Weight Watchers is a popular diet program designed to help people lose weight without being deprived of their favorite foods. Since it was founded in 1963, the Weight Watchers program has changed as new research uncovers the scientific advances for successful weight loss. The Points Plus program was introduced in January 2011, helping members balance the foods they love with healthy choices and exercise in order to create lifestyle changes.
The Program
With the Points Plus program, every member is assigned a Points Target. This number is based on your age, height and weight and provides the number of points you are allowed to eat each day. Each food and beverage is given a point value by Weight Watchers based on the nutritional content of the food. By eating your set number of points each day, you are held accountable to the program and keep your daily intake within a zone that promotes weight loss.
Support
Weight Watchers offers in-person meetings for support, motivation and encouragement during your weight loss journey. Meetings are held in many locations including Weight Watchers centers, churches, schools and businesses. Meetings usually last 20 to 30 minutes depending on your location and they are filled with tips and advice to help you stick to the program. There is also public recognition to celebrate your weight loss. If in-person meetings aren't your thing, Weight Watchers offers an online program as well.
Weigh-Ins
Weight Watchers members are required to weigh in at least once a month, but most members choose to weigh in weekly to stay on track. Weighing in helps you to evaluate your efforts over the previous weeks and make any adjustments that are needed. When the scale doesn't cooperate as you think it should, the Weight Watchers leader is there to answer questions and provide direction to help members succeed on the program.
Weight Loss
On the Weight Watchers program, the recommended weight loss is 1 to 2 lbs. per week. This slow weight loss is recommended for safety by MedlinePlus. During the first week, members may lose more as the body adjusts to the new way of eating and excess water weight is lost. When you first join Weight Watchers, your leader will advise you that on the program your first goals are to lose 5 and then 10 percent of your body weight. Setting smaller goals for yourself, especially if you have many pounds to lose, breaks your weight loss into more manageable chunks.
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