[If you have started a new weight loss program, or have just turned on your television recently, then there is a good chance that you have seen the new Weight Watchers Points Plus commercials. While some WW members are furious about the change, others are embracing what they feel are healthy changes. Is the new PointsPlus program worth it?..... ]
While I have not personally had success with Weight Watchers, there is no denying the company’s strong hold in the weight loss industry. I am not a big fan of calorie counting either, but I am a huge fan of body transformations, and Weight Watchers has produced milions of them. They have appropriately in my opinion chosen Jennifer Hudson to be their new spokes person specifically for the new PointsPlus campaign. Having gone through a transformation myself I must admit that I am a sucker for a feel good story, and more specifically a good weight loss story.
For all her success in film and music Jennifer has struggled to maintain a healthy body weight. After her American Idol Success she has gone on to win Academy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors guild awards for her role in Dreamgirls. Dealing with the shooting death of her mother, brother and nephew in 2008, Jennifer has truly overcome so much.
Body Transformations = Motivation
Before we look at the new adjustments to the weight watchers program, I think we should take a look at the Jennifer Hudson’s body measurements to assess her success.
Finding accurate hip, and waste measurements for celebrities is not easy, but basic measurements like height, weight and dress size are just as telling. Most celebrities do not like to share that type of information, but as the the saying goes, stats don’t lie and a picture is worth a thousand words.
Jennifer Hudson Body Measurements before Weight Watchers
Height: 5’9
Weight: 170-180 (many different reports)
Dress Size: 16
Jennifer Hudson Body Measurements after Weight Watchers
Height: 5’9 (go figure)
Weight: 130-140 (not as important as how she looks)
Dress Size: 5 (wow)
Weight Watchers Domination
With over 750,000 members in the USA alone, Weight Watchers is famous for providing an open forum and safe environment for its clients. I have even attended a weight watchers meeting one time myself. I think the meetings are a great place for people go with their friends, to make new ones, and experience success.
Again, I’m not a huge advocate of calorie counting, Weight Watchers is extremely effective at providing a framework that can be easily understood, which is crucial when it comes to weight loss. Using the point system is pure genius and really creates a buzz. I have heard countless people at the supermarket asking each other, “Hey how many points is this banana?” So it is catchy and pretty much universal now.
Even with such a great program in place people were having problems sticking to the plan. Once they miss a meeting here or there it’s was over! Their burgeoning online program has helped others stay on track.
Just like many other weight loss systems, Weight Watchers decide to pimp out their own products to increase income. This means prepackaged foods which are obviously not healthy for you. I never understood the Weight Watchers cookie for instance! I all about helping people lose weight but in my opinion they got a bit greedy.
The Reason For Change to PointsPlus – Are all Calories Equal?
Weight watchers recently began to get some flack for their strong emphasis on calories. The old program treated all calories as equal, regardless of their nutritional value.
An apple and a small bag of pretzels were essentially the same thing, but we all know our body does not process them the same.
Clearly there was a problem with this, and Weight Watchers much to my delight, has finally addressed this. The following is a highlight of some of the changes to the PointsPlus Program.
Weight Watchers Points Plus Plan Winners
source: http://danicasdaily.com/
low carbohydrate – love this!
high protein
unprocessed whole foods – Foundation of my diet!
Fruit and Vegetables- Fruits are worth zero points, which might send the wrong message. According to this you could eat 8 pineapples in one day…try it, let me know how that works out…)
Indulging when life see’s fit(increasing total point value per day, and discretionary points for special occasions is a great psychological tool which should keep people on track)
Weight Watchers Points Plus Plan Losers
source: http://danicasdaily.com/
Bread - it’s about time they came down hard on grains! This makes me very happy!
Alcohol - obviously limiting alcohol is a good idea on any plan
Fats – Still not giving good fats the importance they deserve in a healthy diet. Poor avocados – still don’t understand that one….
Sugar - putting grains and sugar in their place might be the best part of this program.
Total calories – less emphasis on total caloires!
The New Weight Watchers Point Plus Program: A Healthier Plan?
The previous weight watchers point system really rewarded low calorie, high fiber, and low fat choices. The new Plan has produced great initial success and clients seem to be sticking to the plan longer than the previous system. Weight Watchers 49 discretionary points designed to reward their clients is proving to be a great long term compliance strategy.
I believe Weight Watchers PointPlus is superior to the previous plan and is a huge step in the right direction.
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It’s great WW are now focusing on calories but again they miss the mark with their high protein low carb & fat diet …. might be OK for short term but sucks to eat like that for the long term.
I know you only need to eat a balanced macro nutrient diet to get lean if thats what you want but I guess if it gets some results then OK but hopefully they change later to a proper nutrient diet.
Raymond
Jordan,
I’m not a huge fan of the points systems myself, but anything that helps people quantify their food intake and track their progress can be a useful tool. Good to see that they are placing a bigger emphasis lower carb foods because this does make a significant difference.
Alykhan
I have to admit that I am not a fan of the Weight Watchers plan but I can see how it helps a person trying to lose excess weight by limiting the number of calories and the quality of calories, more importantly.
I also think that a system like this helps with getting a person to become disciplined with their diet which is in the end one of the best benefits possible if anyone wants to make a commitment to fitness.
Raymond,
I actually promote less of an emphasis on total calories and teaching people to eat the right foods that will keep them satisfied longer (protein, good fats).
Alykhan,
Again, love the lower carb emphasis, and believe they are getting people off processed foods. While I don’t think people should use the point system for life, some people have a long way to go, and this might be a good place to start!
Sam,
Spot on with the quality of calories! So misunderstood for many people trying to lose weight.
Cheers,
Jordan
I do believe in the fact that you need to pay attention to the amount of calories in food, but I dont believe in counting points specifically, (although it might work for some, like, Jen Hudson, she looks fantastic) I am not surprised that they dont count fruit with points, however fruit is best consumed in the morning before any other meal so its important to educate the consumer instead of having someone eat 8 pineapples as you said… I’m glad you posted this as I didnt really know the ins and outs of WW..
So true. I don’t understand the low point valuation for fruits, however it is way better than processed high carbohydrate alternatives. Again, while I don’t count calories myself, I think any device (tool, system, mind game) a person can use to their advantage and believe in, is worth a try.
Jordan
My wife is currently considering the weight watchers program. The question she’s deciding is: should she just look at the points and go by that or participate in the weekly weigh-ins. Psychologically, I think the weigh-ins are important since they almost force you to stay on track. Over the long term, I’m not a big fan of calorie counting though. For the short term, not a bad strategy.
I am not a fan of calorie counting as a long term strategy either, but it has helped many people. I think being accountable is important even it is just being accountable to a friend or workout partner. I know people that have quit weight watchers all together because of the fear of getting on a scale in front of others. The sad part is, scale weight is not the best determinent of health, but it is the bottom line for weight watchers. Good luck to your wife!
Jordan
The only thing I disagree with regarding the new Points Plus system is including fat in the negative side of things.
Used properly, fat can increase testosterone, especially in men. Obviously, both for building muscle and for losing fat, this hormone is critical.
Good review, I hadn’t seen anyone write about it yet. Cheers.
I’m with you. I am sick of the public hate on fat! It is essential for brain and cell function, plus it is satisfying. Good fats are the cornerstone to a good diet I believe.
Jordan
I think she looks great and i love the points plus system. i joined 2 weeks ago and i alreay lost 6 pounds.
Nikki,
She does look great. Thanks for stopping by, and congrats on your success. The first few pounds serve as great motivation for the rest of the journey!
Jordan
To those of you who are talking about the Weight Watchers treating fat as if it were a bad thing, I think you need to look at the program again. The example they give us at our first meeting for a good breakfast is 3 pieces of bacon, a poached egg, and a piece of wheat toast with a pat of butter, Not sure what’s missing there in terms of fat….
I just want to know where she’s shopping to wear a size 5. My daughter is the same height and weight, but is smaller boned and is in an 8! There is NO way she’s in a 5 and to make women believe that is giving some of them false hope.
Billie,
The camera adds a lot of weight! Check out new pics of her. It is also very probable for anybody to experience a transformation if the really dive in like Jennifer did.
Cheers,
Jordan
Jen does look good and not only that I know at least two people who went with WW and lost ALOT of weight and kept it off. So far this diet program is the only one I know of personally that shows results that can last. The other people I know that have lost dramatic weight had surgeries and that is not a option for myself. I am actually only about 30 lbs overweight at 5’5 170lbs. After considering for many years I think i’m going to let WW be my first diet program. Wish me luck
She is still looking great! I did use WW a while back, and I did get some results. I find that most women for some reason really seem to click with the program. BEST OF LUCK!