Weight Watchers Diet Review

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Weight Watchers Diet Review
By Amy Paturel
AOL@Health

Diet Review

When founder Jean Nidetch began inviting friends into her Queens, New York home once a week to trade weight loss strategies, Weight Watchers was born. Now millions of people turn to the group-based program to help them shed weight. A robust medical advisory board featuring high-profile nutrition and weight loss experts, keeps the company on its toes, and those developing diet strategies include registered dietitians and scientists. But instead of telling you what you can and can't eat, Weight Watchers motivates dieters to make healthful decisions to help instill permanent lifestyle changes. With variety, simplicity and a lot of flexibility, it's easy to understand why dieters lose weight on this plan -- if only because they can stick to it! Even the POINTS system is relatively painless once you get the hang of it.

Its new Momentum plan still sticks to these principles, although the recipes are much tastier—and more importantly, satisfying—than they used to be. By finally pushing more fiber-rich, protein-packed and healthy-fat foods, dieters will definitely find themselves feeling fuller and more fulfilled than they did using the program in the past.

Is the Weight Watchers Diet healthy?

Yes, depending on how you follow it. Since POINTS are a veritable free-for-all, dieters could conceivably subsist entirely on bon bons -- provided they stay within their daily allotment. Some dieters may eat a high number of low-POINTS foods and end up without enough dietary fat or protein. Others might undereat all day and save up their POINTS for a single splurge. Neither option is particularly healthy. But dieters who take a balanced approach to the system can find success.

With the Momentum program, the addition of at least thirty minutes of activity a day is a huge improvement, plus, there’s far more encouragement to eat healthier. The program requires dieters to stick with an updated set of guidelines, which include eating five servings of fruits & vegetables, two servings of milk products, two teaspoons of healthy oils and one to two servings of lean protein. This tweak increases dieters' odds of consuming a more well-balanced diet on a regular basis.

What do the experts say?

"I'm a fan of lifestyle changes not diets, and while Weight Watchers has a ‘no banned foods' philosophy, most people still think of it as something you go ‘on' and ‘off,' which is a problem for long-term change and success," says Cynthia Sass, M.P.H., M.A., R.D., National Media Spokesperson, American Dietetic Association.

"The research indicates that of all the commercial weight loss programs, Weight Watchers has the best track record though the overall weight loss is not as significant as most people desire," says Cynthia Sass, M.P.H., M.A., R.D., spokesperson, American Dietetic Association. The other downside, claims Sass, is that the POINTS system is based on fat and fiber. "Many of my clients who've done Weight Watchers end up taking in too little healthy fats such as nuts, olive oil, avocado. Sass does like the emphasis on social support though. In fact, many experts claim group support is one of the program's greatest assets.

That opinion hasn’t changed with the Momentum program, although “Weight Watchers has basically repackaged what they’ve been doing with a few healthier choices,” says Beth Thayer, MS, RD, American Dietetic Association Spokesperson. What has improved is their POINTS system, which used to be based on fat and fiber. “Many dieters that followed Weight Watchers in the past would eat very little healthy fats such as nuts, olive oil and avocado. Now, many foods rich in healthy fats are encouraged on a more regular basis.”

“They’ve also begun to emphasize more of the behavior changes dieters need to make in their lives in order to see and sustain success when it comes to losing weight,” says Thayer. Those additions include regular exercise and following what they call their eight “Helpful Habits,” which range from ‘asking for help’ to ‘managing your feelings.’

Who should consider the Weight Watchers Diet?

People who demand flexibility and thrive on guidance and support.

What You Can Eat

One of the benefits of Weight Watchers is that you can eat pretty much anything you want -- including your favorite drive-through hamburger and even a Krispy Kreme -- provided they fall within your allotted daily POINTS values. However, in its latest version—the Momentum program—dieters are now allowed to eat certain foods that were once taboo on the old plan (such as olive oil and avocados) and urged to not save their POINTS to binge on bad foods. Instead, they steer dieters toward low-fat, high-fiber foods including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and fat-free dairy.

Bottom Line

Before they upgraded their program, it was still one the best diets on the block, Weight Watchers' real coup is its’ support network and educational tools. And if you don't abuse the POINTS system, you can create a balanced, healthful diet to boot. Its’ new Momentum program only makes the program more desirable, especially for dieters who have found their meals to be bland or unsatisfying in the past.

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