“Depriving myself of my favorite foods with a restrictive diet is an easy way to lose weight,” said literally no one. Ever.
To be perfectly frank, it’s like most diets were designed to fail (which would explain why they’re often called “fads”). It’s a common tale: you’re motivated to lose weight and willing to do whatever it takes, but over time, become frustrated, slip back into old habits, and eventually find yourself back to square one.
So where does this leave us? Well, for starters, maybe it’s time to reject fad diets, and revisit the methods that are tried and true. You know, the ones rooted in science that actually stick. We’ve all heard of WeightWatchers, but how does it work? After 60 years of helping people lose weight and change their lives for the better, the program is definitely worthy of a closer look.
1. Whatever you do, don’t call it a diet
Most weight-loss programs involve swearing off beloved foods — wine, chocolate, cheese - the works. But cold-turkey dieting is neither feasible or fun for most people. WeightWatchers gets this, which is why no foods are off limits in their program, and no one is beholden to a microwave meal upsell. Instead, members eat what they love, sticking to a Points Budget which they can “spend” on any foods they want.
2. Tracking Points is a LOT easier than you think
Believe it or not, on WeightWatchers, there’s no calorie counting, no whipping out the calculator, no meticulous measuring; their app takes care of all of that. Rather than dissecting complex nutritional info, WeightWatchers converts all those science-y bits into a streamlined Points system that’s easy to navigate.
Here’s the gist: the healthier the food, the fewer Points it’ll have. A daily Points Budget is tailored to a member’s weight-loss goals. When they eat a certain food, they log it in the app, applying the Points to their daily Points Budget.
There are 450+ restaurants in WeightWatchers’ database, so it's easy to understand the Points value of one’s meals. There’s even a barcode scanner for easy shopping, AND 200+ ZeroPoints foods that don’t even need to be tracked or measured!
3. You can snack as much as you want
How many diets do you know that not only allow snacking, but actually encourage it? WeightWatchers pulls this off with its ZeroPoints food list. Basically, these are the foods that can be eaten until your heart’s content because they don’t count towards your Points Budget.
Sure, these foods are healthy and nutrient-dense, but they’re not bland either. Some items on the 200+ list of log-free foods include fruits, low-fat yogurt, chicken breast, fish, and more. It’s like an all-you-can-eat buffet where you lose weight instead of gaining it!
4. There’s support every step of the way
WeightWatchers was made by people who love food, for people who love food. They don't just say what to eat or not eat; WeightWatchers teaches better eating habits, reinforcing greater understanding about the choices we make.
But the journey isn’t always easy. That’s why the WeightWatchers app includes 24/7 access to What to Eat, My Progress, its coaching, trackers, a grocery-store barcode scanner, and 13,000+ recipes for nutrient-friendly meals and snacks.
They also recognize the importance of community, which is why there’s WeightWatchers Connect: a judgment-free space to share favorite point hacks, recipe successes, weight-loss milestones, and communicate with members worldwide.
5. Lose weight, not your money
Another thing that makes WeightWatchers so appealing: its pricing is very accessible. For around the same cost as a Netflix subscription, members lose weight and unlock the support system that changes their whole way of living.
The solution for weight loss was here all along
At the end of the day, it’s hard to argue with the results people have seen with WeightWatchers over the last 60 years. It’s approachable, nonrestrictive, accessibly priced, and most importantly, it simply works. With just weight to lose and health to gain, it’s a wonder why anyone would go to the painstaking effort of dieting.
