Weight Watchers is a weight-loss program that has helped millions lose weight for more than 45 years, according to the company's website. The diet is based on teaching you how to live a healthy lifestyle without deprivation. While the chief emphasis is on diet, Weight Watchers also encourages a regular exercise routine. In late 2010, Weight Watchers launched a weight-loss system known as PointsPlus, which is designed to help you make the best food choices possible.
Meetings
If you're following the Weight Watchers diet plan, you can attend regular meetings. At these meetings, you can weigh in to track your progress. Weight Watchers staff known as "leaders" can help you to identify your goals and offer encouragement as you work to meet them. At successive meetings, you may discuss new recipes, tips for success and hear from fellow participants at their progress in achieving their goals. The meetings are designed to keep you accountable for weight loss and motivate you to continue. If you are unable to attend meetings, Weight Watchers offers an online component, called eTools, which offers tips and allows you to track weight loss.
Points System
To take the guesswork out of dieting, Weight Watchers initiated its points system. Your Weight Watchers leader will identify your daily points intake, and you can use a Weight Watchers tracking tool to identify how many points are in each food you eat. Low-calorie foods, like fruits and vegetables, have zero points. This allows you to eat a wide variety of healthy foods and indulge in others. If you exercise, you can add points to your daily allowance. As long as you meet your points allowance each day, you can lose weight but not feel deprived.
Power Foods
Weight Watchers speeds weight loss by encouraging you to eat "power foods." These foods are packed with nutrients, low in fat and calories and can be prepared in a variety of ways. Examples of power foods include bananas, yogurt and berries. By choosing power foods over high-fat, high-sugar options, you can achieve greater weight-loss success.
Flexibility
The Weight Watchers points system helps you to learn about making healthy choices. For example, 11 points can equal a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with potato chips or can equal 1 cup of black bean soup; whole-wheat pasta with grape tomatoes, black olives, feta cheese, basil leaves and olive oil and grapes. By offering you flexibility in the choices you make, Weight Watchers is designed to maintain your weight for life. Each day you can create a different meal plan for yourself, reducing deprivation yet maintaining your daily calorie needs.
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