![Weight Watchers](/images/products/12445/12445_main.jpg)
Weight Watchers is a well-known diet program that uses a points system to help people make healthier decisions when it comes to food and portion control. In November 2010, Weight Watchers completely revamped the program they had been using for the previous 13 years and launched the PointsPlus program based on the latest in weight loss science. The PointsPlus program uses a proprietary formula to assign every food a points value that is calculated based on its protein, carbohydrate, fat, fiber and calorie content, as well as how hard your body has to work to burn it off. On the program, you are allotted a certain number of points each day, which is determined by your gender, height, weight and weight loss goals. As opposed to the previous program, however, the PointsPlus program puts more emphasis on choosing healthy, filling foods versus letting dieters use their points for whatever food they want. For example, Weight Watchers recognized that people weren't eating enough fruits and nonstarchy vegetables, so, in the PointsPlus system, these foods have been assigned zero points to encourage people to eat as much as they want. The basic idea is that you won't be hungry if you make the choice to eat foods that are more filling or nutritionally dense because you will be able to maximize your daily points.
The costs vary depending on whether you want to attend weekly meetings or just use the online tools (these are completely separate memberships). For meetings, registration fees are being waived through March 23rd, 2011 but you still have to pay meeting fees. Prices vary from $12-$15 a week depending on your location, but you can purchase a monthly pass for $42.95, which brings down the price to $9.92 a week. Weight Watchers' Online Standard Monthly Plan is $48.90 for the first month and $19.95 for each additional month. Weight Watchers' waives the $29.95 sign-up fee if you purchase a 3 month plan for $56.85 for the first 3 months and $18.95 for each additional month.
We give Weight Watchers an A because it is an effective weight loss program that allows dieters more flexibility in their daily food choices. It is also an excellent program for long-term weight loss and for maintaining a healthier overall lifestyle because dieters are taught from the beginning about good eating habits and portion control. Additionally, Weight Watchers offers support online or in weekly group meetings for those who want a little extra help/motivation. As long as you can be disciplined enough to make the right choices when it comes to picking out your meals, this is an excellent program for anyone looking to achieve/maintain a healthy weight.
Pros
Cons
Weight Watchers has a great reputation, and, in 2011, US News ranked it #1 in "Best Commercial Diets". The flexibility of the program, combined with the strong support system and group meetings, make it a great choice for people looking for a diet plan that they can live with.
Username: Tracy1012
Location: Middleburg, FL
Age: 47
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Weight watchers really does work!
Review submitted: 2015-04-09
I was approximately 30 lbs overweight and while I was great about working out, I was horrible about eating. My portions were huge and the idea of "diet" food just didn't appeal to me. I am always on the go so I joined Weight Watchers online. It was so easy, they have their own app that helps you track your food and exercise. All food are assigned a point value. Your daily point goal is determined when you sign up and will adjust accordingly. They really make it easy! I am down 35 lbs and I love that that you can eat real food. They even have their own line of food in grocery stores that helps you stay within your point range for the day!
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Username: j140607
Location: Sarasota, FL
Age: 59
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Weight Watchers Is The Eating Plan For Life
Review submitted: 2015-04-01
I have been a member of Weight Watchers in the past, and do plan to enroll again. Thanks to WW I changed from a person who hated food and viewed it as the enemy, which made life rather difficult. Through WW I learned that, for the most part, there aren't ANY forbidden foods, and even better, that I can be truly satisfied all day long EATING WELL. I can't thank WW enough for removing FOOD as a primary enemy who I could only fight and never win. WW is the way to go for a healthy, fit lifestyle.
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Username: abena19616
Location: Canton, MI
Age: 70
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A Plan that Works/Weight Watchers
Review submitted: 2015-02-16
Weight Watchers Works. I have tried them all and although I usually initially lose weight I have never been able to keep it off until now. I have been at my goal weight for three years. I still struggle with food and I do fall off the wagon but this is an easy program to get back on the wagon and I love the support of the meetings. There are no special foods,you can eat anything it just has to be within your points.It is the most inexpensive program ,after the initial cost and you meet your goals its free.
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Username: yesboyslie
Location: Brownsboro, TX
Age: 34
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Weight Watchers
Review submitted: 2015-02-13
I love weight watchers. The program helped me break a disordered eating condition that was followed by cycles of bingeing and exercise purging, while still allowing me to lose weight. I am much happier and have maintained my weight for 3 years while on the program. It has given me guidance and structure to use as the center of my strategy to face and break my food "issues". I love that fruit is considered 0 points and that there are extra points for every week. Both of those options are what allowed me to kick my calorie restricting and purging cycle habit. Flexibility with control. I would like to see an expanded list of restaurant options in the tracker so that I can accurately pre-plan meals out.
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Username: pat1027
Location: Cumbola, PA
Age: 72
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Weight Watchers
Review submitted: 2015-01-23
It's a great program for ANYONE! Teaches portion control,at the same time NOT giving up the foods you love. Their points system is fantastic! Great support at the meetings from the leaders,even if you don't lose a pound that week. You get great support from other members. Your taught the benefit of exercise. How you can exercise in the non-traditional way. Simply get moving! You get helpful tips at all the meetings. You also get good recipes. Their packaged food is great tasting,if you chose to go that way. The program works,if you work it!
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Username: renharp85
Location: Axson, GA
Age: 39
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Weight Watchers is not for everyone
Review submitted: 2015-01-22
I tried Weight Watchers but had not luck. I did a lot better counting calories than points. I did not lose no weight while on this plan. This plan was not for me but it might work really good for other people I know that not all things work for every person or body type. I would or wouldn't recommend this program based on my experience this is one you have to try yourself to find out for sure if it is right for you. They did have a good website and a wide food base but it just wasn't right for me.
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Username: Emarsh0123
Location: Plano, TX
Age: 38
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Weight Watchers
Review submitted: 2014-02-22
I have tried weight watchers before. It is a program that works well. I cannot be on a diet that says i cant eat something at all. With weight watchers it allows you to eat what you want. It helps teach a healthier lifestyle, not just a diet. It teaches you what foods to eat to receive proper nutrition while still allowing yourself the fun food that most other diets won't let you have. The support system from meetings helps the emotional need of dieting. The want to eat when you are having a bad day. It helps you try to change the way you look at food.
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Username: animablue
Location: Montreal, QC
Age: 55
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Lost 10 Pounds In No Time With Weight Watchers
Review submitted: 2014-02-13
My main goal was to lose weight in an easy to follow plan, that took into consideration eating out in restaurants and eating usual foods that I liked - with help counting calories along the way. The main problem I had was with the cost of the Plan. I had to drop out of it for financial reasons, although I really enjoyed the format. I also liked participating in the real-time group meetings, and the tools that came with the program (book of calories per food, daily journal booklets etc.)
Pluses:
Lots of great free recipes online and in printed material
In-person support group, which motivated me by seeing other people’s journeys, and the positive feed-back I receive from both members and the group leader.
Program materials:
booklet with calorie counts for various foods (ie muffin) and for restaurant dining.
Access to the Weight Watcher store during the In-person support group meetings, where we could buy other helpful tools such as recipe books, food measuring scales etc.
Minuses:
Weekly cost that I could no longer afford, with fluctuating work salary.
I didn’t always feel up to going to the location, which was in the downtown area & not close to my neighbourhood.
Weekly weigh-in. Sometimes I felt uncomfortable about weighing myself in public, prefer to weight myself at home.
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Username: angiepal
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Age: 54
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Weight Loss
Review submitted: 2014-02-11
I needed to lose 20 lbs but needed a convenient, easy way to do so. I am a single mother with 2 children under the age of 10. I can't need to be able to control my portions but yet still make and eat what is good for kids as well as myself. With Weight Watchers, I am able to eat anything I want, just watching my portions. I don't feel deprieved whatsoever on this proglem. I like the group meetings better than doing this online on my own, simply because I feel more disciplined to having to weigh in every week.
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Username: vas1985
Location: Independence, OR
Age: 39
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Winning the Battle of Weight Loss
Review submitted: 2013-12-11
My overall health goals were to lose 120 lbs. Though, once I really started losing, I decided to only try for 100. I would love to lose more, but ideally 100 still puts me at a healthy weight. Weight Watchers is what I enrolled in, to help with the weight loss. I love that I can essentially eat anything. That it is a life style change and not just a diet. It's about portion control. My only dislike is the price. Though, if I reach my goal, which I am 9lbs away from. They offer free life time membership. So, if that is still the deal. I will continue to utilize Weight Watchers and everything I have learned from this program.
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Username: tears33
Location: Rochester, IN
Age: 48
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It works when you do it
Review submitted: 2013-12-03
I what to lose 100 lbs overall, but my short term goal was to lose 20 and when I have followed the program I have been able to lose the weight. I like that you can track the food you eat, look up recipes, be involved in the online community and get support from others. There is very little not to like about this program. If I had to change anything it would be the search for food. Sometimes it can be very hard to locate the foods you what to put in. You can do it manually but being able to search and find what you are looking for makes you want to stick with it. If I cant find it I get frustrated. But overall it is a wonderful program that has helped me change my eating habits and the way I look and feel. I still have weight to lose but I am glad I found this.
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Username: lunalakota
Location: Derry, NH
Age: 51
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My Weight Loss
Review submitted: 2013-12-03
I have done weight watchers 3 times over the last 20 years. I have done well each time, however, I end up quitting for one reason or another, but I find myself going back. The meetings are the best. I feel energized and motivated by the support of my peers and the leader. The program allows me to eat whatever I want as long as I keep track of my points. The point value system is excellent and easy to follow. Not only do I have meetings, but I also have the website for free and that is an excellent source of information from recipes, to build your own recipes, challenges from other members, tracking, etc.
I do find the cost a bit much though. I pay $42.95 per month and that includes all meetings and online access. I could pay as I weigh in as well, but I like being able to go online too.
I could suggest that for the cost of weight watchers, as an incentive, if you lose weight each week, maybe an amount could be deducted from the cost, maybe a percentage depending on how much you lose. Or how much you lose after a month...
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Username: amarie013
Location: Duluth, MN
Age: 33
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Great Program
Review submitted: 2013-11-14
Weight Watchers is a great program. It is easy to follow and it's not difficult because you don't have to give up an of the foods you love! It's not really like a diet at all, it is more so teaching you portion control and how to choose the healthier options. It is very simple to understand. it is flexible so if you have a bad day, no one is going to put you down for it, you just start fresh the next day. It is something you can do by yourself or with a friend, you don't have to go to meetings and you can do it all online!
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Username: dandrisani
Location: Sayreville, NJ
Age: 69
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Weight Watchers Diet
Review submitted: 2013-10-17
The counting of the points is easy enough. I don't think you really get enough to eat on this diet, but it does work for me. It seems that you get to a point where you are locked for a couple of weeks and you need to get a lot stricter in order to start losing more. I always end up coming back to this plan because it does work and if you get off it for a time it is easy to get right back on. I would like to see the cost of this program dropped down so it would be more affordable for everyone.
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Username: mdbricker
Location: Saint Joseph, MO
Age: 34
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Weight Watchers
Review submitted: 2013-09-17
I began my weight loss journey about 2 months ago. I am not very dedicated when it comes to diets, but weight watchers has made this much easier to do. It shows you that you can have all the foods you love, just smaller portions of it. I eat regular meals with my family, that are actually enjoyable, and still lose weight. Weight Watchers is excellent at teaching portion control. I love their online points calculator. It shows you how many points you have for the day and subtracts as you enter in your meals. I think this company can really help people change their lives with their weight loss program.
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Username: gapeach1352
Location: Lawrenceville, GA
Age: 75
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It Does Work
Review submitted: 2013-09-14
My daughter was getting married and I was determined not to be a fatty so I had to find a weight loss program that worked. I was fortunate that a Weight Watchers program was being started at work during lunch. I managed to lose the 20 pounds that I wanted to lose in a matter of weeks. I had finally found a program that was easy to follow and really worked. I had tried counting calories but that did not allow me to keep it up indefinitely. With Weight Watchers you are changing how you eat but are able to eat different types of food including desserts. It is not a diet but a change in life style, something you can live with. It has been more than 10 years and I have managed to keep the pounds off but anytime I slide a little I just get out the books and reinforce the principals to get back on track. We all tend to eat too much so portion control is a very useful concept to learn. I was originally motivated by the weekly meetings and weigh ins but discovered that those are not possible to keep up long term. My niece just lost 80 pounds using Weight Watchers after many years of nothing working. I purchased a Weight Watchers cookbook so that I could cook different foods and still stay on track. With the cookbook it is easier than trying to adapt your own recipes.
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Username: cinnamonnutmeg
Location: Havertown, PA
Age: 49
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Weight Watchers
Review submitted: 2013-09-13
I've participated in WW a few times over the past 7 years and think its the best approach if managing healthy eating on your own isn't working for you. Their plan is good because its non-restrictive, you can fit in any kind of food as long as you account for it. Their new approach makes fruits and veggies worth zero points so it encourages you to fill up on those which is always a good idea. What's best about it is its a lifelong way of eating, not some short term fix that once you stop you have no idea how to eat in the real world and put all the weight back on.
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Username: rramig
Location: Concord, CA
Age: 63
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About My Weight Loss
Review submitted: 2013-08-31
Had a weight problem my entire life. As most, have tried lots of programs. Recently diagnosed Diabetes Type 2. I am attending programs on food choices. I am also using Weight Watchers as a guide to good food choices.
I am focusing more on carbohydrates which I never really looked at before. Weight Watchers is pretty flexible, so I can easily adapt what I need.
I just do the online Weight Watchers. I used to do meetings. The thing I like least is the lack of focus on exercise. They are trying to add this to their program, but their meetings are all about food choices. In addition, they sometimes like to promote their pre-packaged foods which I find pricy and not that tasty.
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Username: harleygirl
Location: Tremont, PA
Age: 75
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weight watchers
Review submitted: 2013-08-17
I followed Weight Watchers and got to my goal. I figured I could do it on my own but gained it back again. I went back to Weight Watchers, but I couldn't get dedicated so I quit and now go to Curves but I am having a hard time staying on a diet. I try to make up my mind to stay on it because I hate how I look and feel... I never had to watch my weight until I got hurt and couldn't work anymore... then it was downhill. My health problems make me want to give up but I know I have to do something with my weight cause I don't want to have problems the rest of my life.
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Username: colecoleen42
Location: Inola, OK
Age: 77
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Weight Watchers.
Review submitted: 2013-08-17
I recommend weight watchers very highly,they teach you how to eat,how to portion your food and you can eat any food you wish,you don't have special foods to eat,just what ever you want but you will have to measure it out and one wonderful thing, one day of each week you can pig out on whatever you want to eat. I love the point system they use,it really works. If i had the money it cost each week i would be going back to lose what i gained back, this happened when i was told i had breast cancer but even at that i never have gained back what i had lost and never have..Thank you Weight Watchers.
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Username: ashley98765hogan
Location: wichita falls, texas, TX
Age: 33
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My Weight Watchers Program Works
Review submitted: 2013-07-09
My Weight Watchers program works. I am able to eat great foods and haven't gained an ounce, but I've lost lot's of extra stomach. I went from a 34 in jeans to a 24 in just a few months. That probably would sound impossible, but it is true and I am so satisfied with my stomach, thighs, hips and all the rest of my body. All I did was eat good and healthy and just believe in myself and it was just $1 to join so I'm so proud of myself for trying something else. Before Weight Watchers I was trying exercise, dieting pills, even not eating and all kinds of other weight loss programs and there is nothing bad I can say about Weight Watchers because it did for me what it was designed to do and I love it and -it works-it works-!!!
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Username: Monnie628
Location: Decatur, GA
Age: 54
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Losing Weight Is Healthy Weight
Review submitted: 2013-07-04
Wow! How long have I been trying to shed a few pounds? Well, losing weight is not easy, but I have found a program that is great..its called, "Weight Watchers". Weight Watchers teaches you control and what I like most is that it is not a diet its the way we are supposed to be eating anyway. The program teaches you "control" and how to eat in portions which is what we should be doing. I feel much better when I am watching the amount of foods that I am eating and this is what happens when I am on Weight Watchers.
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