Weight Watchers is more than a diet. It's a weight-loss program that relies heavily on healthy eating, community support and lifestyle change for its success. Although the program has a 40-year-plus history and is now available across the globe, it is not necessarily the plan that suits everyone.
Cost
Although the Weight Watchers website does not disclose the overall cost of the program, it does note the fees involved. Joining the program means paying a registration fee along with a weekly meeting fee if you attend meetings in person, or a three-month online subscription if you go for the online version of the plan. The cost of the plan increases the longer you stay in the program.
Tedium
One of the keys of the Weight Watchers program's success is keeping track of everything you eat by counting points. This practice can become tedious and time-consuming, especially since you have to learn the specialized point system based on a food's calories, fiber and fat content. Weight Watchers introduced PointsPlus in 2010, according to the Diets in Review website, which also takes carbohydrates into account.
Slow Pace
Tedium can also come from the slow and steady approach to weight loss, with the typical weight-loss goal slated at 1 to 2 lb. per week. The program also recommends exercise as part of the program, aiming at a full lifestyle change. You will not get a quick fix with the program and you need to fully commit yourself to the change to gain success.
Meetings
Contact with and support from other program members adds to the program's success, but it can also be time-consuming and even embarrassing. On-site weekly weigh-ins, although confidential, can be a downer if you are not meeting your weight loss goals or are ashamed by your weight. Online meetings are an option with the Weight Watchers plan, which could cut down on the amount of time you need to attend a meeting. Online meetings, however, take away the face-to-face social aspect of the program that has helped make it so successful, the Diets in Review website notes. Face-to-face meetings don't let you hide behind a computer screen if you are not following the plan and are failing to meet your weight-loss goals.
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