Diet Programs and How They Work - Weight Watchers

If you've decided to slim down a little bit, then you may be considering joining a weight loss program to help you drop those pounds. There are a number of different weight loss programs available, many of which offer excellent tips and support systems that can help you to lose the weight and keep it off. But how do you know which program to join? And do these diet programs really work? Here is the lowdown on some of the most popular weight loss programs starting with Weight Watchers.

Weight Watchers is currently one of the most popular diet programs out there. Developed in the 1960s by an American, Jean Nidetch, Weight Watchers has since expanded to more than 30 different countries worldwide. And with millions of participants, including Sarah, the Duchess of York, Weight Watchers has gained a lot of credibility for providing its participants with nutritious and healthy food while helping them to lose weight and keep it off.

How Does It Work?
Weight Watchers helps men and women to lose weight by getting them to become more aware of their calorie intake and expenditure. While they offer different types of weight loss programs, one of their most popular is the Points System.

The Points System assigns a specific number of points to every type of food, based on serving size, calories, fiber content, and fat grams. The Points System also assigns a negative number of points to various exercises that people perform during the Weight Watchers program. At the end of the week, you tally up these points and try to come in under your total weekly point allowance. This overall point allowance is based on your current weight and your weight loss goals. Weight Watchers also provides weekly meetings to help support you through your weight loss experience.

Does It Work?
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that people who had followed the Weight Watchers Points program for two years lost an average of about six pounds. Those who also attended Weight Watchers meetings were found to be more successful, losing an average of 11 pounds after two years.

Pros and Cons
The Weight Watcher’s program offers a number of useful benefits for dieters. A particular pro about this diet is that no single type of food is restricted or banned. Instead dieters can choose to eat any type of food, as long as it’s in moderation. Additionally, Weight Watchers promotes healthy eating habits and portion control, both of which are essential to long term weight maintenance. However, many participants find that the Weight Watchers Points System involves too many calculations. Additionally, meetings can become very competitive and quite expensive.

The next program I'll be talking about is Jenny Craig. Stay tuned.

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