The Alternative Press

As with anything else in a life filled with individuals of all types, no one size or diet fits all. What one person will love and declare the greatest new diet lifestyle of all time may be seriously lacking for someone else on the diet bandwagon. I found this to be true when I began doing research last year for my series of articles on dieting in America. One person's diet fulfillment is another person’s growling stomach.

I know of two people who have been on WW; one found success, the other did not.

Melissa has been on Weight Watchers since 2002 and within 14 months, had lost 80 plus pounds. Her first week was a 7 pound weight loss and after that she lost from 1 ½ to 2 pounds steadily. She did not deviate from the winning points program which was begun in 1997 except for a little treat on Friday nights.

Melissa has maintained her weight loss through adherence to the original program and eschewing the “new and improved” PointsPlus one begun a few years ago. She belongs to a gym and allows herself 1 cheat night a week where she indulges in favorite foods.

“Getting back on track the next morning is a must, “she says, “it’s one necessity of my healthy lifestyle.”

For Melissa it has worked and counting points is fine with her. She doesn't, however, really like the PointsPlus because she feels the original points control system is lacking and it is too tempting to eat whatever you want. Her advice? "Stick to what works for you."

Callie is trying the new WW and she is less than thrilled. Her weekly loss is sometimes only .02 pounds and even her initial week’s loss, the week when you usually lose the most, was only 2.8 pounds. Her take on it is that WW isn't the be-all and end-all of weight loss.

“Their calculations of how many points each person needs are a good starting point, but everyone is different. You may have a different body type or slower metabolism than the "standard." So you may need to tweak their recommendations to fit your own personal goals. Their Flex points, extra points for going out or having a special dinner, are what has thrown me off.”

Callie is not pleased with WW and is looking to join a more structured organization. She likes discipline, not necessarily choices.

Before beginning the program, I did my homework and found that there is a 97% recidivism with WW, a bit more than in some other programs.

I went to WW and joined for 6 weeks. Even though I fell within their guidelines for accepted height and weight numbers, they took my money, weighed me, and told me that I should shoot for a 10 pound weight loss. The woman who weighed me also cautioned that “losing 5 extra pounds will give you something to play with". So I was to lose 15 pounds instead of the 10 I didn’t need to lose in the first place. Interesting to say the least.

My first week I lost 1.1 pounds. Yay…… I think. One thing was a plus, I wasn't hungry and who can hate a program that allows pizza? The point system was easy but I stayed away from the flex points. I need structure and food boredom is fine with me as long as I can have a glass of wine and something decadent once a week.

I didn't like being weighed with a line of people behind me. Even though there was a screen I felt it was way too open. Truth be told, I don't like being weighed in my doctor's office either so maybe it is just me.

Again all programs have their pros and cons and here are the ones for WW.

The pros:

• You can eat any food. Moderation and portion control are stressed.

• You will lose steadily; slowly but steadily with the new program.

• Vegetables, healthy fats, low-fat dairy and drinking healthy amounts of water are encouraged.

• You can do this online.

• Group encouragement is there if you want it. If you like being with a group of people who are all working towards the same goal this is your place.

The cons:

• The cost at $13.00 a week with a sign-up fee of $30.00 may be prohibitive for some people. You pay for missed meetings, too.

• You are weighed weekly and sometimes the person weighing you isn't the nicest person in the world. I saw one 20-something man with tears in his eyes after a leader had basically chastised him for "not being good". Seriously? We are adults and the stern facade is not necessary.

• Being in a weight-loss group may not be your cup of tea. I'm sociable and love being with people but I wasn't happy with the "weekly whiners" who did nothing but complain about how they couldn't lose weight, how their mother-in-law "forced" them to eat, or why a skinny friend could eat and they couldn't, etc. They tended to dominate the meeting with their problems.

• It is first and foremost a business. Eliza Barclay at NPR., says "The program seems incompatible with all the prepackaged and unnatural food Weight Watchers sells and endorses—from its frozen meals to its special menu items at Applebee's"

Weight Watchers is owned (94%) by Artal Group, a German conglomerate that owns an abundance of food businesses that includes crackers and cookies. Weight Watchers’ current Chairman of the Board also sits on the Boards of Artal Group and Lexicon Pharmaceuticals. A conflict of interest here is that one of Lexicon’s drugs treats Type II diabetes.

At the end of 6 weeks of meetings and counting points I had lost 8.1 pounds. I felt fine but the program is not one I would want to be on for life. I'm not that much of a carbs person.

Would I recommend it? Again as with the Calorie Restriction Diet, yes and no. Yes to someone who has more than 50 pounds to lose. I saw some great success stories there in their picture gallery. Yes, if you have the need to use flex points to indulge more than once a week. The weight loss is slower but I guess you're happier. Certainly yes if you like doing this with a group.

No to anyone who doesn't like meetings, a less structured plan, paying for missed meetings, having leaders "hawk" WW products, or wants to lose just a bit faster.

Next week: The South Beach Diet

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© 2012 Kristen Houghton all rights reserved

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