The Weight Watchers Cycle

[GreenChrysalis 1]

I feel rude saying this stuff but I want to get it out too. Bear with me, it's going to be long!

I did Weight Watchers (henceforth abbreviated to WW) three separate times, all online. The most I lost was probably 25 pounds. I freaking hated it. I became obsessed with points. I couldn't eat anything without worrying about how many points were in it and accurately figuring out the portion size. It did force me to learn proper portion sizes (not that I stuck with them, but at least I now know that I'm eating 2.5 portions of rice instead of thinking I'm only eating one). But overall I really disliked the program, especially the platitudes and common sense advice dispensed as if it were some kind of special revelation.

I know someone who has done WW off and on for 15 years now or more. She has all of the books and point counters and whatever else from every incarnation of the program. I believe that she has lost a lot of weight on it in the past. She falls off the wagon, gains the weight back and eventually goes back to it.

When I visited her recently she was on the wagon. We ate out a lot. I watched how she grossly underestimated portions (saying "that looks like about half a cup" when it was more than a cup). Instead of doing the work to figure out how many points something actually was, she just guessed. That's part of what I hated about WW. There are lots of sites with points listings from restaurants, but inevitably I'd eat somewhere that wasn't listed. So I'd have to try to get the nutrition facts and/or ingredient list from the place to get an accurate points count. I'm sure I was terribly off most of the time. But I don't think my friend bothered with that stuff. She'd just say, "Oh, I think it's probably about 14 points." Really, it was probably more like 25 points, but then that wouldn't leave you many for the rest of the day and that's just not something that anyone even wants to consider. Maybe she also knew deep down that it was probably more than 14 points but told herself that it wasn't.

I have gently mentioned to her that maybe WW isn't the way to go for her. But she insists that it DOES work. OK, maybe so. But maybe it doesn't work for her. It's like she can't consider trying anything else. What I want to say is that if it really did work, then she wouldn't have gained the weight back. I am not allowed to say anything potentially negative about WW.

So there's that. And it kind of pains me, because I know that she has health problems and I know that she probably needs to do something more drastic than just count points. Yes, she knows I am getting banded (one of the few people who do) and no, I have not tried to convince her that she should do it also.

I have another acquaintance that I stopped talking to her about two years ago for the most part. At the time, she had lost a decent amount of weight and was pretty proud, rightfully so, of her loss (another WW disciple). But then she was badmouthing an acquaintance of hers for "letting herself go" after getting married -- essentially getting fat and not trying to continue looking good for her husband. OK, so you lost weight and suddenly you get to judge people for being overweight? I wasn't aware that was how it happened. You'd think that you would have sympathy since you'd been there. It annoyed me so much that I didn't want to talk to her anymore.

Here's the part where I feel schadenfreude. I recently stumbled upon her blog in which she talked about how much weight she'd gained and she now has a BMI of almost 40. Wow, she really let herself go, didn't she? Yes, I know that's cruel, but honestly...I can't help it. She looked down her nose at other fat people when she'd lost some weight and now she's fat again. And she's back on the WW wagon of course!

OK, I should say now that I suppose WW must work for somebody. And it does have some redeeming qualities. But the statistics about dieting and keeping weight off long term aren't good. So I'd wager that WW is making its money off the same group of people who keep coming back, hoping that it'll work this time. Maybe THIS time.

How many times have all of us said that, come to think of it? It's a tool that I know doesn't work for me. I hope the band will. But I also hope that people who'd rather count points forever will understand why some of us would rather get banded or do something different. It's a personal choice and it's all about what you can live with. People can eat around their band and regain their weight. If you want to sabotage anything, you can. I realize this. But since most of my experience has been with WW, that's what I chose to rant about.

[sfeiner 2]

I guess you could say that about any weight loss program. Some make even more when you have to buy their food. I know, I did them all. I don't know too many people who have actually kept it all off.

[babygrl1234 6]

I think weight watchers works mostly for those people who have not been morbidly obese for their entire life. Like those who gain 80 pounds in a pregnancy or those who just have a few pounds to lose. I don't think the track record for those of us who are morbidly obese is all that great.

[Wheetsin 714]

I hate WW. I think it works most for people who are emotionally needy and afraid of failing, hence the group meetings where people will stay on track because 1) they're afraid to be the one who doesn't lose weight and 2) they can get "support".

[GreenChrysalis 1]

Oh sure. WW is relatively cheap compared to Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem where you have to buy their food.

I guess you could say that about any weight loss program. Some make even more when you have to buy their food. I know, I did them all. I don't know too many people who have actually kept it all off.

[GreenChrysalis 1]

I didn't even talk about that part, since I was actually trying to focus on these two people who claim that WW is the be-all and end-all but keep losing and regaining weight on it. I had to get in my digs at WW itself, naturally.

But I think you're right. Shame is a good motivator for some people. Personally, the idea of weighing in front of others and the fear of being the only person who didn't have a loss would probably motivate me to eat an entire chocolate cake. :wink2:

I hate WW. I think it works most for people who are emotionally needy and afraid of failing, hence the group meetings where people will stay on track because 1) they're afraid to be the one who doesn't lose weight and 2) they can get "support".

[Jachut 487]

I tend to agree with you. I suck at counting calories or points and it makes me rebellious. I've done far better with a band learning to eat what I want when I want to if I"m hungry - I've learned to eat in a much healthier pattern this way and I havent needed to know how many calories I"m eating to lose weight. I certainly dont need to know how many I'm eating to maintain. I just keep exercising and eating when I'm hungry and not eating for other reasons and it works.

When I do need to restrict calories - as I need to now to lose just a little bit more, the only way I"m ever successful with that longer term (like more than a week) is a home delivered diet where its all done for me. I find that very easy and it always always works to take off weight, and since I've been banded I've done it for short periods 2 or 3 times and the weight STAYS off too!

[anonemouse 1]

I have an aunt that has done WW for years. Seriously, I don't remember a time when she wasn't on WW. And she's morbidly obese. She always talks about how "WW is a great tool for living, really teaches you how to live instead of diet." And I always want to say to her, "Well, why aren't you a healthy weight by now, then?" I know it's mean, and maybe it does keep her from gaining tons of weight back (I think she's lost the same 50 pounds several times), but it obviously isn't working that well.

[Jachut 487]

Dont say it to her Laurend, lol.

I said that to my mum once and she nearly hit me. She was banging on about how great WW is and I said "if it worked that well how come you've had to go on it 50 times?". Boy, I'll never do that again, lol.

[phyllisc 0]

Viridenscence,

Your friends just have not gotten to the same place as those of us who have chosen WLS. We have all been through countless attempts at a million different diets, then finally came to our senses. We all come to this through our own realization and nothing anyone else said or did made any difference. We can only control what we do, and not anyone else. Your friends may someday decide on their own that what they have been doing isn't working. I wish them lots of luck and the same to you.

[healthyagain 0]

We are all here for the same reason...We have had a hard time losing weight for years and years. I too have had many attempts at weight watchers...I have failed miserably...That said...I believe 100% in Weight Watchers program. It is a guide to healthy eating and a program that should be adopted for life. I wish I had been able to stick with it. Then I would not have had to take such a drastic move as surgery. I think people deserve support no matter which road they choose to lose weight. You made no mention of them critisizing your decision so I think you should support theirs...To each their own.

[GreenChrysalis 1]

I haven't said anything to either of them about WW -- that's why I came to R&R to vent about it instead of giving them my opinion. I don't believe in WW, but that's just my opinion -- as you say, to each their own. I have had no discussions about the band with the friend who does know about it. She has made it clear that she is not interested in discussing it with me and that's fine. I will not tell the other one for various reasons. I support their attempts to lose weight, but that doesn't mean that I agree with how they go about it, just as I know many people disagree with getting banded.

We are all here for the same reason...We have had a hard time losing weight for years and years. I too have had many attempts at weight watchers...I have failed miserably...That said...I believe 100% in Weight Watchers program. It is a guide to healthy eating and a program that should be adopted for life. I wish I had been able to stick with it. Then I would not have had to take such a drastic move as surgery. I think people deserve support no matter which road they choose to lose weight. You made no mention of them critisizing your decision so I think you should support theirs...To each their own.

[GreenChrysalis 1]

Naturally -- I don't expect them or anybody else to choose WLS just because that's what I decided to do. Who am I to say what's right for other people? But I just needed to vent because I get tired of hearing about WW so much. Thanks for the well wishes and best of luck to you too! :smile:

Viridenscence,

Your friends just have not gotten to the same place as those of us who have chosen WLS. We have all been through countless attempts at a million different diets, then finally came to our senses. We all come to this through our own realization and nothing anyone else said or did made any difference. We can only control what we do, and not anyone else. Your friends may someday decide on their own that what they have been doing isn't working. I wish them lots of luck and the same to you.

[GreenChrysalis 1]

That's exactly what I think. But no, I'm not ever going to tell my friend that. If she asked me what I thought of WW as a weight loss program, I'd tell her...but unless that happens I'll just keep my rants here.

I have an aunt that has done WW for years. Seriously, I don't remember a time when she wasn't on WW. And she's morbidly obese. She always talks about how "WW is a great tool for living, really teaches you how to live instead of diet." And I always want to say to her, "Well, why aren't you a healthy weight by now, then?" I know it's mean, and maybe it does keep her from gaining tons of weight back (I think she's lost the same 50 pounds several times), but it obviously isn't working that well.

[healthyagain 0]

I just re-read my post...I appologize at how bitchy it sounds...I didn't mean for it to come out that way. My message was just we should all support each other's weight loss attempts whatever they may be. I'm under-nourished and bitchy today (post-op liquid stage) and right about now I'd kill for 12 points to use on real food!!! That may well have been where my big support for weight watchers came from...That's no excuse for being a witch though and I am sorry.