Weight Watchers is a program designed to teach people how to live a healthy lifestyle by making sensible eating and exercise decisions. The food plans that accompany this program have become increasingly popular because it is based on the idea that you can eat whatever you want. Unlike most diet plans, which restrict certain foods for short periods of times, the Weight Watchers food plans and programs educate its users on why and how certain foods might benefit them better than others. This educational approach puts control with the individual, which might prompt them to make conscious decisions about food, thereby positively changing eating habits.
History
Weight Watchers was founded by Jean Nidetch in the early 1960's. At age 38, Jean was a 214-pound housewife who loved to eat cookies. After trying numerous fad diets and weight loss pills, she found that she always lost weight but gained it right back soon after her diet was complete. Her frustrations led her to gather groups of friends who were also overweight to discuss best ways to lose weight. The support group became popular instantaneously, and within a few months hundreds were interested in joining. Today, the hundreds has turned into millions of people who look to the products of the Weight Watchers food plans and services to reach their ideal weight.
Plan and Products
According to Weight Watchers.com, the plan doesn't teach you how to diet. Instead the goal is to inspire you to adopt a healthier way of life by teaching how to lose weight and keep it off. Their food plan and products show you how to handle hunger and beat food temptations. It allows you to have foods that keep you full longer and satisfied with foods you enjoy. The Weight Watchers plan provides expert information based on nutritional research and it shows you how to eat what you like "with an emphasis on nutrition." The food plans are flexible and are created to adapt to individual body types and lifestyles to ensure that it works for you.
Point System
The Weight Watchers food plan is based on a point system. Every food item is given a number of points that is based on calories, fat and fiber. Each member of the Weight Watchers program has a number of points that is allotted to him or her based on individual goals. To help you keep track of what you eat, Weight Watchers offers programs and manuals that use the Nutrition Facts label to show the value of every food item. They have teamed up with restaurants and food manufactures to place the point values on some menus and foods items in grocery stores.
For Men
Although it began with the idea of helping women lose weight, Weight Watchers has expanded to help men reach their weight loss goals. The Weight Watchers food plan for men was developed with the understanding that men and women have different body types and needs as they pertain to weight loss. This plan is based on the traditional Weight Watchers point system but it is tweaked to satisfy what men typically want to eat and is paired with a variety of male-specific exercise videos and tools.
Expert Insight
A study done by University of Missouri researchers tested the effects of the Weight Watchers food plan against weight-loss exercise programs in found that people who concentrated on just diet or just exercise did not lose weight as successfully as those who used both together. Because the creators of the Weight Watchers plan emphasize the importance of exercise and reducing sedentary living, a complete involvement in the programs including the food, exercise and support groups can be beneficial.
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