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Weight
Watchers Plan
The Best
Weight Loss Program
Weight Watchers Plan has changed! That's right, with 2011 comes the new
points plus system. Weight Watchers still remains this sites number one
pick for the best
weight loss program. Saying
one weight loss program is the best weight loss plan over another
program can be a difficult task. Rating is all relative to
the
person, in this case me, that is conducting the review and applying the
ratings.
It
is often a fine line between the best and the second best when
comparing certain items, like weight loss programs. However,
with
the success that this program has shown, it was a bit easier to deem
this the best weight loss plan.
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Overview of Weight
Watchers Plan
The
Weight Watchers program is still one of the most popular programs
with
a proven track record of success. They have been in existance
for over 40 years and have helped hundreds and thousands of people
reach their weight loss goals.
The Weight Watcher's program is not geared around a "strict diet", but
rather will teach you how to eat for life. The program
consists of healthy meal plans, exercise, both online and onsite
support and weight loss tools.
Read the complete weight loss reviews below to see what they offer.
Weight
Watchers Plan - Food
Weight Watchers points has become a household name for many and is
recognized by most everyone. The points system, first introduced with
the flex plan, has been in existance for many years. Many of you were
familair with the points system. You knew how to calcualte the points
values for the foods and how to determine your daily and weekly
allowance points.
Well, new to Americans this year is the new
points plus system. While this system was introduced prior to 2011 in
other countries, for those of us in the states we are just now learning
all about it. With the new points plus system comes a whole new way to
think about food and losing weight.
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Points are assigned to food
based on certain nutritional information. As with the old points
system, this concept still applies to the new points plus. However,
certain foods will now have a higher value than other (healthier)
choices. This new method makes us think twice about using up points for
a cookie versus having a lighter healthier snack.
With the
online etools, or by purchasing a Weight Watchers points calculator at
your meeting, you can quickly learn what foods will be what points
value. If you want to learn more about how this is calculated and what
is new, check out this article on points plus
and the changes.
Prior
to the points plus system members were either following the Flex Plan
or the Core Plan. Below is an overview of these systems.
Flex Plan
The flex plan uses a points system. Each food item you eat
has a points value that is calculated using the calories, fat and fiber
to determine the points value.
The points you are allowed are based on height, weight and
gender. You have daily points as well as weekly points
allowance for those special occasions.
Weight Watchers provides tools to help calculate the points values.
Additionally, their online recipes shows the points value. |
Core Plan
With the core plan, there is no counting calories or points.
The core plan is based on a specific food list.
The foods on this list are low in energy density, meaning they have
fewer calories per ounce but at the same time will make you feel more
satisfied and full.
You can mix and match the food items on the Core Plan food
list. Similar to the Flex plan, with the core plan you also
have a weekly allowance so you can eat foods not on the core list. |
Weight
Watchers Plan - Exercise
Exercise
is one of the “Four Pillars” of the weight watchers program.
The “four pillars” are; behavior, support, exercise and food.
These are the 4 key components to a successful weight loss program.
With the Weight Watchers onsite meetings, discussions include all these
four components, so you will be hearing from others and your leader on
the importance of exercise.
With the Weight Watchers online,
they have exercise video demonstrations for all levels.
In fact, you can view some of these videos for free on their
site. You can log your exercise and see how it figures into
your daily points.
Weight
Watchers Plan - Support
Weight
Watchers support system is by far the best of any weight loss
program. This is one of the key reasons they rate as the best
weight loss plan.
Their onsite meetings are a perfect way to meet and
find people that share similar struggles with weight loss.
The meetings are run by trained leaders who themselves lost their
weight with joining weight watchers meetings. In addition to
the meetings, you can also sign up for their e-tools.
If you don't have time for on-site meetings or are not comfortable with
a meeting, you can join Weight Watchers on-line. With the Weight
Watchers online, you will have access to their e-tools and can record
and monitor your success.
Weight
Watchers Plan - Tools
The e-tools include daily food tracking, weight
loss tracking, exercise videos and recipe finder. You can
also add your own favorite recipes and get the points value for the
foods you love. They also have online support in the form of
message boards and success stories.
For the men out there, Weight Watchers has a customized “for men only”
weight watchers online and e-tools.
If you are a Weight Watchers member attending onsite meetings, they
also have available many tools that are either free or can be
purchased. These tools include a points calculator/slider, recipe books
and more.
Weight
Watchers Plan - Price
Weight Watchers on-site meeting prices vary based on region/location.
To find out prices in your area, click here
and then just input your zip
code. Just select the Prices and Special offers button next to your
preferred meeting location. To give you an example, meeting prices for
my zip code area is $13.00 per week on a pay as you go, 11.41 a week
for the 17 week pass (you pre-pay for the full 17 weeks) and only $9.22
average for the monthly pass.
Weight Watchers online costs $17.95 a month with a $29.95 registration
fee. If you sign up for the 3 month savings plan, the cost is
$65.00 for the 3 months. This equates to just $5.00 a week.
When doing the weight loss reviews, I found that using their
monthly pass is the best bet for your money. So, If you
decide
you want to try Weight Watchers meetings and use their
e-tools, make sure the check if their "Monthly Pass" is available in
your area.
With the Monthly pass, you get free registration, free
online tools and unlimited on-site meetings during the month, so if you
have a bad day, you can attend an extra meeting. Price per week with a
monthly pass averages about $9.22 week.
Freebies
In addition to being the best weight loss plan, they also offer
many freebies on the site. These freebies include some sample
recipes, fitness and health
tips, and success stories. There are also a couple of
calculators to help you determine your "goal weight" and BMI (Body Mass
Index). You can also join their weekly email newsletter to
get
more tips
and recipes.
The recipes will show the point’s value, servings, prep and cooking
times and (for people like me who are not gourmet chefs), the level of
difficulty. If you join Weight Watchers, then you will have access to
thousands of recipes on their website.
Weight
Loss Reviews
Summary
Weight Watchers has all the right components for a successful weight
loss program and all the right tools and support to rate as the best
weight loss plan.
Their support system with the onsite meetings
and online tools is the best support system
available. Although Weight
Watchers is pricier than some weight loss plans, it is still reasonably
priced.
In addition to the Weight Watchers Plan, be sure to read all the
weight
loss reviews on this site.
Related
Articles
Points
Plus Restaurant List
Want
to know the points in the foods you eat? Check out this list to see if
your favorite place is there and find the points values in your
favorite menu items.
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NOTE:
Weight Watchers is a registered trademark of Weight Watchers International, Inc. Points and Points Plus are trademarks of Weight Watchers International, Inc.Please visit your local Weight Watchers meeting for authentic information about the plan.
This site is not affiliated with Weight Watchers International in any way, and Weight Watchers has not reviewed this site for accuracy or suitability for WW members. Information on this site for restaurant
nutrition and points is based on data gathered from individual restaurants and not the Weight Watchers Dining Out Companion. Food Pts values for restaurants and recipes are calculated in an offline
spreadsheet and the formula used is not the exact same formula as provided by Weight Watchers.
Although the formula used on this site is not the exact WW formula, the points values presented are a close approximation but may be off by a few 10ths of a point (but no more than 1/2 point plus or minus). Since the values are shown as a rounded number, the numbers shown will work when tracking your daily allowance.
All readers are encouraged to go to a Weight Watcher's meeting for actual information about their plan. This site is presented under the rights of the First Amendment.
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Exercise 4
Weight Loss
Monthly
ezine
Monthly weight loss tips, exercise tips and a free recipe each month.
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