Weight Watchers is a weight loss plan that incorporates healthy eating habits, regular exercise and behavior modification techniques to help with both losing weight and keeping the weight off. While buying Weight Watchers meals is not a necessity when following the plan, they can be a helpful addition to the overall program. They should not be relied on exclusively; but there are times when a prepared meal can help with staying on track.
Identification
Weight Watchers is a program that assigns points values to foods and identifies a certain number of points that each member can eat; in order to lose or maintain weight. The plan is designed to encourage weight loss of about 1 to 2 lbs. per week. During this phase, healthy habits are developed which helps members keep the weight off. Foods that are low in points are low in fat and calories and high in fiber. The goal is to get most of the allowed daily points from low point foods, so that more food can be eaten, to avoid feeling deprived. Ideally most of the points should come from fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low fat dairy products, which are all nutritious and help the body feel full.
Considerations
Following the Weight Watchers plan can be time-consuming and challenging. Sticking to the allowed number of daily points means weighing, measuring and recording everything that is consumed, including beverages. This process is designed to teach correct portion sizes and not rely on eyeballing food, when trying to decide how many servings are actually being eaten. In addition, all of those little snacks during the day add up and can contribute to weight gain. By recording everything that is eaten, it is possible to identify where the extra calories are coming from. According to an article in the "Journal of the American Medical Association," structured plans like Weight Watchers can lead to weight loss; but only if it is adhered to and this can be challenging for many. It takes time and a high level of commitment to follow the plan long-term.
Benefits
Weight Watchers meals can help members stay on track and are especially helpful in the early stages of the program. Walking through a grocery store can be overwhelming when trying to buy low point foods and this is where buying a Weight Watchers meal can help, states the Weight Watchers website. The meals are designed to be nutritious and the package lists how many points the package of food contains. This can take the guess work out of planning meals and cuts down on the need to weight and measure everything, since the Weight Watchers meal is already the right portion size. During times when feeling overwhelmed, stressed or busy it is easy to fall off the plan, however having some Weight Watchers meals available, can make the difference in staying on the plan or going off.
Warnings
Since Weight Watchers meals are prepared, like all prepared foods they have more salt and preservatives in them, then fresh foods. The prepared meals may contain saturated and trans fat as well. While Weight Watchers aims to keep fat and calories low in their prepared foods, like all prepackaged foods, they may contain ingredients that are necessary to lengthen the shelf life of the product. So while it may be helpful to have Weight Watchers meals and snacks handy, it is also important to eat fresh whenever possible.
Options
Weight Watchers meals come in a wide variety of choices. The meals can be found in most major grocery stores and the non frozen meal products, are available at meetings as well as in Weight Watchers stores. It is not necessary to be a member to purchase Weight Watchers meals at their stores or meetings, so the meals can be tried before joining the program.
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