nourishing and satisfying meals which are greater in factors. Avocado, nuts, oatmeal, and candy potatoes are a number of of them.
The present WW program has greater than 200 zero-point meals, which sounds wonderful till you notice that it really isn’t, for causes I’m going to elucidate.
WW tells dieters to not overeat zero level meals, however if you happen to’ve been given a factors finances to remain inside, there’s a definite attract to stuffing your self with zero level meals so as to ‘afford’ the inevitable multi-point binge.
All of this turns consuming right into a math equation, which can result in consuming meals that you just don’t need simply to suit into your factors finances, or not consuming as a lot as you want due to the factors. Conversely, it’s possible you’ll eat simply to fulfill your factors finances if in case you have factors left over (which most likely by no means occurs). This could mess up your inner starvation and fullness cues.
Right here’s why I don’t suggest having a calorie purpose.
It additionally promotes satiety OVER satisfaction. Quantity consuming, or consuming massive volumes of low-calorie meals to fill the abdomen so that you don’t eat different, higher-calorie meals, is a disordered behaviour.
Should you go over your factors finances or eat the ‘unsuitable’ meals, this could result in guilt and disgrace, one thing that perpetuates the eating regimen cycle.
Members should observe their level consumption, which may be triggering for anybody who’s predisposed to, has, or has had an consuming dysfunction. That is doubtlessly a big phase of the inhabitants, because the prevalence of consuming issues themselves (NOT together with disordered consuming), in accordance with this 2019 examine in JAMA, is 1 in 5 ladies and 1 in 7 males.
We additionally know that prevalence of consuming issues peaks once more in ladies round center age, in accordance with this 2023 examine and others. In 2018, a report by MRI Simmons discovered that 85% of WW dieters had been ladies, and 43% of these ladies had been over the age of 55.
WW could say they’re all about well being, however what I see mirrored within the quite a few WW factors teams on Fb, is just about the other.
Should you can’t eat meals with out swapping out substances for lower-calorie selections, and you’ll’t eat with out counting or monitoring, please know that this isn’t what a very good relationship with meals appears like. It removes all flexibility, pleasure, and peace from consuming. Not good.
This system makes use of ‘coaches’ who lack in-depth, related diet coaching. Their solely {qualifications} are that they’ve reached their purpose weight with WW and maintained it for a minimum of 6 months.
Clearly, this isn’t sufficient coaching to advise folks on their diet. Diet and the psychology behind meals selections are complicated. Unqualified folks can doubtlessly do hurt after they contain themselves in different peoples’ relationships with meals and consuming.
Learn my Noom evaluation right here.
As with most diets, many individuals drop pounds initially with WW as a result of they’re consuming fewer energy than they had been beforehand. That is simply simple arithmetic. Nonetheless, the psychological exhaustion that outcomes from counting factors and overthinking every thing you set into your mouth could cause a lot of these folks to surrender. I don’t blame them.
I’ve seen many individuals in my observe who’ve performed Weight Watchers years in the past, however nonetheless see meals as ‘factors.’ That is problematic, as a result of it causes them to concern meals and second-guess every thing they eat. It completely takes away that connection between how they really feel and what they select to eat.
I nonetheless know what number of factors some issues are many years later. The weekly weigh ins had been so annoying and the straight up meals obsession was so dangerous.
The factor is, these folks typically return to WW time and again, as a result of of their thoughts, it ‘labored’ as soon as for them, in order that they’re going for a second, fourth, or eighth kick on the can. It hardly ever has a cheerful ending, however that’s what eating regimen packages like Weight Watchers need.
Repeat prospects. Lifetime devotees. Folks turning into depending on figuring out the factors of every morsel of meals earlier than they permit themselves to eat it. Blaming themselves for his or her ‘failure’ on a eating regimen that’s made to fail anyhow.
Sound acquainted? Lots of you who’re studying this can recall having these experiences with WW. I’m sorry.
I joined many occasions and by no means made purpose weight. On account of being on WW I continued to drink espresso and tea black, don’t put butter on greens and restrict fats. Nonetheless I’m heavier than I needs to be.
I work out frequently, stroll lengthy distances and customarily really feel responsible about not having my weight down. This month I flip 68.
I’ll say that I’ve joined WW so many occasions that I actually misplaced depend. I by no means reached the purpose weight that THEY set for me and all the time felt like a failure each time I left as a result of it was my fault for “being so weak”.
My largest takeaway from WW was that each one of my value as a human being was tied to a quantity on a scale, and all meals had numbers as nicely, which by God Had To Be Stored Beneath The Restrict.
There was not solely a complete disregard for diet but additionally for the enjoyment and pleasure of meals too.
I attempted ww and did lose 30 lbs which has come again after I ended. I’ll say it made folks panic a few 0.3lb achieve, get obsessive about which model of hummus is 1 level vs 1.5, too centered on the minutia, not an total wholesome sustainable long run weight upkeep resolution. Any program will work whilst you work it, however you shouldn’t want a program if you’re really studying the abilities and habits for wholesome dwelling.
I additionally received feedback from followers who mentioned constructive issues about their time with WW.
Issues like, it gave them construction and taught them about portion measurement. That they’ve misplaced weight and stored it off, for probably the most half. That they benefit from the group, and that total, it was a constructive expertise.
Does Weight Watchers work? Effectively, each eating regimen will ‘work’ for somebody. And by ‘work,’ I imply reducing weight and KEEPING IT OFF.
I received 173 feedback, 6 messages, and 15 emails about WW. Out of these 194 items of correspondence, 9 had been supportive of WW. 4 had been so-so, and the remaining had been detrimental.
181 out of 194 had been so-so or detrimental, or 93%. This isn’t a scientific end result, but it surely’s attention-grabbing to see the break up. I really feel as if it’s in line with what I’ve heard from folks over the previous 24 years I’ve been a dietitian.
Irrespective of how WW places it, it’s nonetheless a eating regimen.
Oh hey, how about we simply EAT?
Folks won’t ever cease desirous to drop pounds, and as a dietitian who helps intentional weight reduction the place acceptable, I completely perceive. Nonetheless, I feel there are higher methods to drop pounds than to topic your self to WW or one other business eating regimen program.
Weight Watchers, if you happen to’re listening, listed below are my suggestions:
Eliminate the factors in favor of a extra intuitive eating-style program. Folks will likely be mad at first, however within the long-run, it’s a more healthy option to see meals and consuming.
Should you’re really taken with peoples’ well being and total wellness, cease making weight reduction the first purpose of your program.
Get some form of upkeep help, as a result of a number of folks complained to me that you’ve none.
Monitor the WW teams on social for disordered behaviour, and FFS, ask related questions in your onboarding quiz.
Use certified well being professionals as coaches. You will have the cash. Simply do it.
Who am I kidding…WW won’t ever change their methods. We are able to hope, although.